"That's been the same story told about Charles Oliveira" - Chael Sonnen draws an uncanny parallel between Leon Edwards and 'do Bronx'

Chael Sonnen drew an interesting comparison between newly crowned welterweight titleholder Leon Edwards and former lightweight champion Charles Oliviera.

In a new episode of Beyond the Fight, Sonnen spoke about how the 'underdog' tag could work in the Jamaican native's favor:

"Leon Edwards is in an interesting spot. It reminds me a lot of Charles Oliveira. I could bring you off the top of my head, pop names in that division. Colby Covington's going to fight Leon Edwards. Leon, as champion, would be the underdog. If I was to bring you Leon vs [Kamaru] Usman, Usman would be the favourite, Leon would be the underdog. Does that matter? Let me remind you that has been the same story told about Charles Oliveira and it's been told that way for a period of time. There's something that removes that pressure, there's something where there's still something to prove."

Watch Chael Sonnen talk about Leon Edwards below:

Sonnen also suggested that if Edwards were to face rising prospect Khamzat Chimaev or the Brazilian Gilbert Burns, he would still go in as the underdog, a position similar to 'do Bronx', who has won 11 straight fights in the UFC.

Unfortunately, Oliveira was forced to vacate the title ahead of his last fight due to a conversational weight cut issue. He now has a chance to reclaim the belt when he faces Islam Makhachev at UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi on October 22.

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Chael Sonnen claims Charles Oliveira is "pissed off" going into the title fight against Islam Makhachev at UFC 280

Chael Sonnen delivered his take on the highly anticipated lightweight clash, stating that Oliveira's relinquishing of the belt would have infuriated him. He added that the Brazilian starting as the underdog would make him feel insulted and he will carry that mentality into the fight. He said:

"I think Charles is pi**ed off. I think Charles is pi**ed off [because he] was the champion, [but] hasn't lost. He was the champion and hasn't lost, and he's a three-to-one underdog. I think that upsets him — I think that insults him. Charles makes a very good point. He hits really hard... He grapples very well... He's a big guy. He checks a lot of boxes."

Check out what Chael Sonnen had to say about Oliveira's mentality in the video below:

The Brazilian's last loss in the UFC was back in 2017 to Paul Felder. Since then, he has beaten some of the biggest names in the division and has also sounded out a potential fight with Conor McGregor in the near future.

Makhachev will pose a serious threat to Oliveira, with a stunning 10-fight win streak that includes six finishes. Furthermore, the Russian's impressive dominance comes from his sambo style, which was famously adopted by Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov. The 31-year-old will be well aware that he will have his work cut out to win back the title he never really lost.