Chael Sonnen may have etched his name in MMA’s history books as one of the best talkers of all time. But one thing that he could never do was win a world title. ‘The American Gangster’ once got teary-eyed when he mentioned promising his father to become a world champion before he passed away, but the UFC legend couldn’t fulfill that. “That’s the only promise I never kept,” the MMA legend stated in 2017.
Despite the failed promise, Chael Sonnen’s love for his father, years after his passing, remains strong. Moreover, he recently revealed that he has lived up to one of his father’s principles during an interview with The Schmo. As the 33rd season of TUF, featuring Sonnen and Daniel Cormier as coaches, kicked off, ‘The American Gangster’ appeared in an interview when he revealed a movie that his son is acting in.
The movie Chael Sonnen is taking is Westbrook: A Wrestler’s Story. Produced and directed by Gregory Marks, a known figure in Hollywood, the movie appeared to lack funds, as Marks created a GoFundMe page. The movie makers wanted people to contribute a little to make this movie materialize, but were only able to get $200 out of their $15,000 target. Despite the challenges, Sonnen’s statement indicates that the filming is complete.
While he didn’t specify what his role in the movie was, Chael Sonnen showed off a souvenir he received after summing up the shooting process. It was a belt buckle, which was awarded to ‘The American Gangster’ by the director of the movie’s completion. The UFC legend seemed overjoyed with this achievement because he earned it, and that’s what his “cowboy” father always believed in.
“Let’s talk about this belt buckle. I got this in a movie. I was in a movie with my son. It’s a wrestling movie. It’s coming out. It’s called ‘Westbrook: A Wrestler’s Story,’” Chael Sonnen stated. “This was part of the costume for it. And when we were done, the director said, ‘You can take it.’ Now, I only tell you that because my father was a real cowboy. And if you wore a belt buckle that you did not win, you were a weird guy. So. I was given this.”
WESTBROOK a wrestler’s story is set to release in selected theaters November 2025 @ShaneSparksBTN @ChaelSonnen @josiebissett @AdelineGray @USAWrestling @FloWrestling @AdidasWrestling @CityofTacoma #westbrookusa #Wrestling #movieshttps://t.co/kDsWtDNxH3
— Gregory Marks (@greg_marks) May 13, 2025
Chael Sonnen has always held his father in high regard and cherishes the things he learned from the patriarch of his family. One of those big lessons is related to discipline and how he never tried to forget that whenever he approached anything in his life. Let’s take a look at that front.
UFC legend talks about his father’s discipline and ‘hard work’
It wasn’t all rainbows and sunshine for ‘The American Gangster’, hailing from the mean streets of West Linn, Oregon. Chael Sonnen’s father, Patrick Sonnen, worked a blue-collar job after all. His father was a plumber, and for some, the job may seem boring. However, one thing that always stuck with the UFC legend is the fact that his father’s diligence at work and the ability to push himself to provide for his family.
Chael Sonnen noticed, as he grew and got into wrestling, his father’s approach to work. He applied that himself, even long after his father’s untimely demise. “My dad was a plumber. That’s hard work. He never missed a day of work. I will never disrespect him by not showing up for an athletic competition that has a maximum duration of 25 minutes,” Sonnen stated in 2012. “There should be forfeiture if you have to pull out of a fight. If you don’t show up, it should be a loss on your record.”
Meanwhile, the news about Chael Sonnen acting in a movie is quite an exciting one, especially given that his son is also in it. The UFC legend is no stranger to being on camera, as he’s also going to be a prominent face for the next few months on ESPN with The Ultimate Fighter 33 reality show. In the meantime, let us know your thoughts in the comments down below.
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