3 Realistic Career Choices for Chael Sonnen Once He Retires from MMA

Once an athlete retires, they tend to spend the rest of their lives playing golf and what not. However, most of these athletes possess skills and attributes that could be put to good use.

Chael Sonnen is one of those athletes who is exceptionally skilled in things other than fighting. Love him or hate him, nobody can deny that he is a great speaker and an intelligent person. Therefore, it'd be a shame if he was to retire from MMA and live the rest of his life away in a lush pad in Oregon. He has skills that should be utilized. For example, Sonnen has a skill-set that would be great for somebody who is required to speak a lot for their career. 

I did not include any silly career suggestions for Chael Sonnen (in case he decides he is going to hunt me down). That is for you, the readers, to come up with. Leave your suggestions in the comments below!

This article is just a bit of fun and a discussion point for fans to let others know their opinions about Chael Sonnen.

Car Salesman

This slide was initially entitled "Realtor," but we all know how that ended up...

Chael Sonnen was born to be a salesman. His phenomenal skill in public speaking and natural talent for BS-ing would make him a great salesman.

Sonnen has all the attributes of a salesman; he is confident, loud and possesses the power of persuasion, among many other qualities. 

Look at how well he sold the fight against Anderson Silva. Sonnen stated that he would be the man to beat Anderson SIlva. To date, Sonnen has come the closest to beating Anderson Silva. Therefore, unlike other salesmen, Sonnen is one that you would be able to trust. To an extent, that is.

This video shows some of the trash-talk that made Chael Sonnen one of the most popular figures in MMA history.

He could sell ice to an Eskimo.

American Ambassador (or Any Political Position)

This is another career choice that would play to Chael Sonnen's strengths.

Sonnen is currently public enemy number one in the nation of Brazil, so he'd have to stay well away from South America.

However, he could realistically be the ambassador to nations that have close political ties to the USA, like the UK.

However, this is a very risky proposition. He has already managed to make one whole nation turn against him. What if he was to do the same to the nations that he was an ambassador to? He wouldn't be able to step foot outside of his home in West Linn, Oregon.

Sonnen does have experience in politics; he was a part of the Oregon Senate Race but had to withdraw due to unforeseen problems. 

Sonnen could also help to play a part in helping legalize MMA in states and nations that currently have a ban on MMA. As one of the most popular (not necessarily a good thing) figures in recent MMA history, Sonnen can represent MMA and the UFC in trying to legalize the sport in states such as New York, and he can further expand the development of the sport.

Then again, he could also hinder the expansion of MMA worldwide with his talking.

Motivational Speaker

Imagine having Chael Sonnen giving you a pep-talk before a big game or a fight. Having Chael Sonnen rip on your opponent(s) is bound to give you the confidence boost that you need to beat your adversaries.

Sonnen's Q&A session at UFC 115 showcased his skills in crowd interaction and giving speeches. Whether fans like to admit it or not, Sonnen is an articulate and intelligent man, although his views are sometimes seen as brash and impertinent.  

Sonnen garnered a lot of support from his trash talk (pre-UFC 117), which is a testament to how easily he can gain the support of fans with little effort. With this attribute coupled with his confidence/straight-shooting type personality, Sonnen could easily step into the role of a motivational speaker. Companies could hire Sonnen to motivate and inspire their workers with his golden words of wisdom. 

Similarly, fighters could hire Sonnen to write jokes for them regarding their opponents and help generate hype for fights.

With that in mind, Sonnen would be pretty good at the PR side of fights.

Your Turn

What jobs do you think Chael Sonnen could have once he retires from MMA? They can be realistic suggestions or just silly ones. I'm pretty sure that a lot of you have some interesting career choices lined up for Chael Sonnen.