Eric Bischoff has made his biggest signing yet for Real American Freestyle Wrestling, bringing in MMA veteran and master entertainer Chael Sonnen as the league’s lead color commentator in a move that could revolutionize how amateur wrestling is presented to mainstream audiences.
Speaking on the 83 Weeks podcast with host Conrad Thompson, Bischoff couldn’t contain his excitement about landing Sonnen for the venture he’s launching with Hulk Hogan.
“Chael’s coming on as our color commentator and certainly has got a tremendous background in amateur wrestling. Knows freestyle inside and out, the MMA equation. He’ll be our I don’t know maybe kind of Jesse Ventura Joe Rogan-ish type of color commentator,” Bischoff announced.
The signing addresses what Bischoff sees as amateur wrestling’s fundamental challenge in reaching broader audiences.
“Amateur wrestling is the original sport. It’s been around forever. People that have friends or family that are involved in amateur wrestling, freestyle wrestling, you know, they know what’s up. But the other 98 or 99% of the country don’t. And Chael is going to be able to bring so much insight in an entertaining way to the property and really, like I said, educate and entertain all at the same time.”
Bischoff’s enthusiasm for Sonnen extends beyond just his technical knowledge. When Thompson suggested that “in an alternate universe, Chael Sonnen could have been a top drawing pro wrestler,” Bischoff immediately agreed, adding “And that’s what I’m so excited about with Chael for Real American Freestyle because he brings, you know, we know what the challenge is.”
The former WCW president described Sonnen as “perfect” for their vision after weeks of negotiations.
“Chael brings a lot of knowledge, experience, credibility, and entertainment to the table and can’t wait to work with him,” Bischoff said, emphasizing that Sonnen’s combination of legitimate wrestling background and proven entertainment ability makes him uniquely qualified to bridge the gap between sport and spectacle.
Real American Freestyle Wrestling plans to announce ticket sales for their Cleveland launch event within the next 10 days, with Sonnen’s commentary expected to be a centerpiece of their presentation strategy.