January 31, 2025 10:30 am ET
Bryce Mitchell isn’t precisely off the hook for his pro-Hitler feedback, regardless of the UFC not taking direct motion, says Chael Sonnen.
Mitchell, a present UFC featherweight, made objectively disgusting remarks on the primary episode of his “ArkanSanity Podcast,” stating Adolf Hitler was “a great man” whereas additionally denying the Holocaust as an actual historic occasion.
On the first given alternative, UFC CEO Dana White addressed Mitchell’s rant unprompted on the Energy Slap 11 post-match press convention. White defined that he and the UFC’s official stance was considered one of “past disgust,” however the Las Vegas-based MMA promotion would take no motion.
Sonnen admitted he was not absolutely knowledgeable concerning the scenario however felt comfy sufficient to touch upon the UFC’s response to Mitchell’s feedback.
“There’s a couple of phrases that simply don’t work,” Sonnen instructed MMA Junkie. “I had this discuss with my kids. There’s a couple of phrases that don’t work; considered one of them begins with the letter ‘N.’ One other considered one of them begins with the letter ‘F,’ and you may’t do Nazi and Hitler. You simply can’t. You possibly can’t make these comparisons; you may’t reward.” Sonnen, a Combat Wing UFC Corridor of Famer for his half within the UFC 117 title combat towards Anderson Silva, recalled an incident in school when he insulted somebody utilizing the Nazi label, however was scolded by his professor.
“I put someone down in school,” Sonnen defined. “I used to be insulting a foul particular person and I used the phrase Nazi. In some way, I made a compairison, ‘just like the Nazis.’ That professor saved me after class and he mentioned, ‘Are you aware who they’re?’ I mentioned, ‘Yeah.’ And he was towards the man that I used to be education. I used to be on the suitable aspect of this, and the professor agreed.
“He mentioned, ‘You don’t ever evaluate anyone to them. You don’t ever attempt to inform me someone’s dangerous, and evaluate them to that, as a result of no person is that.’ And it modified me. And if Bryce has by no means had that discuss like I had, and he’s getting it proper now from the UFC, I’ll guess you, very similar to me, he’ll study from it.”
Although the UFC did hand down a punishment to Mitchell, Sonnen firmly believes there’ll nonetheless be repercussions for the 30-year-old featherweight.
“Please perceive, there’s a checks and balances for these guys that run their mouth or say one thing dangerous or say one thing that’s actually offensive,” Sonnen mentioned. “There’s no passes. … There’s different issues you are able to do, there’s checks and balances. Mark my phrases, he’s having calls from no matter sponsors he’s received, he doesn’t have them anymore. In the very best case situation, all of them received frozen – in a greatest case situation.
“Now, the viewers goes to take a look at him completely different. These issues don’t go away. To faux that there’s not a punishment, will not be true. Do you want massive brother to return in and hand him the final word ax? That’s a unique dialog. There’s completely different ranges to issues. There’s criminals on the market, however a few of them jaywalk, and a few of them rob a financial institution. There’s completely different ranges, and there’s checks and balances for all of them. So please, let’s not faux that Bryce has received away with one thing right here. He most positively didn’t.”
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Talking from private expertise …
Repercussions nonetheless to return?