Biggest Villains In MMA History (Top 10)
Whether you are a fan of bad guys in combat sports or not, no one can deny that these fighters create a lot of attention. If you look at MMA history, UFC events that generated the most PPV sales are usually the ones in which we have a bad guy. It’s very hard to create a big hype around a fight without some animosity and a bit of trash talk, and that’s a fact.
But what most people miss about villains in combat sports is the fact that most of these fighters are actually very nice when the cameras are off. Yes, some of the most hated fighters in the business are good guys who live a normal family life outside competition.
With that said, let’s look at the 10 biggest villains in UFC history.
10. Ken Shamrock
Let’s kick off this list with Ken Shamrock who is one of the pioneers of modern MMA. On top of that, the UFC Hall of Famer is also one of the pioneers of trash talking and rivalries with other fighters. Back in the day, he used to get into some intense arguments with Royce Gracie, and later on, Tito Ortiz.
His rivalry with Ortiz is a very famous one as both fighters used to go back and forth and exchange insults for many years. A young and cocky Ortiz was driving Shamrock crazy during the press conferences and the trash talk was legendary,
Despite all the trash talk, Shamrock didn’t manage to intimidate Gracie and Ortiz, and he went on to lose both fights.
9. Diaz Brothers
Nick and Nate Diaz are a total package when it comes to the fighting business. They are exciting to watch and they always speak what’s on their minds. Or in other words, they like to mock their opponents, not just in the buildup, but in the middle of the fight as well. Pull up any of their fights and you can see them talking to their opponents the entire time.
Which of the two brothers is better is hard to decide, but Nick might be a bigger villain as he always looks more serious. When he says that he is going to meet you in the parking lot, he actually means it.
8. Tito Ortiz
It’s fair to say that Tito Ortiz was the first UFC global stars. The reason why he was so famous was that he knew how to sell a villain persona. He used to be a very famous villain who would rarely do an interview without calling somebody out.
Whether we are talking about his rivalries with Ken Shamrock or Chuck Liddell, Ortiz never backed down from a trash talk. Back in his prime, he used to be that cocky and arrogant young fighter who didn’t have much respect for anyone in the game.
But Ortiz was also a very skilled fighter. Yes, he ended up looking like a fool a couple of times, but let’s not forget that we are talking about the former champ who had defended his title 5 times.
7. Matt Serra
Matt Serra is one of those villains that everybody loves, it’s really hard to hate the guy. He is funny, has good jokes, and is very charming which is a reason why he has such a strong fan base. Back in the mid-2000s, he used to go back and forth with his opponents all the time, and he used to have pretty funny lines too.
Still, his most famous rivalry was with Matt Hughes and the two used to talk trash to each other for over a year while coaching the “Ultimate Fighter”. The animosity between these two was as real as it gets, and they created quite a big hype around this fight. Although Hughes won by decision, Serra never was a salty loser, and the two went on to show respect to each other after the bout despite all the trash talk.
6. Josh Koscheck
Koscheck was one of those fighters that fans loved to hate for some reason. He was a bloody good fighter who knew how to get under the opponent’s skin before the fight and dance on their nerves. From his fighting style that many people found to be “boring”, faking an injury against Paul Daley, and insulting the most beloved UFC fighter, GSP, there are many reasons why Koscheck is on this list.
He simply enjoyed being a villain and would do anything to get into the media spotlight. Although he never won the UFC gold and has been retired for many years now, people still remember him as one of the most hated fighters ever.
5. Brock Lesnar
Lesnar came into the sport from professional wrestling so being a villain wasn’t a new thing for him. Looking at his gigantic size, that famous sword tattoo on his chest, and mean face, Lesnar didn’t have to use mean words to further intimidate his rivals. But he did it to create a lot of attention and sell a fight, and was very good at it.
For instance, his second fight against Frank Mir at UFC 100 sold 1.6 million pay per view buys, a huge number for that time. The event that broke this record was UFC 202 in 2016.
4. Michael Bisping
Let’s be honest, who would have thought that Michael Bisping would end up as one of the best broadcasters in the business. Yes, he has always been outspoken and good on the mic, but his nickname is “The Cunt” for god’s sake. During his fighting career, he used to be one of the biggest trash talkers in the game.
No matter whom he was facing, Bisping would unleash a barrage of insults whenever he got in front of the camera. And he used to be one of those trash talkers who always speaks their mind, rarely throwing fake insults at their opponent, and that’s what made him unique.
3. Colby Covington
Covington is a great instance of how being a bad guy and talking trash can save you a career. Though he is among the most hated people on the planet, he used to be a quiet guy in the early stages of his career. In fact, you could barely hear him saying a bad word coming out of his mouth.
But days before his fight against Damian Maia in Sao Paolo, Brazil, the UFC told him that he is a “boring fighter”. In spite of all the talent, the UFC didn’t want to extend his contract. This is the moment when Covington made a decision to get into a villain persona.
He went on to put the entire nation of Brazil on fire by talking serious trash and insulting many people. The final result? He created so much attention that the UFC gave him a shot at the interim title after the Maia fight.
2. Chael Sonnen
Throughout MMA history, there have been many villains and trash talkers. But Chael Sonnen is a man who has elevated this to another level. In some way, Sonnen showed other fighters what you can achieve with a little bit of character.
But above all, Sonnen is very intelligent, eloquent, and outspoken. His opponents used to have a really hard time listening to him or staying calm while he was unleashing a barrage of insults. He was the only trash talker in history who could say the worst things and still make you laugh.
Sonnen had been able to hide behind his fake persona for many years, he would rarely break the character. But once he did it, a lot of people were surprised to see that Sonnen is actually a really nice and respectful guy.
1. Conor McGregor
It’s not a huge surprise to see Conor McGregor taking a spot on this list. In the end, we are talking about the biggest villain, not just in MMA, but maybe in combat sports history. He used to be so good at talking trash that he use this as a weapon to play with the minds of his opponents.
For instance, Jose Aldo was so furious after having to listen to the Irishman talking trash for months, that he completely abandon his game plan on fight night. As a result, McGregor slept him with a left hook after just 13 seconds. The other great instance was his fight against Eddie Alvarez who also looked lost inside the cage with McGregor.
