The UFC isn’t slowing down! It’s selling out arenas and drawing more global attention than ever. That’s a fact, backed by gate numbers and fight night data. So when two big names, Ariel Helwani and Eddie Hearn, teamed up to declare that “MMA is in a recession,” it bombed like a controversy.
The comment came from Ariel Helwani during a recent discussion with boxing promoter Eddie Hearn in the Ariel Helwani Show. The context was a comparative take on the current states of boxing and MMA, but it was the phrasing that caught attention. Helwani said, “MMA is in a recession.” Eddie Hearn nodded in agreement and added that he couldn’t name six UFC fighters at the moment. Their conversation quickly spread online, and within a few hours, Chael Sonnen responded with a harsh rebuttal.
In a video posted to his YouTube channel, Sonnen outright rejected the claim, accusing both Hearn and Helwani of spreading what he called a “wildly dishonest conversation.” He said: “Eddie Hearn and Ariel Helwani had a wildly dishonest conversation and I don’t know why. I—I don’t know what purpose it served.” He followed with a clearer accusation: “So you—you—you have two guys, neither of which are accurate, supporting one another’s claim.”
Sonnen pushed back hard by citing real data. “MMA is in a recession. That is a fascinating statement,” he said, pausing before dismissing it. “That is a ridiculously inaccurate statement. And inaccurate is a nice way of saying it. It sounds dishonest, but that’s a much stronger word. So I’ll just say inaccurate.”
Chael Sonnen pointed to regional shows like the UFC’s upcoming Iowa card, which is not a pay-per-view, not a major city, not a marquee event, as proof of real-world demand. “Sold out in Iowa. An unusual market. 14,000 seats. The same as is held at T-Mobile,” Sonnen explained. These events are filling the same-sized arenas as UFC pay-per-views, but they’re technically classified as “Fight Nights”. It is definitely a crucial detail that undercuts any recession narrative.
Sonnen pushed back hard by citing real data. “MMA is in a recession. That is a fascinating statement,” he said, pausing before dismissing it. “That is a ridiculously inaccurate statement. And inaccurate is a nice way of saying it. It sounds dishonest, but that’s a much stronger word. So I’ll just say inaccurate.”
Chael Sonnen pointed to regional shows like the UFC’s upcoming Iowa card, which is not a pay-per-view, not a major city, not a marquee event, as proof of real-world demand. “Sold out in Iowa. An unusual market. 14,000 seats. The same as is held at T-Mobile,” Sonnen explained. These events are filling the same-sized arenas as UFC pay-per-views, but they’re technically classified as “Fight Nights”. It is definitely a crucial detail that undercuts any recession narrative.
December 8, 2022, Las Vegas, NV, LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, United States: LAS VEGAS, NV – December 8: Chael Sonnen walk the red carpet as they arrive at Sahara Casino and Resort for Fighterss Only World MMA Awards on December 8, 2022 in Las Vegas, NV, United States. Las Vegas, NV United States – ZUMAp175 20221208_zsa_p175_169 Copyright: xLouisxGrassex
Sonnen said he believes Hearn and Helwani either haven’t looked at the data or are ignoring it. “What would be the point of pretending that MMA is down when all of the data and all of the numbers that we have…,” Sonnen said before stopping himself.
“When Eddie says, ‘I can’t name six UFC fighters,’ it doesn’t mean there aren’t six,” Sonnen said. “He is saying literally, like, your crossover and your marketing — it hasn’t gotten me enough that I could name six of your guys.”
The issue Sonnen seems most concerned with is the public narrative. He acknowledged that the average viewer might not have access to financial data, attendance records, or viewership trends. That’s why he considers public statements from high-profile voices, like Helwani and Hearn, to carry more weight.
Boxing’s turf anxiety and Dana White’s slow push
While Eddie Hearn’s comments may seem dismissive on the surface, Sonnen believes they may actually be defensive. “Eddie is very good at what he does and he’s handsome and he’s well spoken. He’s got a great business,” Sonnen said, acknowledging Hearn’s legitimacy. But he added a warning: “There is nothing Dana White wants more than a fight. There is nobody under contract in boxing or in MMA that wants to fight as bad as Dana. Dana just doesn’t have a number one contender. It’s as simple as that.”
By “contender,” Sonnen meant a rival promoter. Someone to clash with, and build narratives around. Eddie Hearn could become that person, and Sonnen hinted that Hearn knows it, in the same video Chael Sonnen posted on his YouTube channel.
“If you are Eddie Hearn and you got the power and you got the money and you got the distribution—Dana’s been waiting for you. He’s just been waiting for you to say when.”
In this framework, according to Sonnen, by downplaying the UFC, he could be trying to maintain boxing’s perceived edge in mainstream sports. Or he is trying to prevent fans from getting too hyped about Dana White’s slow-burning boxing ambitions. Whether intentional or not, his “recession” comment amplifies the same dismissive narrative that Hearn is using to stall or downplay the UFC’s growth. Sonnen, known for his hyperbolic opinions, didn’t rely on rhetoric alone. He broke down the numbers and challenged anyone to prove otherwise.
What do you think — is Chael defending the sport or attacking for attention? Drop your thoughts in the comments.
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