Accept it. Just admit that it's true.
As much as one would like to call themselves a purist or a connoisseur of the sport of mixed martial arts, we simply cannot help but give in to the animalistic tendencies that first attracted us to the sport.
No one starts watching mixed martial arts because they see the art in it right away; like sipping fine wine, you don't get what is "fine" about in the beginning. But as you develop your palate and start finding a signature taste to be more soothing and engaging, you start getting what the fuss is all about.
It is all about experimentation, trial and error and constant re-evaluation. Course correction is the name of the game.
After almost a century of the inception of commercial prize fighting, fighters now cannot afford to rely merely on their technical skills. The information age demands a new set of skills.
The ability to communicate coherently and effectively, spew out byte sized pieces of content for the audience to conveniently chew and digest and then later spread like a virus are now vital. To create compelling narratives, exciting angles and yet a very deeply relatable persona which would act as an anchor for the whole endeavour is no small task to undertake.
It is a tough job indeed but a few fighters have mastered the art of selling a fight, with their own unique quirks and style.
Here are five of the best trash talkers in the UFC.
Conor McGregor
It would be polite to get the most evident and mainstream candidate out of the way first.
Conor McGregor is a rare specimen because he has almost all the criteria nailed to the bone.
A more than able fighter who is only one of the 3 fighters to secure gold in 2 different weight divisions, little needs to be said about his technical mastery in the game of MMA.
Although he would still be a very successful fighter without his loud mouth, there is no way he would be as rich. On his way to super stardom, McGregor not only mastered the art of fighting but that of selling.
For McGregor, every possible medium to interact with his fans is a tool, a business whose sole aim is to generate revenue and help him afford his lavish lifestyle.
In many ways, his style of trash talking resembles that of Donald Trump's. Clear, concise, simple and bathed with an unwavering confidence in every word that comes out of his mouth.
An investment in himself that has paid him substantial dividends and continues to do so.
Michael Bisping
Michael Bisping is a very respectful fighter, one who almost always respects his opponents, if not before the fight then after it.
He is not the one to hold grudges, part of the reason why that is because he rarely holds anything back.
His quick witted, cheeky British humour is extremely ingenious and while it comes off as unsuspecting of any bad intentions, Bisping sure displays a ton of heart on every occasion when he enters the octagon.
In a nutshell, Bisping is the character who everyone loves to hate.
For a long time, Bisping was in the UFC as a gatekeeper for younger fighters to make it into the top 5 of the middleweight division and as he candidly confessed, he did lose some key fights.
But surprising everyone, Bisping rose to the occasion against Rockhold and immediately embraced his true persona after, that of a person who is respectful but sure knows how to annoy the hell out of you.
For us fans, it makes for a great back and forth banter that is universally enjoyed.
Diaz Brothers
Choosing one Diaz brother over the other would be a travesty, one that I am certainly not willing to commit.
It is a beautiful sight to witness the relationship between the two brothers as they corner each other during fights and enjoy a very deep and meaningful relationship.
But as loving as they are to each other and family, they definitely don't give a rat's ass about their opponents, never shying away from playing mind games with them before and during the fights.
The elder brother Nick is probably the only man in history to have made fun of legends like Frank Shamrock and Anderson Silva during a fight. Younger brother Nate also holds nothing back in the octagon, routinely calling out names to his opponents in the octagon.
Many great fighters such as Benson Henderson, Rafael Dos Anjos, Frank Shamrock, Donald Cerrone, Carlos Condit, Georges St. Pierre and even Conor McGregor have been on the recieving end of the infamous stockton slap.
Such antics undoubtedly make for great entertainment. Also considering the fact that this is how the brothers are in real life adds a sense of authenticity to the whole situation and makes it even harder for anyone to dislike them.
Chael Sonnen
How can we ever forget Chael Sonnen and his extremely memorable fights against the great Anderson Silva?
Even more dramatic than those fights was perhaps the fact that Anderson Silva had never faced such an outright disrespectful opponent in his career and once again, the antics made for great entertainment.
The dynamic between Chael and his opponent is usually a very funny thing to watch.
Chael's over the top, baseless and yet extremely humorous remarks about his opponents even bring a smile to their face along with the media. Chael has supposedly taken a page from the book of WWE superstars who prefer going for the overly dramatic, sarcastic and sometimes even cringe-worthy remarks about their adversaries.
But who can complain if it works? If it ain't broke don't fix it is Chael's mantra regarding his approach to selling fights.
Chael's whole character and shtick is tailor made for the reality TV watching audience, and it sure serves the purpose very well. Even after losing 4 of his last 5 fights by being finished in all 4, Chael has lost no credibility as a valid top contender in any organisation apart from the UFC.
It is safe to say that Chael sells the fight almost completely on the basis of perceived image, selective reasoning and repetition of simple but carefully selected words. An art that is not to be undermined.
Dominick Cruz
Here is a choice of trash talker that many unconsciously end up ignoring; the man who is highly sophisticated and yet unapologetically barbaric when the time is right - Dominick Cruz.
Here's the truth. Dominick spent most of his years perfecting the craft of mixed martial arts and for the major part of his career, he was a relatively soft-spoken man of a few words.
However, adversity has a tendency to destroy anyone who is unwilling to change and adapt. After blowing his knee out on more than one occasion, being forced to relinquish the belt, losing his sponsors, losing his long time girlfriend, a reliable source of income and possibly a good amount of sanity as well, Cruz took a major decision to become an analyst.
He was lucky to score a position with FOX sports and soon became a staple member of the UFC tonight show, even calling fights alongside Jon Anik on many occasions. During this time, Cruz polished another set of weapons in his arsenal, the most underutilized weapons in public speaking, rhetoric and negotiation.
After his successful return to the octagon, Cruz went on to verbally demolish TJ Dillashaw, Cody Garbrandt and Urijah Faber in an embarrassing set of exchanges. Even though he lost his belt on the new year's eve, the way he handled his loss spoke volumes about his character and forced the audience to maintain emotional investment in Dominick Cruz.
Instead of losing faith in him, now the audience anticipates an even more grandiose return to title contention.
Such is the power of a polished verbal skill set.
