Fighters can spend months trying to sell a fight before it happens but actions speak louder than words. Here are the best examples of showmanship just before, during, and just after fights that really made the crowds go crazy.
Tito the Gravedigger
Sure, Tito is kind of a goof, but that doesn’t take anything away from this schtick. This gif cuts off before he plants and waters some flowers and re-visits the gravesite once a year while wiping a teardrop from his eye.
Cain taking it to JDS
If you’re a heavyweight, seeing JDS disdainfully walk to the center of the cage and point down while he’s being introduced has got to be a terrifying moment. Well, that is unless you’re Cain Velasquez.
GSP’s Riddum
Fedor’s heart, Roy Nelson’s chin, GSP’s riddum… just a few of the most powerful things in MMA history. Can you ‘andle d riddum?
The Nate Diaz Salute
After locking in this triangle against Kurt Pellegrino, Nate Diaz throws ’em up in celebration.
Street Fighter 2’s Shane Campbell
Enter Shane Campbell with the Hadouken.
Cage Fighting
Anderson putting his back against the cage and encouraging Bonnar to try once more to hit him is a staple of any Silva highlight reel.
Cage Fighting Too
And that’s why Nick Diaz decided to do the same thing against Anderson. It’s like saying “Homie, the amount that you disrespected Bonnar’s ability is the same amount that I disrespect your ability or whatever.”
Draw me like your french girls
Obviously Nick was going to make this list twice for the Silva fight.
High flying Aldo
Sometimes when Jose gets up on the Octagon, he’ll run into the audience for an impromptu crowd-surfing session.
Ronda giving zero fucks
There is no shortage of clips of Ronda Rousey not giving a fuck, but this one takes the cake.
Wandy’s wrist roll
This is a standard warm-up technique, but for some reason when Wandy does it while glancing forward with that dead stare you know you’re in for a show.
Josh Barnett the Pirate
Josh Barnett’s trademark throat-slit. The downside to having a trademark, of course, is…
When someone uses it on you
After Travis Browne knocked out Josh Barnett, he gave him a taste of his own medicine.
But it’s scariest when Thiago Alves does it
The Showtime Kick
Sending off the WEC in style. There’s a crazy conspiracy theory that this was planned ahead of time, and the signal for Pettis to run up the cage was when Henderson taps the side of the cage with the bottom of his foot at the start of this clip.
Page 1 of 1:
