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Excerpts from Chael Sonnen’s UFC 133 Q&A session

Back from suspension, Sonnen has plenty of ammunition to fire

UFC 117 weigh-in

Jeff Chiu / AP

Chael Sonnen flexes after weighing in for UFC 117 in Oakland, Calif.

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Las Vegas Sun sports reporters Case Keefer, Ryan Greene and Ray Brewer spend most of their radio show, which is weekly on Mondays on 91.5 KUNV, discussing this weekend's UFC 133 card in Philadelphia. They also touch on UNLV recruiting at the end.

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PHILADELPHIA — When UFC middleweight Chael Sonnen opens his mouth, the mixed martial arts world pauses to listen.

Sonnen is one of the sport’s most colorful personalities and an avid trash talker. With a possible title eliminator bout against Brian Stann scheduled for Oct. 8, the UFC had an easy choice in making Sonnen the featured question-and-answer guest before UFC 133’s weigh-in Friday.

Sonnen touched on multiple subjects including the matchup with Stann, Anderson Silva’s epic fifth-round comeback victory against him at UFC 117 and the suspension handed down from the California State Athletic Commission that has kept him out for nearly a year.

Below are some of the highlights from the near hour-long conversation Sonnen held with fans.

On losing his UFC 117 championship bout loss to Anderson Silva via triangle choke

“I’m a little embarrassed for him. Triangle chokes are the refuge for cowards. I would never stoop to that level of locking my legs around a man and squeezing. I only gave him that victory out of pity because I was embarrassed he even tried that. He said, ‘oh, my rib hurts, my rib hurts.’ Well, yeah Anderson, your ribs have the same problem as your hands and feet do. They’re attached to a wimp.”

On the UFC 134 main event between Silva and Yushin Okami

“It’s a tough sell. You have to come out and convince the people that Anderson actually has a chance in this one if you want people to tune in. I’ve got to go around and be like, ‘oh, Anderson is so good,’ and watch videos of him dancing around. He kicks someone in the mouth like it’s some hard technique and (UFC commentator) Joe Rogan goes crazy. I’m sitting at home changing the channel. It’s like a clip out of ‘The Nutcracker’ ballet or something. Yushin is better than that guy. He’s tougher than that guy.”

On his elevated testosterone levels that resulted in a suspension from the California State Athletic Comission

“You’re telling me I’m one-tenth higher than the average man? Re-test that. You must have caught me on a low day. I told them to feast their eyes and fantasize. I offer no apology. That’s testosterone, ladies and gentlemen. What do you mean higher than the norm? Who are you comparing me to? The pink t-shirt, earring-wearing guy I just fought? Well, of course. They said, ‘Mr. Sonnen, what are you doing?’ Isn’t it obvious what I’m telling you? Chael Sonnen is too (expletive) macho for the standardized testing procedures of the California Control Board.”

On upcoming opponent and war hero Brian Stann

“I don’t manufacture conflict and I’m not going to go out and create something with Brian Stann that isn’t there. Brian Stann is a great guy. I voted him in for the President of the United States in 2008 and I will write him in again in 2012. And when he becomes the legal age of 35 in 2016 per our constitution, I hope that you all vote for Brian Stann. He’s an outstanding human being. This isn’t 1984. This isn’t the Iron Sheik vs. Sergeant Slaughter. I’m not going to walk to the ring in curled-up boots looking for a camel clutch. I’m not the bad guy here. I’m an American. He’s an American, too. He loves the USA. I love the USA. But on Oct. 8 in Houston, Texas, there’s going to be a red-white-and-blue ass whipping.”

On Quinton “Rampage” Jackson recently calling him out

“I saw it, but for the life of me, I couldn’t understand a word he was saying. I speak three languages — four if you count Portuguese, which you shouldn’t because they only use it in parts of the world that don’t matter — but I still don’t understand what he said. They have a whole room of people laughing and I’m like, ‘Wait a minute. I’m an intelligent guy, but I need an interpreter.’ What in God’s name is he saying? By the looks of his body language, he’s got a problem with me. If he wants to walk his ass to the octagon, I’ll happily kick it for him.”

On heavyweight Mirko Cro Cop, who fights Roy Nelson at UFC 137

“Mirko is a high-ranking member of the government of Croatia, a country that doesn’t even show the UFC, so what in the blue hell has he done for anybody except fall down? That guy has been dropped more than the ball in Times Square. That guy has hit the ground more than the 82nd Airborne. Should I keep going? That guy has fallen more times than an epileptic has dropped his keys. It’s true.”

On Silva’s teammate Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, who pulled out of his scheduled UFC 133 co-main event against Rich Franklin with injury

“ I’m not one of these guys who gives his word to people that he’s going to be at a fight so you can see him and maybe I’ll show up, maybe I won’t. On the other side, we’ve all been sick haven’t we? We all have felt like we can’t really go to work. What I don’t understand is how a guy can call in sick 30 days in advance. Little Nogueira canceled his fight on the fourth of July. On the fourth of July, how do you know you’re not going to feel good on August 6?”

Case Keefer can be reached at 948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.

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