Former UFC star and multiple-time title contender Chael Sonnen likes to keep himself busy. Now the host of a successful podcast, Sonnen is expanding into the promoter role for submission grappling events.

The first big event, Submission Underground 1, takes place tonight at Roseland Ballroom in Portland, Ore. The event streams live at FloCombat.

Speaking with MMAjunkie Radio, Sonnen said he was surprised to have a submission grappling event sell out, especially in a “B-level city.”

“As far as starting off on a good track, I don’t know of a grappling event that has ever sold out,” Sonnen said. “I’m not ready to claim we’re the first, I just don’t know of one. I am certain that no grappling event has ever sold out two weeks in advance. So, I think that is a good sign. We’re a small market out here in Portland. We’re a B-level city, and we’re not a hotbed for this kind of action. We’ve got our gyms and we love it and have passion and all of that, but for it to sell out here was a surprise even for us.

“We had a lot of money spent, a lot of money ready to go with every ad you could think of, from radio, billboards, print, TV on down, and it never hit. It was a complete waste of money. Those ads started running Sunday of last week and the venue was already sold out. That was a surprise, but it was also exciting. It’s a good problem to have, and we’ve got it.”

In the main event, UFC veteran and current WSOF light heavyweight Vinny Magalhaes faces off with fellow UFC and WSOF vet Ronny Markes.

The bout was originally planned to be a battle between Magalhaes and accomplished amateur wrestler and Bellator fighter Muhammed Lawal. Unfortunately, Lawal suffered an injury and was forced – quite literally – from his bout with the former Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC) Submission Wrestling World Championship winner.

“(Magalhaes) was supposed to wrestle ‘King Mo,’ but Mo hurt his neck,” Sonnen said. “‘King Mo’ never pulled out. That’s relevant because apparently ‘King Mo’ has never missed a match and prides himself on that. I found out about his neck and pulled him off myself.

“Ronny Markes stepped up without hesitation. Vinny accepted the fight without hesitation. That’s a hard match. You’ll remember Ronny Markes fighting Aaron Simpson, beating the hell out of Yoel Romero. He just signed last week with WSOF and will get right into the title mix instantly.”

The other fight to generate significant buzz is the return of former UFC champion Ricco Rodriguez to active competition.

Rodriguez was an ADCC champion in 1998 and finished third and second in the following two years. In 2002, he defeated Randy Couture to win the UFC heavyweight title at UFC 39, later dropping the title to Tim Sylvia in his first defense.

He’s fallen on hard times in the MMA space, compiling a record of 6-12 during a recent cold streak, but Sonnen said fans have taken a real interest in watching him take on Fabiano Scherner in the Submission Underground 1 co-main event.

“I’ll tell you the one that has had my phone ringing more than anybody else: the comeback of Ricco Rodriguez,” Sonnen said. “That seems to be the one that has everybody’s attention. When we first signed Ricco and put that out, people were telling me, ‘Hey, there was a UFC heavyweight by the same name. I remember, he beat Randy Couture.’ I’m going, ‘No, it is that Ricco. It’s the same Ricco.'”

For more on the upcoming MMA schedule, check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.

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