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UFC fans can be some of the most polarized amongst all sports, and fighters gain and lose stock because of this every day. Even someone as likable as Georges St-Pierre was heavily criticized by fans during his career. You could argue that he enjoys more love from MMA fans after retirement than he did while he was active.
While GSP has largely had a career devoid of controversy, some fighters make the news for all kinds of reasons. Some for better and some for worse. Fighters have been criticized by their fans and have even lost fans owing to their actions outside the octagon.
5 instances that made UFC fans criticize their favorite fighters:
5) Paulo Costa
'Borrachinha' had a 13-0 record going into his fight against Israel Adesanya at UFC 253 for the middleweight championship. The fan support for him was strong and he looked confident in the build-up to the fight, asserting that he would walk away as the new champion. However, Costa tasted defeat after being subjected to a striking clinic by 'The Last Stylebender'.
Months after his loss, though, Costa put out a video on his YouTube channel saying that he wasn't able to sleep the night before the fight because of leg cramps. This prompted him to drink a bottle of wine, resulting in him fighting half-drunk or hungover.
Needless to say, this wasn't well-received by the MMA community, even his fans. Costa was trolled online for the ridiculous excuse and ended up making a bad loss look worse.
4) Jon Jones
No surprises here. Jon 'Bones' Jones may go down as one of the best to ever step into the octagon, if not the best. His actions outside the octagon, however, have repeatedly drawn harsh criticism from his fans. In addition to testing positive for banned substances multiple times, Jon Jones has a history of less-than-respectable behavior outside the octagon.
'Bones' has had multiple run-ins with the law, the most notable being his hit-and-run incident involving a pregnant woman. He was also charged with battery following an altercation with a cocktail waitress and has been caught driving under the influence with a firearm.
While you could argue that a fighter should be judged by his fighting abilities alone, it can also be said that champions are expected to conduct themselves in a certain way both inside and outside the octagon. Jon Jones is one of the greatest fighters to have ever been in the game, but his legacy will always be tainted by his unfavorable actions.
3) Conor McGregor
'Notorious' has more than lived up to his cage name over the years. While many disputed Conor McGregor's brash attitude and cocky trash-talking, no one can refute what this man has done for the sport of MMA. The Irishman is the UFC's biggest PPV draw in history.
McGregor went 7-0 in the UFC's featherweight division, beating legend Jose Aldo to clinch the title. After that, he beat Eddie Alvarez to become the first champ-champ in the organization. Conor McGregor's stock was at an all-time high at this point. However, he refused to defend either of the two belts, subsequently being stripped of them both as he shifted focus to a boxing match with Floyd Mayweather. Holding up the divisions didn't sit well with MMA fans.
Conor McGregor returned only to cause a violent incident at UFC 223's media day when he threw a dolly at a bus transporting fighters. This is arguably one of the darkest moments in UFC history. The fight between him and then-lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov was scheduled, and in the build-up, to the bout, McGregor crossed all lines of acceptable behavior. He insulted Nurmagomedov's family, country, and culture, and even went as far as calling the champion's manager Ali Abdelaziz a terrorist.
Needless to say, Conor McGregor rubbed a lot of fans the wrong way. This happened again recently when Dustin Poirier claimed 'Notorious' backed out of his promised donation to 'The Good Fight Foundation'. While McGregor is still the most popular combat sports athlete, his actions have certainly dented his legacy.
2) Jorge Masvidal
Jorge 'Gamebred' Masvidal has been fighting in the UFC for a long time but has achieved superstardom over the past couple of years. His biggest moment came when he knocked out an undefeated Ben Askren at UFC 239 with a flying knee, securing the fastest knockout in UFC history. After that, Masvidal fought Nate Diaz for a one-of-a-kind 'BMF' belt at UFC 244.
Fast forward to 2021, and Masvidal seems to have rubbed a lot of his fans the wrong way after he decided to team up with YouTuber Jake Paul. The YouTuber-turned-boxer is set to fight Ben Askren in a boxing match. Paul uploaded a video where he seemed to be training with Masvidal, and at the press conference for the fight, even video-called 'Gamebred' to poke fun at Askren.
Needless to say, the MMA community and Masvidal's fans weren't amused. Combat sports fans have expressed their dislike for the Paul brothers time and again. With Masvidal seeming to team up with Jake Paul, his fans felt like he betrayed the MMA community.
1) Rose Namajunas
This is the most recent incident where a UFC fighter seemed to rub their fans the wrong way. 'Thug' Rose Namajunas is set to face strawweight champion Weili Zhang at UFC 261. In an interview leading up to the fight, Namajunas said she views this as a fight for freedom vs oppression because she believes Weili represents communism.
Namajunas' family is of Lithuanian descent who escaped communism and fled to America. While one can empathize with her past, the insinuation that her opponent represents communism simply because she's Chinese doesn't sit well with MMA fans. Nevertheless, Rose Namajunas has refused to back down from her stance, saying that while she doesn't have anything against Weili personally, her opinions will not change.
