Issue 203
March 2024
While everyone who competes in mixed martial arts is an entertainer to a certain degree, a select group of competitors has consistently risen above the pack thanks to the levels of excitement and engagement their appearances generate.
Whether it’s because of their persona, their approach in the fray, a signature walkout tune, or some combination of factors, everyone can identify a bunch of athletes over the years that stood out and stand out as the most entertaining men and women to compete in MMA. We got Fighters Only expert E. Spencer Kyte to break down a group of 30 fighters who changed our world when they came onto the scene.
ROYCE GRACIE
The first star in the UFC, Gracie didn’t look the part of someone who would become one of the sport’s greatest entertainers but looks can be deceiving.
From the iconic “Gracie Train” entrance and competing in a Gi to securing finishes that left the early announce teams baffled and his opponents wondering, what just happened? Gracie made an indelible impact on the sport that persists to this day. Though he looked unassuming next to the motley crew of characters that competed in those early UFC events, the Brazilian jiu jitsu ace was an absolute killer inside the Octagon and forced you to pay ultra-close attention every time he stepped into the cage.
Gracie wasn’t flashy or overly boisterous (at least not initially), but you were drawn to him like a moth to a flame whenever he was set to compete, even when it was clear that his best years were well behind him.
Titles:
UFC 1 Tournament Champion
UFC 2 Tournament Champion
UFC 4 Tournament Champion
KIMBO SLICE
The late Kevin Ferguson was the first true Internet celebrity in mixed martial arts and combat sports.
Dubbed “The King of the Web Brawlers” by Rolling Stone magazine, Kimbo’s exploits in the backyard boxing scene in Miami became a legend, catapulting him to incredible fame and notoriety even before he stepped into the cage. With an iconic look and menacing power, Kimbo was “must-see TV” from the jump and remained a magnetic presence until his unfortunate passing in 2016.
Kimbo was among the few MMA names everyone knew, whether they were fans of the sport or not. His reach extended well beyond the sport, and the story of his rise to fame will live on forever.
WANDERLEI SILVA
If you grew up watching Pride FC, you cannot hear “Sandstorm” by Da Rude without immediately interlocking your fingers, rolling your wrists, and instantly thinking about “The Axe Murderer."
There might not be a competitor in MMA history with a better fit between their nickname and the aura they gave off because as much as Wanderlei is an absolute sweetheart of a person in real life when he marched to the ring or cage, he was all business and genuinely looked like he was going to murder you.
Fans who discovered the sport after Wanderlei touched down in the UFC following the fall of Pride may question why everyone holds him in such high regard. Still, his run in Japan was absolutely legendary and featured some iconic knockouts. Wanderlei was a bad, bad man who went 19-2-1 with one no-contest under the Pride banner before dropping his final two bouts in the promotion, and each of those contests was wildly entertaining.
Titles:
Pride Middleweight Champion
Pride 2003 Middleweight Grand Prix Winner
World MMA Awards Accolades:
Fight of the Year (with Chuck Liddell, 2008)
Knockout of the Year (2008)
IKUHISA MINOWA
“Minowaman” is one of those competitors you just had to see in action to understand why he was an automatic selection for this list.
Despite standing just five-foot-nine, the Japanese icon routinely competed at heavyweight and in openweight matches and tournaments. He faced everyone from legends like Quinton “Rampage" Jackson and Mirko Pro Cop to Butterbean, Giant Silva, Choi Hong-man, and Bob Sapp.
Throughout his career, Minowa amassed a 64-45-9 record (at least), essentially deploying a “have trunks, will fight” approach that made him a beloved figure in the sport and someone who built a legacy as an entertaining oddball in the MMA world.
RONDA ROUSEY
The woman who broke the gender barrier in the UFC wasn’t always fond of speaking with the media or particularly comfortable in the spotlight. There is no denying that Rousey was one of the most entertaining athletes of her time, which was much shorter than people tend to remember since she’s remained in the public eye since departing MMA for the world of professional wrestling.
Rousey’s entire MMA career lasted six years — March 2011 to December 2016 — and 14 fights, but in that comparatively brief career, she was the biggest name in the sport and a legitimate mainstream star.
Few competitors hit the sport and have that undeniable “It Factor,” but you can see it with Rousey from the outset. She targeted Miesha Tate as soon as she touched down in Strikeforce, despite initially competing at featherweight, and once she won the title, her star power kept increasing exponentially.
Rousey’s abilities and marketability forced UFC President Dana White to go back on his whole “women will never fight in the UFC” position, and her six-fight reign as bantamweight champion produced six finishes, including the rapid back-to-back combo against Alexis Davis and Cat Zingano that lasted 14 and 16 seconds respectively.
While no one wants to be remembered for their losses, Rousey’s consecutive defeats to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes at the end of her career remain “Where were you when” moments in MMA history and amongst the leading clips in each woman’s highlight reels.
Titles:
Strikeforce Women’s Bantamweight Champion
UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion
World MMA Awards Accolades:
Female Fighter of the Year (2012, 2013, 2014)
Submission of the Year (2015)
ANDERSON SILVA
“The Spider” would make this list for his UFC exploits alone. Still, it’s worth noting that before he touched down in the Octagon and became one of the greatest fighters of all time, the charismatic and mercurial Brazilian once entered “Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough” by Michael Jackson, complete with a fedora, white socks, loafers, and all the moves, with Master Rafael Cordeiro cheering him on enthusiastically in the background.
Pride FC really was amazing.
Once he arrived in the UFC, Silva’s entertainment was initially contained to the Octagon, where he turned in riveting displays of excellence, winning the middleweight title in his second appearance, successfully defending the belt 10 times, and moonlighting at light heavyweight, where he embarrassed former champ, Forrest Griffin. As the years progressed, we got a little more playfulness and performance art from Silva outside the Octagon, including his masked face-off with Vitor Belfort ahead of their monumental clash at UFC 126.
His playfulness and showmanship ultimately cost him his title and lengthy winning streak. Chris Weidman clipped him while Silva was pantomiming being hurt by an earlier shot that didn’t land flush, only to get tagged with the next left hand and dropped to the canvas.
Still, there were few fighters as consistently entertaining and captivating as Silva.
Titles:
UFC Middleweight Champion
World MMA Awards Accolades:
Charles “Mask” Lewis Fighter of the Year (2008)
Fight of the Year (with Chael Sonnen, 2010)
Knockout of the Year (2011)
CHAEL SONNEN
You can’t talk about Anderson Silva without talking about Chael Sonnen as the “Bad Guy.” He's the heel who helped elevate the former middleweight champion from a dominant figure to a massive star.
Few could work a microphone as well as Sonnen, even if he did crib many of his lines from old professional wrestlers. Limited in terms of his physical skills, Sonnen recognized that his ability to spin a yarn and control the audience with his words turned him from a fringe contender to an absolute superstar in the sport, and nearly 15 years later, he’s still successfully working elements of the same gimmick as a broadcaster, analyst, and content creator.
“Anderson Silva, you absolutely suck!” is one of those lines that everyone that was a fan of the sport will never forget, and Sonnen dropped it perfectly, returning from his suspension to submit Brian Stann and turn his attention right back towards the middleweight champion.
He came up short in many of the most significant moments of his career, but Sonnen is one of those guys for whom the results never mattered. You wanted to hear from him, see him compete, and whether you loved him or hated him, you tuned in to see him.
You’ve got to give it up to “The Bad Guy.”
World MMA Awards Accolades:
Fight of the Year (with Anderson Silva, 2010)
ANTHONY PETTIS
When your nickname is “Showtime,” and you have it tattooed in a large font across your back and shoulders, you better be talented enough to live up to that moniker, or you’ll look pretty ridiculous.
There were no concerns about Pettis falling short of the lofty expectations his fight moniker inspired because, from the early days of his WEC career, it was clear he was an all-action, ultra-exciting fighter that you simply could not take your eyes off. And then, in the final bout in the promotion’s history, he closed out the show by running up the fence and kicking Benson Henderson in the face!
“The Showtime Kick” remains one of the most inventive and incredible moves ever delivered in this sport, but it’s not like Pettis just stopped being entertaining there. He kept dazzling once he matriculated to the UFC, earning knockout wins over Joe Lauzon and Donald Cerrone before submitting Henderson to claim the UFC lightweight title.
Titles:
WEC Lightweight Champion
UFC Lightweight Champion
World MMA Awards Accolades:
Fight of the Year (with Tony Ferguson, 2018)
JOANNA JEDRZEJCZYK
“After next Saturday, you can call me Joanna Champion.”
That’s a quote from Jedrzejczyk to the media assembled in Dallas ahead of her UFC 185 championship clash with Carla Esparza. She entered the event as the relatively unknown member of the title fight quartet that included Esparza, lightweight champ Anthony Pettis, and lightweight challenger Rafael Dos Anjos. Still, she came out of the event as the clear breakout star.
Not only did she throttle Esparza to become champion and make it easier for everyone struggling to learn the proper pronunciation of her name, but the Polish standout then embarked on the best run to date atop the division, showcasing her intensity, swagger, and incredible skills in wins over Jessica Penne, Valerie Letourneau, Claudia Gadelha, and others.
After losing the title, she faced off with champ Zhang Weili in an attempt to get her title back at UFC 248. The duo combined to deliver what is universally regarded as the greatest women’s title fight in UFC history and one of the best fights of all time, period. She was announced as a member of the UFC’s Hall of Fame Class of 2024 last month, an honor guaranteed after she announced her retirement following her second loss to Zhang at UFC 275.
Titles:
UFC Strawweight Champion
GENKI SUDO
Now a political independent in the House of Councillors in his native Japan, Sudo was a one-of-a-kind entertainer before trading his MMA career for a political one. He’s also the overall impresario behind the Japanese musical group World Order as well.
The lightweight never won titles, had a non-descript three-fight stint in the UFC, and finished his career with a 16-4-1 record. Yet, he was an automatic selection for this grouping because of his elaborate ring entrances, unique fighting style, and memorable “We Are All One” banner that contained the world's flags.
Sudo beat some recognizable names during his career—Tiki Ghosn, Mike Brown, Royler Gracie, Kazuyuki Miyata, and Damacio Page—but it’s the choreographed walkouts and his overall personality that still resonate with fans to this day.
MICHAEL BISPING
“Conceive, believe, achieve… shut the @$#% up!”
There is only one Michael Bisping.
“The Count” turned himself into a bankable main event fixture for the UFC through sheer force of will and an uncanny ability to make every fight personal. Honestly, he and I could agree to play Uno next week, and Bisping would manufacture some way to turn a friendly card game into a grudge match based on the slights I'd perceived from things I’d written about him over the years.
To be fair, I did call him an “a-hole” when I wrote about his retirement in 2017. That’s only because he’d often called himself the same thing and other colorful names when we spoke throughout his career.
Bisping’s three-fight run in 2016 is straight out of a fairytale. He survived to edge out Anderson Silva in London, was in the right place at the right time to replace Chris Weidman and defeat Luke Rockhold to claim the middleweight title, and then successfully defended the strap at home in Manchester while avenging his UFC 100 loss to Dan Henderson in the process.
And all these years later, he’s still one of the sport's most recognizable and beloved personalities.
Cheers, Mike!
Titles:
UFC Middleweight Champion
World MMA Awards Accolades:
Upset of the Year (2016)
International Fighter of the Year (2008, 2012)
CONOR MCGREGOR
“Who the the f*** is that guy?!”
McGregor could make this list of his microphone moments alone, as he is on the short list of the best to wield the steel in the sport. From his iconic press conference moments to apologizing to absolutely no one after claiming the lightweight title at Madison Square Garden, you could build a thoroughly entertaining sizzle reel of just words from “The Notorious” one, and it would do good numbers.
But he’s been a devilishly entertaining competitor inside the cage as well.
The knockout win over Ivan Buchinger to claim the Cage Warriors lightweight strap was a thing of beauty. His entire march towards the top of the featherweight division after arriving in the UFC was stellar, including his iconic walkout at UFC 189. The win over Jose Aldo goes down in history as another one of those “Where were you when…” moments, as does his standout turn against Eddie Alvarez to win the lightweight title.
While the results haven’t been there much since the fact that folks have been on the edge of their seats with anticipation awaiting his return for the last year-plus tells you everything you need to know about the drawing power McGregor still possesses and how undeniably entertaining he remains.
Titles:
Cage Warriors Featherweight Champion
Cage Warriors Lightweight Champion
UFC Featherweight Champion
UFC Lightweight Champion
World MMA Awards Accolades:
Charles “Mask” Lewis Fighter of the Year (2015, 2016)
International Fighter of the Year (2014, 2015)
TOM LAWLOR
A member of the cast on Season 8 of The Ultimate Fighter, where he notably knocked out lightweight contestant Dave Kaplan at his request, Lawlor went 6-5 in 11 career UFC appearances and wrapped his career with an 11-8 record (with one no contest) in 2021 before turning his attention fully to his professional wrestling career.
While no fights stand out from his time in the cage, Lawlor was unquestionably one of the biggest characters in the UFC during his time with the promotion, using his appearances at weigh-ins and walkouts to deliver some memorable moments.
He came out to his fight at UFC 100 to “Who Let the Dogs Out?” complete with Seth Petruzelli on all fours, a leash around his neck, and a bone in his mouth. We got weigh-in appearances as the “Just Bleed” Guy, Steven Seagal, Dan Severn, and Harold Howard, and walkouts where he aped “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan, Apollo Creed, and others.
You knew you were in for a good time when you saw Lawlor’s name on the lineup.
TITO ORTIZ
Listen — Tito Ortiz was not somebody who had a way with words.
He tried, but rather than delivering bon mots that became immortalized for their efficacy and originality, Ortiz attempted to spit on the mic and talk trash, which usually left him in a tangled, twisted mess. The resulting sentences became cannon fodder on social media and Reddit threads.
But when he stuck to what he did best — fighting — Ortiz was a natural showman.
From his signature apparel emblazoned with flames and the ever-present flag over his shoulder to strong walkouts and his post-fight “gravedigger” celebration, Ortiz was one of the mid-period-to-TUF 1 characters that carried the UFC and verged on having real crossover success.
The fact that he was such a polarizing and magnetic figure is only made more impressive because his style was the opposite of exciting. Ortiz was a ground-and-pound maven who used wrestling and cardio to drown his opponents. He would get after you on the canvas, but in an age when folks were craving the knockouts, guys like Chuck Liddell were consistently delivering, Ortiz still managed to get over with the audience in a major way.
Titles:
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion
KAZUSHI SAKURABA
Sakuraba is a precursor blend of a few athletes already covered in this list and certainly one of the greatest showmen in the sport’s history.
Playful and fully understanding of the value of getting over with the audience, given his professional wrestling ties, the Japanese superstar often had creative, memorable entrances. He once walked out to the sounds of Super Mario Bros. while dressed as Mario, complete with the push-broom mustache.
He was a true maverick in the ring, often fighting above his weight class and challenging legendary talents despite being outsized and physically disadvantaged. He was an absolute tactician on the mat, deploying a catch-wrestling-infused style, and became a legend, in part, for defeating four members of the Gracie family: Royler, Royce, Renzo, and Ryan, in that order.
Revered by his contemporaries and beloved by a generation of fans who watched his exploits on VHS tapes and Pride DVDs, Sakuraba was one of the first names that came to mind when creating this list.
NATHAN DIAZ
“Conor McGregor — you’re taking everything I’ve worked for! I’m gonna fight your ***!”
Nathan Diaz was an adored counterculture star long before his expletive-laced assault on Conor McGregor on FOX, which followed his win over Michael Johnson in Orlando. However, that moment — and his subsequent two-fight series with the Irish superstar — catapulted him to an entirely different level of fame and notoriety.
The younger half of the Diaz Brothers rose to prominence by winning Season 5 of The Ultimate Fighter. Anyone who watched will remember him locking a triangle choke on Kurt Pellegrino and then flipping the double birds to the camera before flexing, all before the fight had been stopped. Like his older brother, Nathan continued to carry a legion of diehard fans through trips toward contention at lightweight, onto a brief dalliance with the welterweight ranks, and back to the 155-pound weight class, where he eventually landed an opportunity to fight for UFC gold.
But it really is the last seven fights of his UFC tenure where Diaz stood as one of the most entertaining fighters on the roster. His history in the sport was cemented when he followed up his taught-filled win over Johnson by submitting McGregor on short notice at UFC 196. Next, he faced Jorge Masvidal in the inaugural BMF Title fight and put current welterweight titleholder Leon “Rocky” Edwards on skates in the final moment of their UFC 263 clash. Entertainingly, he paused to point at his staggering opponent rather than immediately swarm him in true Diaz fashion.
It’s impossible to say Diaz is one of a kind, purely thanks to his brother.
World MMA Awards Accolades:
Submission of the Year (2016)
NICK DIAZ
“Oh, we’re throwing spinning s*** now?!”
Nathan is just the junior version of his big brother Nick, who set the template for how the Diaz Brothers carry themselves within the parameters of the sport and inside the cage.
While he had some memorable moments early in his career, like knocking out Robbie Lawler at UFC 47, it was during his time between UFC runs that Diaz’s star began to shine brightest, and his standing as a must-see attraction took root. He spoke his mind, flipped everyone off, and then stepped in the cage and did his thing, deploying the signature high-volume approach he and his brother used so well throughout their careers.
He talked at his opponents constantly, and when he wasn’t talking, he gestured at them, extending his hands, offering a free target, and daring them to throw. Against Anderson Silva, Diaz took things to a whole new level. First, he stood with his back turned, looking over his shoulder at the returning legend before laying down on the canvas, his head propped up on his palm, waiting for “The Spider” to engage.
This list would be incomplete with The Diaz Brothers.
Titles:
Strikeforce Welterweight Champion
ISRAEL ADESANYA
“Middleweights, I’m the new dog in the yard… and I just pissed all over this cage.”
One of the best showmen of the current era, Adesanya is the total package in terms of entertaining elements.
He has delivered some of the best walkouts of the last several years, highlighted by his pre-walk dance routine ahead of his title unification clash with Robert Whittaker in Melbourne at UFC 243. On the mic, before and after his fights, Adesanya has a way with words, crafting pointed attacks on possible future opponents and delivering stories that reel people in.
Then, there is his work inside the Octagon, where he opens with his signature Naruto hand sign sequence during his introduction before stepping out and showcasing some of the cleanest and most precise striking ever witnessed inside the UFC. Sure, there have been less thrilling performances and a couple of losses in the last few years. Still, if you think we’re not going to see the natural entertainer return to action with a focus on delivering something memorable, you’re kidding yourself.
Titles:
UFC Middleweight Champion
World MMA Awards Accolades:
Charles “Mask” Lewis Fighter of the Year (2019-20)
International Fighter of the Year (2019-20, 2020-2021)
Breakthrough Fighter of the Year (2018)
SEAN O’MALLEY
“Welcome to the Suga Show!”
We’ve come a long way from the night a baby-faced, mop-topped O’Malley knocked out Alfred Khashakyan on the second episode of Dana White’s Contender Series, much to the delight of Snoop Dogg and made the memorable declaration above. The now technicolor titleholder hasn’t stopped entertaining for one second.
From his flamboyant fits and fantastic finishes of Eddie Wineland, Thomas Almeida, and Aljamain Sterling to his social media presence and all-around rizz, “Suga Sean” is a certifiable star. Expect him to become someone with the opportunity to keep getting bigger as he continues defending his UFC bantamweight title.
Titles:
UFC Bantamweight Champion
JIRI PROCHAZKA
Some athletes go out of their way to entertain or engage with varying degrees of success. Others, like Prochazka, are simply true to themselves and pull you in naturally.
The Czech samurai is someone you instinctively cannot take your eyes off when he’s competing. He moves in unconventional manners, carries his hands low, and offers attacks from unique angles and moments. He operates in a flow state, chaining things together based on feel and the openings that present themselves, and it is captivating to watch.
While he’s not one to talk trash or dominate the microphone like some of his contemporaries, interviews with Prochazka are transfixing in their own way, as the 31-year-old former UFC light heavyweight champion is genuinely committed to bushido, the code of samurai attitudes, behaviors, and lifestyles, speaking about it with passion and reverence.
Titles:
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion
JASON MILLER
There was a time when “Mayhem” was one of the world's most well-known mixed martial artists, thanks in part to his hosting of Bully Beatdown, which aired for three seasons on MTV.
Miller was a livewire—a bundle of charisma and self-deprecating humor with a wealth of skill and an ability to draw you in with his talents and antics. He competed against a host of familiar names in an alphabet soup of promotions before touching down for a few fights under the Dream banner in Japan, venturing to Strikeforce, and eventually returning to the UFC through Season 14 of The Ultimate Fighter, where he coached opposite Michael Bisping.
The California native had some entertaining walkouts, which provided the spark that kicked off the Strikeforce: Nashville brawl, and was a perfect agitator to pair with Bisping as rival coaches on TUF. He also appeared in the first film to get UFC support, Here Comes the Boom, starring King of Queens lead Kevin James.
Unfortunately, Miller's career went off the rails after his release from the UFC, and his legal troubles have overshadowed a unique career and character in the sport’s history.
MICHAEL PAGE
“Venom” recently brought his brand of panache and style to the UFC Octagon for the first time, garnering a unanimous decision win over Kevin Holland at UFC 299 after an Undertaker-inspired walkout.
Page is like an amalgam of a few people on this list, combining walkout flare and style with hands-low, darting attacks, highlight reel knockouts, and memorable post-fight celebrations. The guy put a dent in Evangelista Cyborg’s forehead, then donned a red cap like Ash Ketchum before rolling a poke ball toward him while he still lay prone on the canvas.
He’s brandished an infinity gauntlet, has a signature pose, and is without question one of the most consistently entertaining fighters of his generation.
World MMA Awards Accolades:
Knockout of the Year (2016)
DAN HARDY
“The Outlaw” might be a controversial inclusion on this list, but hear me out.
In an era everyone fondly remembers for athletes being allowed to showcase their originality and be characters to a certain degree, Hardy stood out with his bright red Mohawk, signature walkout to “England Belongs to Me” by Cock Sparrer, and his in-your-face introductions with Bruce Buffer. Being a highly recognizable figure and easy-to-market entertainer, one could argue that Hardy aided in garnering an opportunity to challenge for the welterweight title at UFC 111, where he lost to Georges St-Pierre. While he’d won each of his first four appearances inside the Octagon, the British contender hadn’t exactly faced the division's elite on his road to his lone championship appearance.
What further underscores Hardy’s standing as a tremendous entertainer in this space is that he’s maintained prominence in the industry since his fighting career ended through working in commentary with the UFC and other promotions and as an analyst through his own media platform and social channels.
VALENTINA SHEVCHENKO
The 2022 Female Fighter of the Year recipient is a real-life Bond femme fatale, brandishing all the elements that make you captivated by the often wickedly named women in 007’s orbit.
Back when Open Workouts were still a thing, people were transfixed watching Valentina and her older sister Antonina go through their paces, loving every second of their synchronized kicking routines. Inside the Octagon, there have been few better than “Bullet,” as the 36-year-old standout was a fixture in the title picture at 135 pounds, giving Amanda Nunes the two most challenging fights of her incredible run of success before decamping for flyweight, where she instantly took over as a dominant force until losing the title to Alexa Grasso last March.
Skill-wise and performance-wise in the cage, Shevchenko is tremendously entertaining to watch as she brings one of the most complete skill sets of any athlete on the UFC roster, male or female. She routinely makes examples of challengers expected to pose a significant threat to her position atop the division.
And once her victories were made official, the international wonder woman would break out her signature celebratory dance.
Titles:
UFC Flyweight Champion
World MMA Awards Accolades:
Female Fighter of the Year (2021-22)
DUSTIN POIRIER
“I earned this — paid in full; it’s mine!”
One-third of a lightweight triumvirate of all-action fighters that also includes Justin Gaethje and Michael Chandler, Poirier gets the nod over his former opponents when it comes to inclusion on this list because he’s had bigger, more memorable moments inside the Octagon than the other two and has a few more signature elements to his game than either Gaethje or Chandler.
First and foremost, when you hear James Brown say, “Get down!” and the guitars come in, you know Dustin Poirier is on his way to the Octagon. Regarding signature walkouts, “The Diamond” and “Paid the Cost to Be the Boss” are among the best.
When it comes to in-cage action, you know that every time Poirier stands in, you’re in for a good time, as the Louisiana native has forged a career in the fires of the featherweight and lightweight divisions, facing one of the toughest overall slates of anyone in his competitive cohort. And while he’s not the most talkative man on the roster, Poirier has become pretty solid on the microphone, especially when pushed to fire back at people who try to get under his skin.
Consider this: over his last dozen fights, Poirier has amassed a 9-3 record, earning seven finishes and getting stopped in each of his three losses, and the two bouts that went the distance — wins over Max Holloway and Dan Hooker — were five-round battles that had you on the edge of your seat the entire time.
Titles:
UFC Interim Lightweight Champion
MAX HOLLOWAY
“I’m the best boxer in the UFC!”
A list like this wouldn’t be complete without including the former featherweight champion and 2017 recipient of the Charles “Mask” Lewis Award as Fighter of the Year.
Outside of the Octagon, Holloway has become a fan favorite and entertaining figure due to his signature idiom “It Is What It Is” and the general island-laced patois and lexicon he uses. On the way to the cage, his use of “Hawaiian Kickboxer” as his walkout track has become iconic, and inside the eight-sided proving ground, there are few that can be counted on to deliver excitement more than “Blessed.”
Holloway rose through the featherweight ranks with his “death by a thousand cuts” approach, drowning opponents with punches in bunches and attacks to all levels, either burying them with an avalanche of volume that led to lopsided scorecards or created finishing opportunities.
His UFC 199 throwdown with Ricardo Lamas was so dope that EA Sports put it in the UFC video game. The performance against Calvin Kattar to kick off his 2021 campaign was absolutely bonkers, including him shouting the above line at both Kattar and the commentary team and hitting the New England Cartel man with a no-look punch after slipping one coming his way.
Titles:
UFC Featherweight Champion
World MMA Awards Accolades:
Charles “Mask” Lewis Fighter of the Year (2017)
MICHEL PEREIRA
For quite some time, Pereira’s fights looked more like a cross between an MMA bout and a tumbling routine. This one-of-a-kind Brazilian does cartwheels, backflips, and moonsaults off the fence to catch his opponents off guard and keep you on the edge of your seat.
While he’s dialed some of the crazy back during his current seven-fight winning streak, the current middleweight dark horse still sprinkles in moments of his old, chaotic self when he sees fit.
At weigh-ins, he’s doing backflips off the scale, and last time out at UFC 299, we got a choreographed dance routine before he walked to the Octagon and mollywhopped Michal Oleksiejczuk, and chances are we’ll continue to see more of each as he continues to climb the ranks in the 185-pound weight class.
STAMP FAIRTEX
If you’re unfamiliar with the 26-year-old Thai athlete, do yourself a favor and check her out promptly. Not only does she already merit inclusion on this list, but there is a real possibility her profile will only continue to rise in the years to come.
The choreographed dance routines on her way to the cage are more elaborate than most of the others mentioned in this collection thus far. Each fight, she does a solid routine before finally stepping into the cage to throw down, and then once she’s in there, Stamp is thoroughly entertaining to watch.
There is a speed and ferocity to the way she attacks with all of her strikes that honestly can be a little jarring when you see her fire off punches, kicks, knees, and elbows because they come with such force that it feels a little unnatural.
You cannot take your eyes off her when she’s in there. While there have been a couple of hiccups along the way, Stamp is now 11-2 as a mixed martial artist, the reigning ONE atomweight champion, and someone primed to be one of the biggest international stars in the sport over the next couple of years.
Titles:
ONE Women’s Atomweight Grand Prix Champion (2021)
ONE Atomweight MMA Champion
ONE Atomweight Muay Thai Champion
ONE Atomweight Kickboxing Champion
JOHNNY WALKER
Suppose we’re going to mention flamboyant Brazilians who like to dance to the Octagon and throw creative attacks inside the Octagon. In that case, we must include Walker, who grooves to the cage and preens for the cameras the whole time.
Like Pereira, the ranked light heavyweight has toned down the frenetic movements once the action inside the Octagon has started. His initial three victories, which all featured sudden finishes, live on in our collective memories, and even this more patient version of Walker is still almost always engaged in entertaining fights.
Besides, how can you build a list of the most entertaining showmen in MMA without including the guy who busted up his shoulder while doing “The Worm” as part of his post-fight victory celebration?
PADDY PIMBLETT
“OH — Pad-dy The Bad-dy!”
Very few people move the crowd like “Paddy the Baddy,” who gets fans chanting the above as he bops out to the cage to his signature walkout combo of “Lethal Industry” and “Heads Will Roll,” which gets the audience in a frenzy, whether he’s fighting at home or abroad.
The Merseyside man was a massive star at home during his Cage Warriors days but has become even bigger since signing with the UFC, not only through his exploits in the Octagon but his team-up with Barstool Sports.
While his last couple of outings have gone the distance and been a little “out of character” for the now 29-year-old lightweight, Pimblett has historically utilized an attacking style, particularly in the grappling realm, and should remain one of the more beloved and entertaining fighters on the UFC roster.
Titles:
Cage Warriors Featherweight Champion
World MMA Awards Accolades:
Breakthrough Fighter of the Year (2021-22)
