Chael Sonnen is Oregon born and raised and proud of it.

“I was born here and I will die here," he states. "I will never leave Oregon and I will never leave the city of West Linn. The only thing tying me down, aside from my mom, is coaching the kids' wrestling team. I coach every day except Friday. That’s when we rest because we compete Saturdays, but then we go right back to training on Sunday. It’s an every day deal. I’m in my 10th year doing it. It’s a big commitment, but it’s just that, a commitment. I don’t miss practice for any reason.

"I defeated Brian Stann on the Saturday night but I was back for practice on Sunday. I beat Michael Bisping on a Saturday night, but I landed at the airport and drove straight to practice on Sunday. And that’s just for the kids and I’m never gonna leave them.

"It’s kind of a lifetime commitment. I’m their coach and even when they get old enough to leave the program I’ll still be their coach. And if they need anything, if they need help at college or help finding a job, whatever they need, I’m their coach for life. And that means being here in Oregon with my guys.”

However, Chael is no fan of MMA's current lack of forfeits.

“Whether you’re hurt or injured, wrestling competitions are scheduled, they’re going to take place," he states. "MMA is really unique because we don’t have a forfeit policy. In wrestling you can lose by forfeit. If you agree to a date and you don’t show, the other guy wins via forfeit. And that’s not just wrestling.

"Take football, the day for the Super Bowl years ahead is already set. If one of the teams doesn’t show up, they lose. The Super Bowl champions will be crowned on that specific date.

"But in MMA the date gets set, the match is made, but it’s not set in stone. You can easily take the eraser on the end of the pencil and change the date. I don’t believe in that, I think once the date is set, if you don’t show you lose by forfeit.”