Most Entertaining UFC Fighters of Each Weight Class
In modern MMA, being a dominant fighter doesn’t guarantee success, fame, and a lot of money. In this day and age, you must entertain the crowd both inside and outside the cage, know how to sell the fight, and shine on fight night.
In fact, the most exciting fighters in UFC history, for instance, are often the ones who have never won the title. But on the other side, they never failed to put on a show for the fans, often by going through wild wars. Although this approach cost them a greater career, and a couple of brain cells, these fighters enjoy huge love from the fans.
In this article, we are going to take a look at the 5 most entertaining UFC fighters, and what makes them special. Let’s dive right into it.
Deiveson Figueiredo (Flyweight)
Let’s kick off this list with the most violent flyweight, Deiveson Figueiredo. The former UFC champ has a big body frame and a high reach for a 125 lbs division, and he makes the most out of it. He has bombs in both hands, elite striking skills, and is as exciting as it gets.
From the moment he joined the UFC, it was obvious that Figueiredo differs a lot from other fighters. And this is notably true if we are talking about the power that often catches his opponents off guard.
In a division where a lot of fights end in a decision, he emerged as a vicious finisher, an executioner who needs only one shot to land to shut your lights out. Don’t look any further from the way he finished Joseph Benavidez the second time around if you need any proof.
And it’s not just about the striking as he also has a lot of finishes on the ground too. Whether the fight is in the standup or hits the ground, Figueiredo is always pushing for a finish, and this is why there is a big hype whenever he fights.
Petr Yan (Bantamweight)
Yan is, by far, the most entertaining fighter in the 135 lbs division, and the most violent one. Outside the cage, he might look nice with those blue eyes, cheeky smile, and funny trash talking skills. But once he steps inside the cage, he turns into a real monster. Apart from his elite striking skills, he has that “smash them all brother” type of mentality. He is always swinging power shots with violent intention to knock you out cold, which he often does.
What Yan brings inside the octagon is a relentless pace, high output of strikes, and pinpoint perfect accuracy. His boxing is the best in the business, and he spends a lot of time training at “Tiger Muay Thai” gym. According to Israel Adesanya who had a chance to see him spar many times, Yan is a real deal and the best striker in the gym.
Yair Rodriguez (Featherweight)
145 weight class is stacked with exciting fighters like Max Holloway or Brian Ortega. But overall, Yair Rodriguez simply has to be the most exciting one to watch. He is as entertaining as it gets and will keep you on the edge of your seat and holding your breath for 25 minutes. Or as long as the fight lasts.
Rodriguez has a strong background in taekwondo and he never hesitates to throw crazy techniques. From wild spinning and jumping kicks to no-look back elbow he used to knock Korean Zombie out in the last second of the fight, Yair is amazing to watch. You will never see him using the same move twice, or being reckless inside the cage. He is a very technical fighter who has a perfect style when it comes to entertainment.
If you haven’t yet, be sure to check out his war against Max Holloway.
Justin Gaethje (Lightweight)
In case that this list was created in a top 10 order, Gaethje would have taken the first or second place and it’s really hard to argue against that. In the end, his nickname the “Highlight” ideally describes him as a fighter, and how exciting he is to watch. What else could you say for a man who has won post-fight bonus in each of his first seven UFC fights?
Gathje has an elite NCAA Division I wrestling background, which to be honest, he never uses inside the cage. For some reason, he got hooked on wild wars, throwing a game plan out of the window, and trading shots inside the pocket. No matter how hard you hit him, he will keep coming at you for more. The man lives and breathes violence, and even if the fights end in a terrible loss, none of his opponents beat him without taking huge damage first.
Vicente Luque (Welterweight)
In a league of savages like Kamaru Usman and Masvidal, being the most exciting fighter is a big deal. There are so many talented fighters in the 170 pound division, and picking a single one was not an easy task. But in the eyes of many fans, Vicente Luque is a most exciting one. It really doesn’t matter whom he is facing, Luque somehow always ends up in wild brawls. It’s probably the nature of his style.
Whether he is facing an elite grappler, wrestler, or striker, Luque feels confident fighting any type of fight. What clearly stands up in his game is constant pressure, elite boxing defense, and the power in both of his hands. People tend to forget that early in his career, he fought in the 185 lbs weight class where he knocked out Thiago Santos.
Paulo Costa (Middleweight)
Let’s be honest here, it seems like Paulo Costa doesn’t receive enough credit for being an entertaining fighter. Yes, his trash talking skills are a bit awkward at times, and he may not be that good when it comes to selling a fight. But on the other side, he never failed to deliver on fight night, and when it comes to fans, that is what matters the most. You can hate or love him, but Costa was never in a boring fight.
First of all, Costa looks intimidating with all those big muscles. It is amazing to see a man that big moving so well, being so technical, and having such a deep gas tank. On top of that, he is always pressing forward, swinging bombs, and is always one strike away from a violent finish. His back and forth wars with Yoel Romero and Marvin Vettori will go down in history as some of the most entertaining fights.
Jiri Prochazka (light heavyweight)
Jiri Prochazka is a myth in some way, and there is no order word you can use to describe him. What can you say for a guy who came into the UFC to make his debut against the top 5 opponent at the time, Volan Oezdemir? And after beating him, the Czech star 🇨🇿 went on to demolish the #1 contender Dominick Reyes in his second fight. You are not supposed to rise that quickly in modern day MMA, that’s for sure.
The mystery around Prochazka goes even further when you look at his fighting style. Yes, he doesn’t care much about the defense and is always betting on his offense. He is aggressive, explosive, attacking from all angles, and very, very powerful. His opponents clearly have a hard time dealing with his pressure, aggression, and intensity. And apart from his elite striking skills, this aura of mystery is what makes him even more exciting to watch.
Tai Tuivasa (heavyweight)
When you see Tai Tuivasa on the card, you know it is about to go down and that you are going to see some violent stuff. That’s what’s entertaining is all about, right? And if you are not familiar with the figure and deed of the “Bam Bam”, you have missed a lot.
Tuivasa joined the UFC as an AFC heavyweight champ and a really hot prospect. He didn’t need much time to create a big buzz simply because of his “kill or be killed” style of fighting. Although this approach cost him a better career in the early stages, it’s also what helped him build a strong fans base all around the world. Whether he is on the prelims or main card, it seems like the entire world is cheering for him to win, and then do the famous shoes while sitting on top of the cage. And of course, dozens more afterward.
