Chael Sonnen identifies two reigning champions whom he believes have the potential to succeed Conor McGregor as the next global superstar of the UFC.
Over the years, “The Notorious” has skyrocketed to a level of fame in the UFC that few, if any, fighters in combat sports history have ever matched, blending his iconic trash talk with a flashy fighting style, which earned him recognition as the promotion’s biggest superstar.
However, some argue that the former two-division UFC champion’s star power has begun to fade due to his prolonged absence from the Octagon and ongoing legal battles, including multiple sexual assault allegations.
During a recent video on his YouTube channel, Sonnen shared his thoughts on who could emerge as the UFC’s next marquee star. He acknowledged that former champions like Sean O’Malley and Israel Adesanya were once frontrunners in McGregor’s absence but have fallen short of achieving the same global superstardom.
The former UFC title challenger-turned-analyst went on to highlight featherweight champion Ilia Topuria and interim heavyweight titleholder Tom Aspinall as the two fighters he believes are on the cusp of becoming the UFC’s next megastar.
“O’Malley starts playing another game: to become the face of the company,” Sonnen said. “A game that Izzy [Adesanya] was already playing. In the absence of Conor McGregor, it’s a seat that needs to be taken. … Right now the battle is between Tom and Ilia. It’s a hard seat to get.”
Sonnen further noted that the UFC’s top two pound-for-pound fighters, Islam Makhachev and Jon Jones, show little interest in becoming the promotion’s flagship attraction.
“Jon Jones and Islam [Makhachev] aren’t playing the game. That’s not something either is interested in doing. So that seat is still available.”
Aspinall remains on the sidelines, having waited over 500 days for Jones to accept his challenge for a heavyweight title unification bout. The Englishman last stepped into the Octagon at UFC 304 in July, where he delivered a swift victory over Curtis Blaydes to retain his interim belt.
Meanwhile, “La Leyenda” relinquished his 145-pound title last month to commit to a full-time move to the lightweight division. Topuria has pushed for an immediate title shot against reigning champion Makhachev. However, reports suggest that the Dagestani standout has shown little enthusiasm for the potential showdown.
Topuria is coming off a dominant third-round knockout victory over Max Holloway at UFC 308 in October, marking his first — and ultimately only — title defense before vacating the belt.
