While the sport of mixed martial arts would simply be nothing without the fights themselves, much of the love for the sport comes from the entertainment factor, which includes the hype, the build-up and the trash talk surrounding fights. Obviously not all fighters are trash talkers and not all fights include bad blood and back-and-forth
While the sport of mixed martial arts would simply be nothing without the fights themselves, much of the love for the sport comes from the entertainment factor, which includes the hype, the build-up and the trash talk surrounding fights. Obviously not all fighters are trash talkers and not all fights include bad blood and back-and-forth banter, but those that do are often quite memorable.
With that being said, let’s take a look at the UFC’s seven best trash talk battles:
7) Rashad Evans vs. Rampage Jackson
The UFC’s light heavyweight division appears to be rather scarce as of late, but it was once the sport’s premier weight class, and at one point, former champions “Suga” Rashad Evans and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson were at the forefront of the 205 pounders.
When the two met at May 2010’s UFC 114, neither held the UFC light heavyweight title, but they remained in the headlining spot as the trash talk between the two leading up to the bout was memorable to say the least.
Coaching opposite each other on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) season 10 prior to the bout, the two had ample time to get under each other’s skin and they did just that. Both “Suga” and “Rampage” have always been outspoken individuals and they didn’t hold back, which resulted in one of the best trash talk battles we’ve ever seen.
(“Khabib not only top UFC fighter, but also #1 t-shirt merchant in Las Vegas strip.” / Photo via Nurmagomedov’s Instagram)
When undefeated Dagestani bear-wrestlerKhabib Nurmagomedov entered the UFC in 2012 and rattled off six consecutive victories — no small feat, especially in the talent-loaded lightweight division — Nurmagomedov’s name started circulating as a guy who could imminently challenge for the 155-pound title. Then, he took some time off for Ramadan. Then, he caught a knee injury.
“I think Anthony Pettis is scared. He’s never had a good wrestling opponent, now I’m a contender. I have very good wrestling, and Anthony Pettis has only the lucky punch. I think he understands this, and he doesn’t want this fight.
“Anthony Pettis is a pretty boy. He’s a playboy. He’s very beautiful and he’s good to market. But the real champion is Khabib Nurmagomedov. Everybody knows. I sent him the message on Twitter. He didn’t give an answer. I see he’s scared. He only likes striking guys. He doesn’t like wrestling guys who are aggressive with top control. I deserve my title shot; give me my title shot…
(“Khabib not only top UFC fighter, but also #1 t-shirt merchant in Las Vegas strip.” / Photo via Nurmagomedov’s Instagram)
When undefeated Dagestani bear-wrestlerKhabib Nurmagomedov entered the UFC in 2012 and rattled off six consecutive victories — no small feat, especially in the talent-loaded lightweight division — Nurmagomedov’s name started circulating as a guy who could imminently challenge for the 155-pound title. Then, he took some time off for Ramadan. Then, he caught a knee injury.
“I think Anthony Pettis is scared. He’s never had a good wrestling opponent, now I’m a contender. I have very good wrestling, and Anthony Pettis has only the lucky punch. I think he understands this, and he doesn’t want this fight.
“Anthony Pettis is a pretty boy. He’s a playboy. He’s very beautiful and he’s good to market. But the real champion is Khabib Nurmagomedov. Everybody knows. I sent him the message on Twitter. He didn’t give an answer. I see he’s scared. He only likes striking guys. He doesn’t like wrestling guys who are aggressive with top control. I deserve my title shot; give me my title shot…
“He’s the champion, but he’s not a true champion. He hasn’t had a defense in one-and-a-half years. He has no defense of the belt. He won the belt, yes, but he’s a paper champion. I think he’s a paper champion. Everyone knows I am the true champion. The next fight, I deserve a title shot. This belt is mine…
“I look for Anthony Pettis at UFC 178, but I couldn’t find him. I wanted to say, ‘Let’s go! I deserve my title shot. Why you shut up and not say my name?’ I follow his Instagram, and I see every time he parties, and I think he’s a playboy. All my life I’m training hard. I’m training in mountains, I’m wrestling with bears, and all my life I’m training.
“I’m not scared to fight against very good fighters. I’m not Anthony Pettis. I’m not scared. I like the zero in my record and I will keep it. I think I don’t lose. I’m going to punish Anthony Pettis and break his heart…
“My message for Pettis is, ‘Please don’t be scared.’ Everyone says Khabib is the next lightweight contender. Why you don’t listen? I know you want only striking guys, but my spirit, my top control and my aggression is no good for you. You’re scared. Next year, your belt is not your belt. Your belt is my belt.”
So Michael Bisping and Luke Rockhold were in Sydney, Australia earlier today to for the Fight Night 55 press conference, and wouldn’t you know, they were barely able to keep things civil.
Submission Radio managed to catch the two mid-staredown on a balcony after the press conference, and as you might expect, it was Bisping who struck first.
“You get one step closer to me and I will f*cking knock you out,” threatened the Brit.
“Who have you ever knocked out?” replied Rockhold.
Point Rockhold.
“Your boy last weekend, you f*cking prick,” said Bisping.
Point Bisping.
Now suddenly finding himself on the defensive, Rockhold attempt to question the validity of Bisping’s win, asking “You call that a f*cking knockout?” It was here that the exchange began to slip away from the former Strikeforce champ.
So Michael Bisping and Luke Rockhold were in Sydney, Australia earlier today to for the Fight Night 55 press conference, and wouldn’t you know, they were barely able to keep things civil.
Submission Radio managed to catch the two mid-staredown on a balcony after the press conference, and as you might expect, it was Bisping who struck first.
“You get one step closer to me and I will f*cking knock you out,” threatened the Brit.
“Who have you ever knocked out?” replied Rockhold.
Point Rockhold.
“Your boy last weekend, you f*cking prick,” said Bisping.
Point Bisping.
Now suddenly finding himself on the defensive, Rockhold attempt to question the validity of Bisping’s win, asking “You call that a f*cking knockout?” It was here that the exchange began to slip away from the former Strikeforce champ.
Bisping responded by asking Rockhold who he had ever knocked out in his career to make him such an expert, to which Rockhold replied, “Costa Philippou.” Bisping rightfully pointed out that a body shot TKO isn’t really a KO, to which Rockhold responded that he had “knocked out plenty of people in Strikeforce.”
From there, Rockhold was in scramble mode, suddenly finding himself unable to name names, and countered by asking Bisping who he had ever “knocked to the floor.” Because you know an argument is going well when you start bringing semantics into the equation.
Bisping once again referred to his recent win over Rockhold’s “boyfriend”, Cung Le, to which Rockhold replied that he “wasn’t impressed” by it.
Just so we’re all clear on how Rockhold sees things:
“Right now [Belfort is] down in Brazil, or back in you know California, training his butt off and injecting anything that he wants to and loving it, and nobody’s testing him, or like his doctor — when I say his, I’m making quotation fingers ‘doctor’ — so he’s like dripping testosterone out of his eyeballs right now. How old was he when he first failed a drug test, like 18? For anabolic steroids? So he’s being using for 20 years. Your body doesn’t function naturally now. He’s what, 37 or 38? So like 18 years…
(We get it, dude, you’re scary. / Photo via gerbergear.com)
“Right now [Belfort is] down in Brazil, or back in you know California, training his butt off and injecting anything that he wants to and loving it, and nobody’s testing him, or like his doctor — when I say his, I’m making quotation fingers ‘doctor’ — so he’s like dripping testosterone out of his eyeballs right now. How old was he when he first failed a drug test, like 18? For anabolic steroids? So he’s being using for 20 years. Your body doesn’t function naturally now. He’s what, 37 or 38? So like 18 years.
“But there’s no possible way that he could compete at a high level against the Chris Weidmans, the me’s, the Luke Rockholds without chemically enhancing himself. There’s no way. I don’t care if he’s like, drinking Jesus’ blood like he says he is or whatever, it doesn’t work that way. Like, he’s been using steroids for like 15 or 20 years, and he still is using them. If he ever tries to get clean, he can’t compete at this level.”
First off, let’s applaud Kennedy for his use of “the me’s” in a hypothetical list of people that Belfort might fight. I’ve never seen that done before, and Kennedy managed to pull it off.
Beyond that, this is some of the most effective trash-talk I’ve seen in recent memory. It gives Kennedy moral high ground while simultaneously serving as a devastating personal attack, accusing Belfort of using steroids for decades. (And loving it!) Plus, invoking Jesus’s name makes it personal. No matter what happens between Belfort and Weidman, the Phenom will likely want to fight Kennedy next — which is the whole point.
MMA is the ultimate “nice guys finish last” sport. It’s called prize fighting for a reason, and “I respect him; he’s a great opponent” doesn’t sell.
This is no secret. Just look at how Chael Sonnen—a perennial mid-carder who nobody knew or cared about—resurrected his career with carefully executed, bombastic trash talk.
Why am I telling you this if it’s common sense? Because it’s only common sense to people who appreciate MMA for what it is—real-life pro wrestling. Unfortunately, most hardcore MMA fans (and some media members) refuse to see it this way. They either believe in a non-existent code of honor, or an even less corporeal competitive architecture. “It’s a sport,” they maintain. “It should be only about competition. Besides, who wouldn’t want to see the best fighters go at it, even if they have less charisma than a light bulb?” The answer to that question: Most of the country.
There’s a sport with no flash, no glitz, and none of the other maligned “entertainment” trappings of the UFC and the WWE. It’s called amateur wrestling, and nobody watches it. MMA turning into amateur wrestling hurts the fighters. If there’s no viewers, there’s no money. It’s crazy that people still need to be reminded of this, but selling the fight is equally as important as fighting the fight. To quote The Simpsons, “Every good scientist is half B.F. Skinner and half P.T. Barnum.”
MMA is the ultimate “nice guys finish last” sport. It’s called prize fighting for a reason, and “I respect him; he’s a great opponent” doesn’t sell.
This is no secret. Just look at how Chael Sonnen—a perennial mid-carder who nobody knew or cared about—resurrected his career with carefully executed, bombastic trash talk.
Why am I telling you this if it’s common sense? Because it’s only common sense to people who appreciate MMA for what it is—real-life pro wrestling. Unfortunately, most hardcore MMA fans (and some media members) refuse to see it this way. They either believe in a non-existent code of honor, or an even less corporeal competitive architecture. “It’s a sport,” they maintain. “It should be only about competition. Besides, who wouldn’t want to see the best fighters go at it, even if they have less charisma than a light bulb?” The answer to that question: Most of the country.
There’s a sport with no flash, no glitz, and none of the other maligned “entertainment” trappings of the UFC and the WWE. It’s called amateur wrestling, and nobody watches it. MMA turning into amateur wrestling hurts the fighters. If there’s no viewers, there’s no money. It’s crazy that people still need to be reminded of this, but selling the fight is equally as important as fighting the fight. To quote The Simpsons, “Every good scientist is half B.F. Skinner and half P.T. Barnum.”
Chael Sonnen understood this. And so does boxing superstar Floyd Mayweather Jr. Remember when Mayweather said he was interested in buying the L.A. Clippers after the Donald Sterling fiasco? That’s brilliant promotion; he injected himself into a highly volatile, nation-wide story and in doing so drew more eyeballs onto his upcoming fight. Then there’s the chicanery about cancelling the fight over gloves, which was another great way to build buzz.
Bethe Correia is another example. After defeating Jessamyn Duke at UFC 172, she mocked Ronda Rousey‘s “four horsewomen” (ugh) stable with a gesture, putting up four fingers and then knocking one down. Now it’s a legitimate plot in a division that typically serves as a promotional vehicle for Ronda Rousey. Bethe Correia stood out in a weight class of sacrificial lambs because she said something interesting when she opened her mouth.
Of course, trash talk doesn’t always work (see: Phil Davis), but the rewards far outweigh the risks. More fighters need to embrace their brazen sides, lest they fade into the abyss of generic, video game create-a-fighter lookalikes that is the UFC’s current roster.
So perhaps it makes sense that, during an interview with Yahoo’s Kevin Iole, Rousey only briefly touched on the fights she actually has lined up before once again unleashing a barrage of insults at the former Strikeforce featherweight champion like the classy, grown-up professional that she is:
I’ve said before, I don’t care if she’s injecting horse semen into her eyeballs, I’ll fight her, but that’s just my personal decision. But I can’t make a decision for the whole division. I can’t say it’s the right thing. This girl has been on steroids for so long and [has been] injecting herself for so long that she’s not even a woman anymore. She’s an ‘it.’ It’s not good for the women’s division. It’s not good at all.
While an “it” isn’t exactly the worst burn Rousey has ever thrown Cyborg’s way, the insult was enough to earn the ire of MMA apparel brand Americana, who threw down the following gauntlet on Twitter last night…
So perhaps it makes sense that, during an interview with Yahoo’s Kevin Iole, Rousey only briefly touched on the fights she actually has lined up before once again unleashing a barrage of insults at the former Strikeforce featherweight champion like the classy, grown-up professional that she is:
I’ve said before, I don’t care if she’s injecting horse semen into her eyeballs, I’ll fight her, but that’s just my personal decision. But I can’t make a decision for the whole division. I can’t say it’s the right thing. This girl has been on steroids for so long and [has been] injecting herself for so long that she’s not even a woman anymore. She’s an ‘it.’ It’s not good for the women’s division. It’s not good at all.
While an “it” isn’t exactly the worst burn Rousey has ever thrown Cyborg’s way, the insult was enough to earn the ire of MMA apparel brand Americana, who threw down the following gauntlet on Twitter last night…
Finally, some *actual* motivation to beat the champion of the only women’s division in the UFC. Ladies, start trying…now!
As you would expect, Americana’s tweet did not exactly go over well in the eyes of people who think Rousey can do no wrong, which led the apparel company to later clarify their stance via a Facebook message:
Damn, they almost had me in their corner until they dropped that “sheep” line, at which point I could only think of this…
Obviously, Rousey will not be reprimanded for her comments in any way, shape, or form because she’s “the biggest star the UFC’s ever had,” but it’s hard to deny that her latest tirade raises an interesting question in regards to the UFC’s code of conduct. The answer to that question of course being that, like every other aspect of the UFC/MMA — from the refereeing to the judging to the UFC’s media and hiring/firing policies — the code of conduct is less a set of rules than a widely varying guideline that is only enforced when it is most convenient for all parties involved. Fuck yeah, transparency!
