Chael Sonnen Is Back, But As An MMA Analyst

As many of you already know, former UFC middleweight and light heavyweight contender Chael Sonnen retired from MMA competition. His retirement was the result of his second failed drug test last June, when the presence of five banned substances were found in his body, such as human growth hormone (HGH).

Following the controversy of his failed drug tests, the UFC and FOX Sports announced that they terminated Sonnen’s job as an MMA analyst. Now, five months later, “The American Gangster” has his job back, but with ESPN, according to The Associated Press on Tuesday:

I love to break down fights, I love to watch them. The fact that ESPN will allow me to do that on the air in a fancy suit and call it a job, it’s what I would be doing at home anyway. I wouldn’t shy away from a topic, even if it’s one that brought me shame. There are topics like that, and there are opponents I’m going to have to cover that have also embarrassed themselves, but that’s part of the sport, man. I cherish those moments.

Sonnen is expected to make his ESPN debut this Friday via SportsCenter to break down UFC 180: Werdum vs. Hunt, which takes place on Saturday night in Mexico City.