When combat sports fans think of Chael Sonnen, ‘romantic’ probably isn’t the first word that comes to their minds. Known for his sharp wit, trash talk, and ability to sell a fight like few others, Sonnen built a reputation as one of the smoothest talkers in MMA history. But what many fans don’t know is that his gift of gab isn’t just limited to hyping up fights—it’s also what won over his wife.
Chael Sonnen and his wife, Brittany, have been married for over a decade. They tied the knot in July 2013, and their journey together has been marked by both joy and profound loss. The couple has been blessed with two children: a son named Theo, born in 2015, and a daughter named Pria.
Tragically, in 2016, they faced the heartbreaking loss of their newborn daughter, Blauna Dian, who passed away shortly after birth due to listeria. Despite the challenges, Chael and Brittany have remained resilient, supporting each other through life’s highs and lows.
During a conversation with Ariel Helwani, Sonnen recalled the time when he first met Brittany and revealed the slick move he pulled on her, leaving even the veteran journalist stunned.
“Yeah, I met her at a fight. She was passing through, it was a three-storey building, and I saw her on the bottom floor—but she got away,” Sonnen recalled. Not one to let an opportunity slip, he went on a mission to find her. “I searched the whole building for her and found her on the middle floor.”
That’s when Sonnen pulled off his smoothest move. “I went up to her and said, ‘My phone is dead, can I make a phone call?’ and I called myself,” he revealed. But he didn’t stop there—he sent a cheeky text right away: “Be careful who you loan your phone to, lot of crazies out there.” Classic Chael Sonnen—quick, witty, and always one step ahead.
While Sonnen might be smooth with his words and a natural in front of the camera, he has passed those skills well onto his children.
Sonnen’s son picks up his quick wit
Before a recent episode of Good Guy/Bad Guy, Sonnen shared a hilarious story about his son, Theo taking a playful jab at Daniel Cormier’s physique.
DC, who’s always been known for his “dad bod,” is no stranger to jokes about his shape—especially post-retirement. But this time, the roast came from an unexpected source.
Sonnen recalled, “Daniel, can I tell you a true story? My son, you let him come on the show Monday and he showed you this doll. So later, he brought it to me and said, ‘Look at all these muscles on Daniel, look at his abs and biceps. Wasn’t that nice of Dana White to put those muscles on him?’”
Cormier, of course, laughed it off. He’s used to this kind of banter, especially from Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev, who always remind him he’s let loose since retiring. And if DC can let go of his rivalry with Jon Jones, a little playful teasing from Sonnen’s son is nothing!
