Some fighters lean on reserved, highly calculated approaches. Some guys don’t; some are willing to put everything on the line in order to finish a fight. These are the combatants who epitomize the old adage “leave it all in the cage.”
And, while not throwing caution to the wind isn’t always the brightest maneuver, it does make for aesthetically pleasing affairs that, more often than not, produce exciting finishes.
I think the majority of dedicated MMA followers can appreciate and respect tactical game plans. No one is arguing that guys like Georges St-Pierre and Dominick Cruz are amazingly talented individuals, but many would argue that not every bout they compete in is guaranteed to produce a mind-boggling finish.
Sometimes, when your fight IQ is through the roof and you know exactly how to win, you do just enough to manage while eliminating the risk of a stumble, let alone a defeat.
The only problem with that approach is the fact that sometimes, it just doesn’t lead to stimulating entertainment.
The men featured on this list, however, take tremendous chances and always dump every last ounce of their being inside the cage, always aiming to add another nice piece of footage to their highlight reel. It’s commendable, but not necessarily always successful.