Sometimes, the MMA fighters, they get a bad rap. All these years later, there are population segments for whom the human cockfighter image still works just fine, thank you very much. And even in the more enlightened circles, there are still enough gorilla meathead stereotypes for everyone to go back for seconds.
Does MMA itself help perpetuate these stereotypes, intentionally and otherwise, with its high-volume violence and law-abidement issues and ponderously horrible choices in fashion, body art and theme musics? Yes. It does.
But serious fans know about the cerebral side of the sport, and that plenty of combatants are actually highly intelligent people. Some even have really impressive side jobs away from the cage.
So here are the top 10 brainiest fighters who are currently active in the sport but also follow pretty demanding intellectual pursuits outside the gym. They are ranked based on the perceived rigor and/or educational prerequisites of those pursuits. It’s not the only measure of intelligence or education, but it’s a pretty good one. Stereotype: exploded. WITH EXTREME PREJUDICE, BRO.