<header class="header"> [h=1]Chael Sonnen reportedly replaces Nogueira, meets 'Shogun' Rua at UFC 161[/h] by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Jun 03, 2013 at 1:45 pm ET </header> In what will be just seven weeks since losing a light heavyweight title fight against Jon Jones, Chael Sonnen reportedly will return and save the co-main event spot at UFC 161. Sonnen (27-13-1 MMA, 6-6 UFC), according to a report from Globo, will step up to meet Mauricio Rua (21-7 MMA, 5-5 UFC) in the co-main event of the card later this month in Canada. "Shogun" was in need of an opponent once Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (21-5 MMA, 4-2 UFC) dropped off the card with a back injury. UFC officials, however, could not yet confirm the report to MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) early Monday afternoon. UFC 161 takes place June 15 at MTS Centre in Winnipeg. It will be the UFC's first trip to the Canadian province of Manitoba. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on FX and Facebook. The card's main event was hit by injury this past month when interim bantamweight champion Renan Barao was forced out of a title fight against Eddie Wineland with a foot injury. That moved a light heavyweight bout between Dan Henderson and Rashad Evans into the main event spot. Now Sonnen apparently will step up to save the co-feature on account of Nogueira's injury. Sonnen has lost two straight – both title fights. Eleven months ago, he lost his rematch to middleweight champion Anderson Silva at UFC 148 in Las Vegas. Then he announced a move to light heavyweight and got a spot coaching "The Ultimate Fighter" opposite Jones this past Season 17. He lost by first-round TKO to Jones at UFC 159 in Newark, N.J., in late April. Rua, a former light heavyweight champ currently ranked No. 8 in the USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie.com MMA light-heavyweight rankings, will be looking to get back in the win column after a December loss to Alexander Gustafsson. Although he hasn't had a win streak since 2009, it should be noted that he's never lost back-to-back fights, either. After a controversial decision loss to Lyoto Machida in a 205-pound title fight at UFC 104, he won their rematch to win the belt at UFC 113. But he surrendered it to Jones in March 2011. Since then, "Shogun" has alternated wins and losses, beating Forrest Griffin and Brandon Vera, but losing to Henderson and Gustafsson.
I thing Sonnen beats him too, sadly he will never in his life beat Jon Jones so he may as well not even bother at 205. Also fuck Sonnen, he should have to work his way up like any other fighter. I'm tired of seeing Sonnen given big fights for doing nothing but flap his gums.
i would say he is ranked 8th IMO. He is also coming off a loss just like Sonnen is. Fight makes sense to me.
With the multiple things I dislike About Sonnen, the one thing I always give him credit for is always being willing to take a fight on short notice or to fill in. I don't think anyone is gifting him here. I think he's probably the only guy with a name that will step up. Good for him.
There is nothing I hate more than a guy who talks shit and can't back it up. He's failed 3 times now to back up his words. It's just not amusing to me anymore. The guy is a psycho.
