Chael Sonnen responds to query about him potentially running for political office weeks after voicing desire to become Oregon governor

Chael Sonnen gave a strange response to a fan regarding his potential run for office. Born and raised in Oregon, Sonnen still lives in the state and recently expressed the ambition to become its governor.

A few days after his claim, a fan took to X and asked Sonnen if he was serious about transitioning to politics. Sonnen replied with a puzzling statement:

“I run the underworld, the STREETS. Try passing through West Linn without my permission and see how fast one will learn. Want more information #Dorchester2025”

The fan’s question was related to Sonnen’s remarks during a recent interview with TMZ Sports. Sonnen had said:

“I will be governor soon!” [H/T TMZ Sports]

When asked if he would address the issue of violent crime in Oregon after becoming the governor, Sonnen replied:

“Oh, for Heaven’s sake. Instantly. Instantly. I could bring my old college wrestling team, deputize them, and we would walk through the state in a matter of hours. There are all sorts of ways to clean this state up. We’ve got resources, we’ve got funding, and we even have good people, but we stop them because we’re weak. We’re very weak here.” [H/T TMZ Sports]

Oregon state elections are due to take place in November 2026. As of now, it’s not clear if Sonnen is actually serious about contesting the elections.

A brief history of Chael Sonnen’s foray into politics

The idea of transitioning to politics is not new for Chael Sonnen. The former UFC fighter previously won the Republican primaries unopposed in Oregon’s House District 37, which earned him a bid for an Oregon House of Representatives seat against the Democratic party’s nominee in the 2010 general elections.

However, Sonnen announced his withdrawal from the election shortly after. While there was speculation that he withdrew to prepare for his middleweight title fight against Anderson Silva, Sonnen later explained that he had to step down due to a legal issue that could potentially disqualify him from running for office until 2011.

He later pleaded guilty in the case, which involved money laundering, and was temporarily suspended by the UFC for his involvement.

Additionally, Sonnen received one vote in New York City in the 2012 U.S. presidential elections.

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Rajneesh Suhas Reddy is a journalist who covers MMA at Sportskeeda. His passion was ignited by the Fight Science shows broadcast on Nat Geo in the 2000s. Rajneesh is fascinated by the backstories of fighters, their journeys, and the compelling storylines leading up to events. Through his writing, Rajneesh connects with fellow MMA enthusiasts and converses about his favorite sport.

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