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The UFC is no stranger to controversy. As a sports-based organization with a roster of over 500 athletes, there's always a risk for several of them to court controversy for some reason or another. This has been heightened ever since the UFC's emergence into the mainstream spotlight.
Trash talk generates fan interest. Thus, trash-talkers tend to be bigger PPV stars than fighters who conduct themselves in a respectful manner. With the promotion often rewarding trash-talkers like giving Chael Sonnen an undeserved title fight with Jon Jones, several fighters have tried emulating him.
Some fighters, however, are controversial due to things that have nothing to do with promoting themselves to generate fan interest. The likes of Tony Kelley, for example, achieved significant notoriety for his offensive comments about Brazilian fighters. This list covers five of the most controversial UFC fighters.
#5. Jonathan 'War Machine' Koppenhaver, former UFC welterweight
Jonathan Koppenhaver's career as a mixed martial artist has always been the subject of controversy. His career as a UFC fighter was short-lived as he first appeared as a replacement for Roman Mitichyan in the finale of The Ultimate Fighter 6 in a losing effort.
His subsequent bout in the promotion was different as he scored a KO win before being released for incorrectly insisting that late UFC fighter Evan Tanner's death was a suicide due to a failed MMA career and financial troubles. In addition to the controversial claim, 'War Machine' also has a long history of assault charges.
His worst incident, however, was his attempted murder of ex-girlfriend Christine Mackinday. The ordeal which he put his former partner through earned him a life sentence in prison, bringing an end to 'War Machine's chaotic MMA career.
#4. Sean Strickland, UFC middleweight
Sean Strickland is one of the few fighters who try to be as deliberately controversial as possible. While most trash-talkers simply attack their opponents in generic ways like undermining their skill-level or financial status, 'Tarzan' is a different breed of trash-talker.
He does his best to say things with the most shock value possible by playing an outlandish character to a cartoonish extent. One of the most controversial things he has ever uttered occurred when he identified himself as a gun owner. He insulted countries with stricter gun laws, like Germany and England.
Strickland claimed that while they have fewer mass shootings, they consequently no longer have real men before referring to both countries with a transphobic slur. These remarks, which he made on social media, led to the suspension of his Twitter account.
#3. Chael Sonnen, former UFC middleweight
Chael Sonnen is one of the most controversial fighters in UFC history. The three-time UFC title challenger ranks among the greatest trash-talkers that MMA has ever seen. During the leadup to his rematch with Anderson Silva, 'The American Gangster' launched a deeply personal verbal assault against the Brazilian.
He punctuated his comments by telling 'The Spider' that he would slap his wife's buttocks and demand that she cook him a steak. But Silva's wife isn't the only target of 'The American Gangster's vitriol. During his run as a Bellator fighter, he was scheduled to face MMA legend Tito Ortiz in a light heavyweight bout.
'The Huntington Beach Bad Boy' described his foe as someone who uses his mouth to get opportunities. In turn, 'The American Gangster' countered the claim by telling him that the only one who used their mouths to make money was his rival's former partner, Jenna Jameson.
In 2012, Sonnen disparaged the entire country of Brazil by claiming that he would gift Brazilians with soap, shampoo and dental floss, which he described as luxuries that aren't available to them. His comments enraged all of Brazil, with even former foe Anderson Silva telling him he should avoid visiting.
#2. Colby Covington, UFC welterweight
In 2017, Colby Covington was threatened with his UFC release after the promotion regarded him as a low-value fighter despite the win streak he was helming. Thus, 'Chaos' decided to prove the promotion wrong by adopting the persona of a vitriolic trash-talker taken to cartoonishly silly heights.
He frequently trolled fans on social media by posting spoilers about blockbuster movies and went so far as to verbally attack fighters he'd never have to fight. A prime example of this is past teammate and former women's strawweight champion Joanna Jędrzejczk.
She was accused by 'Chaos' of having a relationship with the married Jorge Masvidal before claiming that her animosity towards him was only because he himself rejected her advances. He further claimed to have had a fling with fellow fighter Polyanna Viana.
His conduct led to him being booted from the American Top Team gym after nearly sparking brawls. His antics peaked after his former friend Jorge Masvidal assaulted him following their UFC 272 bout.
#1. Conor McGregor
Conor McGregor courts two different kinds of controversy. First, the Irishman's trash talk has crossed several lines in the past. During the promotional buildup to his bout with Khabib Nurmagomedov, 'The Notorious' verbally attacked his rival's family, political allegiance, culture and religion.
Then during the buildup to his trilogy bout with Dustin Poirier, he threatened to kill 'The Diamond' while disparaging his foe's wife and sending death threats after their bout. This, however, pales in comparison to the legal issues he's found himself engulfed in at different points throughout his career.
The Irishman was arrested for spearheading the infamous bus attack on UFC 223's media tour. He has also been the subject of numerous sexual assault allegations and was even filmed physically assaulting an older man at Dublin's Marble Arch Pub. He was also recently accused of assaulting a woman in Ibiza.
