Sonnen to Co-Host 2011 World MMA Awards on Fox Sports Net

Created in 2008 by Fighters Only Magazine, the awards show will air in primetime on Fox Sports Net and be rebroadcast on FSN and Fuel TV. The event, which was last year hosted by UFC hall of famer Randy Couture and Qerim, will emanate from the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. The annual spectacle allows fans to vote on a variety of categories, including media outlet of the year, for which Sherdog.com is once again nominated. The black-tie ceremony is attended by fighters, fans and media alike.

Sonnen (Pictured, File Photo) recently returned to the Octagon following a 14-month layoff caused by a suspension from the California State Athletic Commission and a money laundering conviction in his home state of Oregon. The outspoken middleweight dominated Brian Stann in their UFC 136 confrontation just weeks ago, scoring multiple takedowns en route to a second-round arm-triangle submission win.

Following the bout, Sonnen predictably called out middleweight champion Anderson Silva, challenging him to a rematch on Super Bowl Saturday. Sonnen took “The Spider” to the brink of defeat in their first clash in August 2010, battering the Brazilian for more than 23 minutes before getting caught in a fight-ending triangle choke.