3 top UFC fighters who never engage in trash talk

It is no surprise that the sport of MMA requires UFC fighters to engage in trash talk. After all, that is how fights are likely to sell. Being arrogant and cocky are the two attributes that have somewhat become indispensable to UFC stars.

However, there are a few out-of-the-ordinary fighters who prefer to treat their opponents with utmost dignity and respect. They refrain from trash-talking simply because they know their actions can speak louder than words.

In this article, we will take a look at three such UFC fighters who don't fancy trash talk to catch the attention of fans.

#3 UFC middleweight Robert Whittaker

Robert Whittaker's jovial and optimistic nature has made him a fan favorite. The 30-year-old has always had nice things to say about his opponents, including Michael Bisping, who famously told Whittaker that he should be "ashamed" of winning the interim UFC middleweight title.

Whittaker and Bisping were rumored to fight each other for the undisputed middleweight championship, but the bout never came to fruition. A year after their UFC 213 altercation, 'The Reaper' referred to Bisping as a "true warrior":

"I think he (Michael Bisping) is a true warrior. I really do. He has done it all. He has lost; he has won, and he has become champion. He is a true test of endurance and determination. I really do, I think a lot of people can learn a thing or two watching his career," said Whittaker ahead of his rematch against Yoel Romero.

Whittaker was also gracious in his defeat to Israel Adesanya, to whom he lost his title. Most recently, he showered Kelvin Gastelum with words of high praise after beating him at UFC Vegas 24.

#2 UFC welterweight Demian Maia

Demian Maia's perception of combat sports is completely different from others. The highly-decorated Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) expert believes he doesn't need to be violent to beat his opponents. He prefers to use his BJJ effectively enough and force his rivals to tap instead of 'hurting' them.

"I wanted to prove that you didn’t need to be a violent guy to win in an MMA competition. You can use your technique, and if you put on good technique, you can win very clean fights. Jiu-jitsu is what I believe in because Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has been founded on the mentality to get the victory without hurting yourself by controlling your opponent without hurting him too much," Maia told Five Ounces of Pain.

Maia is best known for carrying himself with humility. Whether he wins a fight or loses one, the 43-year-old has never disrespected his counterparts.

#1 UFC welterweight Stephen Thompson

Stephen Thompson has consistently demonstrated why he is known for being the UFC's 'NMF'. For 'Wonderboy', trash talk might just be an alien term, considering he has never come close to disrespecting his opponents.

When Thompson called out Leon Edwards for a fight in September last year, there wasn't an ounce of rudeness in his words. He even acknowledged that he felt weird calling someone out on Twitter.

All due respect @Leon_edwardsmma , which I have a lot of for you, I have been saying I would like to fight you for a while now! It makes sense and would be a great match up.I think that was my first Twitter call out ever. man that felt weird. 🤣😂 #FirstTimeForEverything
— Stephen Thompson (@WonderboyMMA) September 22, 2020