Former UFC star Chael Sonnen has hit back at Jorge Masvidal in fresh comments to Ariel Helwani, turning the former BMF champion’s steroid‑style jab into a pointed critique of how Masvidal approached his own career. The exchange comes as Masvidal’s bare‑knuckle promotion, Gamebred FC, gears up for 2026 events in the Dominican Republic and Miami, with tournaments at heavyweight and lightweight tied to a $500,000 prize pool.
Masvidal sparked the latest round late in April when he lashed out on a podcast, calling Sonnen “lying” about Masvidal’s UFC‑return talks and accusing him of using “seven different PEDs” during his career. He then issued a formal challenge, asking Sonnen to cross over to Gamebred for a bare‑knuckle MMA bout, taunting him with gender‑related slurs and the line that he would “beat the f***ing lesbian out of you” while going up to heavyweight.
Chael Sonnen Flips Jorge Masvidal’s Steroid Jab: “Should’ve Stuck a Needle In”
In his interview with Helwani, Sonnen instead reframed Masvidal’s drug‑free record as a kind of risk‑averse career choice. He said, “Jorge Masvidal did not respect his own career enough to stick a needle in his ass every now and then. He’s at one of the dirtiest gyms in the history of sport, but he did it the right way. I’ve got to give him that, he never cheated.” The quote echoes Sonnen’s long‑standing tendency to own his own PED history while casting rivals who stayed clean as less committed.
Sonnen’s comments draw on a real chapter from his own record: after his UFC 117 loss to Anderson Silva in 2010, he tested positive for elevated testosterone levels, which later became one of the most‑cited drug cases in modern MMA. That episode has since been a recurring talking point whenever Masvidal mentions “seven different PEDs,” even though Sonnen has argued that using performance‑enhancing drugs is just one of many lines fighters can choose to cross.
For now, the dispute remains a war of words and social‑media clips rather than a signed contract. Gamebred’s 2026 schedule gives Masvidal a company‑backed stage to amplify his callouts, while Sonnen’s platform as a podcaster and media personality ensures a quick reply to each volley.
