Chael Sonnen shares story about a time a fired-up Conor McGregor got in his face

On the latest edition of his podcast, You’re Welcome, three-time UFC title challenger and current Bellator MMA star Chael Sonnen shared a pretty intense story about UFC lightweight champ and combat sports superstar Conor McGregor. Apparently, he and the Irish champ nearly came to blows a few years back.

According to Sonnen, the trouble began when he asked McGregor the name of his fiancee, Dee Devlin, and McGregor misheard what he said. See a transcription of Sonnen’s account below:

“Did I tell you about the time I interviewed him at ESPN?” Sonnen said while discussing McGregor with guest Paige VanZant. “They set up an Octagon, on campus, outdoors. We’re going to do this little interview. We’re going to sit down with some chairs, there’s gonna be a quick mic, ok, real simple. So, I’ve met [McGregor’s] fiancee Dee. She’s wonderful. I’ve met her a number of times, but it was really quick. I know her, I gave her a hug hello, but ‘Dee..’ I didn’t have the name. I didn’t know if [Conor] was saying ‘Dee’, was he saying ‘Bee,’ I misplaced [the name]. Alright, so she’s there. It’s like the third time I’ve met her, so I can’t really go up and clarify names. So [McGregor] and I are in the Octagon, and he’s probably twelve feet away from me, and I go ‘hey Conor,’ and he goes ‘yeah,’ and I go ‘hey, your fiancee,’ and he goes ‘yeah,’ and I said ‘what’s her name?’ And he goes ‘WOOT?’ So I say the exact same thing. I say ‘your fiancee, what’s her name?’ And he beelines right for my face, and we are now about an inch apart, and he’s looking right in my eye and he goes ‘WOOT?’ And I say the same thing, one more time. I say ‘your fiancee, what’s her name?’ And he goes, ‘Dee,’ and he turns and walks away.”

Sonnen continued:

“All I could think about is ‘what did you think I was saying? What is it you thought that I was saying about her that led you too… what almost happened here?’ He answers the questions goes ‘Dee,’ and just turns and takes three steps in the opposite direction and I’m just thinking ‘what just almost happened, and what the hell did you think?’ What rhymes with ‘hey, what’s her name?’ I don’t know the answer.” 

What do you make of this intense Conor McGregor story from Chael Sonnen?

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 8/31/2017.