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Sonnen tells 205lb 'cowards' to leave the UFC

Rashad Evans will fight Jon Jones later this year © Getty Images

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Chael Sonnen has mocked Rashad Evans and the rest of the UFC light-heavyweight division, insisting they are all running scared from new champion Jon Jones.

Jones has been hailed as the new era of MMA fighter, combining athleticism, speed, skill and power with - significantly - an immense physical frame. The youngster destroyed Mauricio Shogun Rua at UFC 128, outstriking and outgrappling the Brazilian, and Sonnen accepts that Jones is a true champion.

"He brings more to the table than just being the world champion," he told The MMA Hour. "He brings integrity, he brings class, he's good for the industry and he's good for the sport. And most importantly, you need to do what's good for sport. I get real frustrated with these guys who are just in it for themselves."

However, Sonnen was less complimentary of Jones' future rivals, stating how embarrassed he has been to see none of the 205lb crop calling out Jones. Evans will fight the champion in September or October of this year, but he previously claimed he did not want the fight due to their now-severed relationship as team-mates.

"Listen, Jon Jones is not the hot topic of 205lbs," Sonnen said. "The hot topic that everybody should be talking about is that he's been the champion for three weeks and not one coward at 205 has challenged him. Not one guy has called him out and said, 'I want to fight that guy'. If you're all scared of a 23-year-old kid, turn your gloves in, sign your pink slip and show yourself the door.

"The one guy they (the UFC) say gets to fight him, [Rashad Evans], comes out and says, 'I don't want to fight him'. If you don't want to fight him, go. This is a business to become champion. All these guys want to tell everyone they're in the UFC, but they don't want to have to carry the heavy water.

"Challenge Jon Jones if you're at 205. But what do you expect from a weight class that allowed a karate guy (Lyoto Machida) to be champion."

Asked if he would fight Jones, Sonnen replied, "I will fight any man God ever made, period."

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