Former UFC stars Daniel Cormier, Chael Sonnen play pickleball on reality TV show

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Last Edited

Jul 24 2025

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Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) stars Daniel Cormier and Chael Sonnen played a pickleball match on a recent episode of reality TV series "The Ultimate Fighter."

Cormier and Sonnen are coaches on the show, and the pickleball match was held as a 'Coaches Challenge' with plenty of cash on the line.

UFC CEO and President Dana White said the coaches challenge is his favorite part of the show.

"All the pressure's off you, the fighters, and all on the coaches," he said. "Today, obviously, we are playing pickleball. Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the country, but I'm sure that will change after they watch this game."

Cormier and Sonnen played a best-of-three match, which was originally supposed to be for $10,000 and $1,500 for each of the winning coach's fighters, but was later upped to $20,000 and $2,500 for the fighters.

"Wait, wait, wait... What about the rules?" asked Cormier. "We don't know the rules."

"I have no idea what the rules are," replied White.

The show's producers had a plan for that, though, as a USA Pickleball referee officiated the match. Cormier ultimately won in straight games.

"I was embarrassed that I didn't win," Sonnen said after. "I was having a good time, and I try not ever to enjoy something when I'm losing. Those are the words of losers, regardless of how much fun it was. I didn't come here to have fun, I came here to beat Daniel, and if there was something more I could've done, I could've prepared, I could've cheated, I could've taken more substances, I would've done it. I just didn't have enough time to do it."

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