UNIONDALE, N.Y. – In the process of turning himself into one of MMA’s most iconic characters, Chael Sonnen has deployed mostly two weapons: a sharp sense of humor and off-the-charts confidence.

Judging by his chat with reporters following Saturday’s Bellator 208, It seems the first-round TKO loss to Fedor Emelianenko (38-5 MMA, 2-1 BMMA) wasn’t enough to shake either of those things. Still, as he served them, Sonnen (30-16-1 MMA, 2-2 BMMA) made sure to add a dose of humility, along with some shade toward his peers.

Sounds somewhat paradoxical, we know. But, then again, that just the type of  weird balance that Sonnen is able to strike.

For proof, look no further than his answer to a question about holding a star-studded record that already included the likes of Anderson Silva and Jon Jones – both of whom Sonnen challenged for UFC titles.

“I never appreciated that, and maybe I should appreciate it,” Sonnen said backstage at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, N.Y. “I came from a wrestling background, you took on everybody. Anybody that showed up on a weekend you took them on – 45 minutes apart, four, five or six guys in one day. So I guess that is unique and I appreciate it and I appreciate having opportunities to try different weight classes.

“And they always want to talk about who the pound-for-pound great is, but there’s nobody with the balls to go into different weight classes. It’s not ever a question who the pound-for-pound best is. There’s only one guy willing to do it, in a sport full of chickens.”

Fighting three men who are fixtures in the ever-divisive “greatest of all-time” conversation, all of whom terrorized their respective weight classes for several years, would be enough to make any record look good. But Sonnen has an addition to make.

“I also fought Georges St-Pierre in a basement in L.A. one time, so you should add that to the list,” Sonnen said, completely straight-faced.

So, out of the heavyweight, light heavyweight, middleweight and welterweight kingpins, who would Sonnen say was the best?

“Georges,” Sonnen said.

Win or lose, and occasional re-imaginations of reality aside, there’s really no denying it’s been quite a journey for 41-year-old Sonnen in his two-decade long MMA career. Still, Sonnen is not thinking of retirement, and says there are still goals he wants to achieve.

“I really looked up to what Randy (Couture) was able to do to extend his career; I would like to extend mine,” Sonnen said. “But it won’t be my choice. It was never my choice. Eventually coach Clayton (Hires) will come up and say, ‘We’re done.’ Then we’re done. But I must remind you I was just in the final four of a tournament with the baddest dudes in the world. It wasn’t like old Chael got cleaned up in a parking lot on a Saturday. We’re down to the final four in a weight class I’ve never been in.”

To hear more from Sonnen, check out the video above.

And for complete coverage of Bellator 208, check out the MMA Events section of the site.