Despite his recent setback against current pound-for-pound king Anderson Silva, Chael Sonnen remains one of the UFC’s most valuable assets.
His ability to sell fights and entertain fans outside of the cage is, perhaps, even more impressive than his considerable gifts as a mixed martial artist. He is the consummate showman. Sonnen may be a rarity in an often charmless business, but he is certainly not alone.
As the UFC has grown, so have the number of fighters who are vying for the spotlight. But given the increasingly mainstream appeal of mixed martial arts, how does one stand out from the rest?
More and more fighters are employing the art of showmanship as a means of separating themselves from the herd. But just what do we mean when we refer to a fuzzy concept such as “showmanship”?
In the context of the sport of mixed martial arts, it can be defined as the ability to deliberately and effectively market oneself to an audience by creating something that transcends athletic competition.
And that is precisely what this list seeks to celebrate. Let’s look at the seven greatest showmen in UFC history.