Chael Sonnen: Is He the Real 'People's Champion'?

The champ is here. Well, without a championship belt, that is.

Like a villain-turned-hero in an epic drama, or more fittingly, a heel-turned-face in the WWE, Sonnen went from being one of the most hated fighters in the UFC to one of the most beloved in a matter of seconds. Okay, most beloved is a little exaggerated, but fans have found a new level of respect for Sonnen.

In an instance that made the UFC's biggest superstar to date, Jon Jones, look like a prima donna, Sonnen had his brightest moment to date. With only eight days' notice, Sonnen accepted a bout with Jones after Dan Henderson's injury, and Jones was the one to turn the fight down. That's right—one of the best fighters in UFC history turned down the larger-than-life, trash-talking middleweight challenger.

The move by Jones not only made him look like a coward, but it made him look selfish for letting UFC president Dana White, the company, fellow fighters and the fans down. Meanwhile, Sonnen comes out of this entire situation looking like MMA's "white knight."

Love him or hate him, you have to respect  Sonnen for being a true fighter. Sure, he runs his mouth saying outlandish things to generate hype for his fights, but he does it for the better of the company. And though many hate him for his propaganda on Twitter and promos in interviews, you can't deny that Sonnen brings it on fight night.

Every single time, Sonnen buries his head into his opponent's chest and goes for the takedown. Whether he gets his man down or not, he's pushing the pace with an unrelenting pace that eventually wears his adversary down.

But because Sonnen has been so vocal in the past against one of the greatest champions in MMA history, Anderson Silva, he hasn't been well received by the MMA community.

And while Sonnen had his eyes set on Silva, Jones was running through challenger after challenger, and coincidentally losing more and more fans. What's the reason for that?

Well, Jones has been exposed. First, fans loved him for being a young, talented and humble fighter, and as Jones spent more time in the spotlight, Jones' cocky nature was revealed. It rubbed fans the wrong way, because Jones plays the "good guy" role.

With Philippians 4:13 tattooed on his chest, Jones talked the talk but didn't necessarily walk the walk. Fans saw through him, especially when he was charged with a DWI in May. And as Jones single-handedly discarded UFC 151, he has truly become a villain at the same time.

Perhaps this is exactly what Sonnen needed to get the people on his side. Sonnen needed a target that fans don't particularly like, and now that Jones has publicly ducked him, Sonnen can become the real "people's champion."

It's twists and turns like these that make MMA such a compelling sport, and as Sonnen continues his campaign against Jones publicly, expect Sonnen to become more and more lovable. Just like a true champion of the people would.