Not So Great: Nate Marquardt States Why He Does Not Want To Face Chael Sonnen

Nate Marquardt is not getting the fight he wants. In fact, what he has to prepare for is a fight he definitely does not want.

Despite a 4-1 record since losing to Anderson Silva, Marquardt is not facing another well-known middleweight contender. Instead, he is set to face off with Chael Sonnen at UFC 109.

Since the Silva loss, Marquardt’s only defeat was by close decision to Thales Leites. Marquardt controlled the fight but was deducted two points for illegal blows, and Leites would end up with a title shot. Leites lost to Silva in what was one of the most boring fights in UFC history.

However, Marquardt quickly rebounded from the Leites defeat. He beat three highly rated middleweights in dominating fashion: Martin Kampmann, Wilson Gouveia, and Demian Maia. 

Marquardt’s most impressive victory was the most recent one against Maia. He needed only 21 seconds to dispose of the jiu-jitsu wizard.

“Maia was ranked very high at the time,” Marquardt said. “He was undefeated and submitted pretty much everyone he had fought. I didn’t expect it to go that quickly. It was the first punch of the fight.”

What Marquardt is most remembered for in that fight is not the devastating right hand he landed. It is the devastating right hand that he did not land on the prone Maia.

“It comes down to experience,” Marquardt said, when asked how he held up after connecting with just one punch. “When I hit him, I knew I knocked him down. I went to finish him. As I cocked my arm back, I even started to punch, but I was looking into his eyes and I realized he was out. I didn’t get too excited that I wasn’t thinking.”

With the win, Marquardt hoped to receive another chance at UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva. However, that shot was first given to Dan Henderson. Then, after knocking out Rich Franklin in just one round, Vitor Belfort was given Henderson’s opportunity.

That left Henderson and Marquardt as likely opponents. The winner would receive a chance at the Silva-Belfort winner.

“I was offered a fight against Dan Henderson in November,” Marquardt said, “and I accepted.”

Unfortunately for Marquardt, due to difficult contract negotiations, Henderson split from the UFC and joined Strikeforce.

Marquardt no longer had a top opponent to face in the octagon.

“I am disappointed with this fight,” Marquardt said about fighting Sonnen. “I don’t think Sonnen has a higher ranking or is more popular than me. He’s not really either one of those. I would rather be fighting someone who is ranked higher or is more popular.”

What makes the scenario even more interesting is that Belfort has never fought in the UFC at middleweight.

“I was disappointed (on Vitor getting the title shot),” Marquardt said. “I felt I deserved the shot. He hadn’t fought at 185, and I had worked my way back to the top.”

Looking down UFC’s middleweight roster, Marquardt did not see an opponent that provided a huge upside to his career.

“Dana decided it would be Anderson Silva against Vitor Belfort. So really, Sonnen was the only guy left.”

Marquardt was left with a choice. He could wait for someone else to become available in a few months, or he could accept the fight with Sonnen.

“I don’t think I ever have turned down a fight, but that doesn’t mean I won’t,” Marquardt said. “This fight—if there was somebody else to fight—I probably would have turned it down. There was just no one else to fight.”

Nevertheless, Marquardt accepted the fight, and he has to prepare for a formidable opponent in Sonnen. Sonnen has been on a good roll himself. He recently defeated Yushin Okami at UFC 104 by unanimous decision.

Sonnen is known for being a talented wrestler who grinds out decisions, but he also has been known to be susceptible to submissions.

“I feel like he’s going to try to take me down and do just enough to win,” said Marquardt, the former King of Pancrase. “That’s what I’m going to be focused on—not letting that happen and hitting him really hard so that slows him down.”

Should Marquardt be successful against Sonnen, he feels confident that he knows who his next opponent will be.

“Yes,” Marquardt said, when asked if he’d received a middleweight title chance, “my manager was told by Joe Silva that I would get the winner of Anderson Silva and Belfort.”

Marquardt’s previous title shot occurred back in July 2007 at UFC 75. He lost to Anderson Silva by first round KO. Marquardt is confident the next time will be different.

“I’m a much better fighter,” Marquardt said. “It’s been three years now. My wrestling is better. My technique is better. My power is better. Back then, I fought very cautiously.”

“I was worried about getting caught. I don’t fight well that way. I fight better when I go to finish the guy. That’s how I fight now.”

With the end goal of the middleweight title in his sights, Marquardt still has to remain completely focused on Sonnen, and Marquardt plans to exploit one of Sonnen’s weaknesses.

"I made that mistake before,” Marquardt said about possibly looking past his next opponent, “and it cost me. I don’t want to lose, and I’m training hard.”

“I’m going to be able to catch him in the third round with a submission.”