Review: Chael Sonnen's "The Voice of Reason"

I’m not a professional book reviewer, but I can tell you one thing – Chael Sonnen’s “The Voice of Reason” is one of the best books I’ve read in my life. It’s an enjoyable read from cover-to-cover, and definitely a must have for any combat sports fan out there.

Sonnen opens with a traditional foreword, and continues with discussions of his Mixed Martial Arts career, the mean streets of West Linn, Oregon, and his favorite movies. Oh, and yes, there’s a mini-chapter “How I beat Anderson Silva”, where the self-proclaimed people’s champion looks back at his encounter with “The Spider” at UFC 117.

Sonnen mentions Anderson Silva here and there, but personally, I really enjoyed reading about the little stories he has to tell from the world of Mixed Martial Arts. For example, there’s a pretty entertaining “Don’t become a fighter to reach page 6” chapter. Here’s a short story Chael Sonnen shares about C.B. Dollaway and his (lack of) TUF fame:

"C.B. Dollaway, an Ultimate Fighter alumnus and fellow decorated Division I wrestler, went to a Kanye West after party (don’t ask me why). A gorgeous lady strutted up to his table. She was almost comically tall, blond, curvier than a race track, and – gosh, how do I say this in a gentlemanly fashion? – rather robustly chested. She said to C.B., “Hey, has anyone ever told you that you look like Matt Damon?”

True, C.B. Dollaway does look like Matt Damon – like a Matt Damon who had the stuffing beat out of him, that is.

…

Apparently (I wasn’t there because I wouldn’t be caught dead at a Kanye West after party, let alone his concert), the color drained from her face and then she left a girl-shaped cloud of dust as she hauled her shapely ass out of the club. So, let this story be a lesson to you. C.B. Dollaway is a decent fighter who had a good run on a television show watched by literally millions, and even he isn’t recognized by hot girls. Imagine how mediocre fighters feel on a daily basis. Worse, thing about how you would feel. If you get into the sport for the love of fighting, all the power to you. If you get into it for hot chicks, I hope you will be OK dating Rosie and her five sisters."

Again, Chael Sonnen: The Voice of Reason is a great read. It’s a well-written book, and most importantly – it’s entertaining. I’m not a fan of reading, but I have this one next to my bed for a few weeks now. If I was running a professional book reviews website, I would give The Voice of Reason a solid 5 out of 5.

You can buy Chael Sonnen: The Voice of Reason on Amazon for just $15.21.