Chael Sonnen endured a night to forget – or one he might not remember – as he took on jiu-jitsu star Craig Jones in the latter’s sport on Sunday, falling unconscious twice in their match.
Sonnen, a former three-time UFC title challenger, faced the Australian at the second edition of the Craig Jones International, and the tournament’s namesake proved far too slick for the 48-year-old.
Sonnen had taken to the mat with a trademark, brash, tongue-in-cheek speech, telling the cheering Las Vegas crowd: “Shut up when I’m talking. Don’t interrupt me.
“What I’d like to have right now is all you fat, out-of-shape Craig Jones imbeciles sit down and shut your mouths, while I tell you ladies what it’s all about.
“Shut up. It goes like this right here: When you’re the greatest fighter in the world today, they got a name for you. They don’t call you a great fighter; they call you Chael Sonnen. Craig Jones, beat me if you can.”
Jones, 34, proceeded to submit Sonnen twice in the first round, using the same choke on both occasions – and putting Sonnen unconscious both times.
CRAIG JONES puts Chael to SLEEEP 😴
— The Fight Guy (@thefiteguy) September 1, 2025
via BUGGY choke!! #CJI2 (the 1st time) pic.twitter.com/SUjKttuPXW
Upon the fight starting, Sonnen immediately attacked a single-leg takedown, transitioned to a rear body lock, and hauled Jones to the mat. While Jones landed beneath the American, he was able to pull off one of jiu-jitsu’s rarer submissions: a buggy choke.
Sonnen fell unconscious at the 30-second mark, but the action was soon restarted, and Jones replicated the buggy choke within one minute, achieving the same result.
HE DOES THE 2nd BUGGY CHOKE in the same round!! 😂🤣 pic.twitter.com/nl123auajr
— The Fight Guy (@thefiteguy) September 1, 2025
Sonnen, who was replacing injured Olympic gold-medalist wrestler Gable Stevenson, thus fell to a second loss to Jones, who beat him in a jiu-jitsu bout in 2017.
Sonnen, whose background is in wrestling, challenged for a UFC title on three occasions during his stint in the promotion, from 2009 to 2013.
He failed each time, losing to then-middleweight champion Anderson Silva in 2010 and 2012, and suffering a defeat by then-light-heavyweight king Jon Jones in 2013. He lost all three fights via stoppage.
