5 UFC fighters who are the embodiment of 'Bushido' spirit

In the increasingly money-dominated sport of MMA, few UFC fighters are 'martial artists' in the conventional sense of the phrase.

The Bushido code, which has long been the standard for righteousness and honor among fighters, has taken a backseat over the last few years. The moral code has eight tenets - justice, courage, benevolence, politeness, honesty, honor, loyalty and self-control.

However, a few men still hold themselves steadfastly to the code. Here are five UFC fighters - past or present - who are the embodiment of Bushido spirit. Note: This isn't an exhaustive list.

#5 Joe Lauzon

One of the most loved UFC fighters of all time, lightweight Joe Lauzon has always promised violence and pristine application of MMA inside the cage. But he has been equally respectful and classy right from the beginning of his stellar career.

Against Takanori Gomi at UFC on Fox 16 in July 2015, Lauzon walked away from the fight on his own before referee Herb Dean could intervene, seeing that the Japanese fighter was almost out of it. And even during losses, 'J-Lau' has been the epitome of class and dignity.

Lauzon last competed in October 2019, when he secured a TKO win over Jonathan Pearce. Although he hasn't officially retired, UFC president Dana White appears to be holding him to a promise he made ahead of that bout to walk away.

#4 Demian Maia

The owner of several impressive records in the UFC, veteran welterweight Demain Maia made his promotion debut all the way back in October 2007. Over the course of almost 14 years, the Brazilian has earned a massive fan-following thanks to his grace and poise both inside and outside the cage.

One of the best grapplers the UFC has ever had on its roster, Maia has 14 submission wins over the course of his professional MMA career. Speaking about the power of Brazilian jiu-jitsu, he once said:

"I wanted to prove that you didn’t need to be a violent guy to win in an MMA competition. 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. It’s about getting the submission instead of kicking and punching. For me, it’s the nicest way to win. It’s nice to win that way in a sport that is as aggressive as MMA. To be able to walk away with a victory without a scratch to me or my opponent, for me, it’s priceless."

Maia has embodied most of the Bushido virtues to a tee and continues to do so even at the ripe old age of 43.

#3 Georges St-Pierre

One of the greatest fighters of all time, Georges St-Pierre was incredible for more reasons than his immense skills inside the cage. By being respectful and veering away from trash talk in an era which demanded selling fights on the microphone, 'Rush' became universally loved for his class.

GSP insisted that "humility is the first rule of martial arts", and practiced what he preached. He was rarely involved in controversies as well, and carved a niche for himself as a fighter who had a style set in virtue and character.

St-Pierre has many notable quotes when it comes to his ideologies, one of them being:

"My mentality is like a Samurai: They used to every day work on their technique to make themselves almost perfect. Because perfection is impossible, but every day, you get closer to perfection. Every day, I try to get better at what I do. And if I can do that for the rest of my life, I'll be happy."

#2 Lyoto Machida

Currently contracted with Bellator MMA, former UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida is one of the most beloved fighters in the world. The Brazilian fighter insisted that his Japanese roots required him to abide by the way of the samurai, and the same was on full display during his time with the UFC.

Machida always showed his opponents respect before and after a fight, irrespective of the result. He showed determination and heart by not tapping even to deep chokes, such as the scary guillotine Jon Jones locked in on him at UFC 140.

One of the classiest fighters the UFC has ever seen, Machida has achieved his objective of living up to the Bushido code.

#1 Jiri Prochazka

Number one on this list by virtue of him being the freshest in our memory, UFC light heavyweight contender Jiri Prochazka is one of a kind.

Nicknamed 'The Czech Samurai', Prochazka has not hidden the fact that he strictly abides by the Bushido code. His time with Rizin Fighting Federation in Japan helped him understand "the way of the warrior", and 'Denisa' even lives alone in a forest in the lead-up to a fight.

Speaking about adopting the Bushido code, Prochazka recently said:

"For me it was a very nice experience. Because my coach gave me a book from a very famous samurai, Musashi’s “Book of Five Rings", and I live by this code that he wrote. I was very glad to be in Japan and to experience it. It was a great time for me. I like the whole book. There are many pages that are important, especially about Bushido, moral codes. There is one page he writes about 'the body of the rock'. That means your state of mind must be calm and unmovable. An unmovable mind. That’s the right word."

A respectful and entertaining fighter, Prochazka will surely be seen challenging for the UFC light heavyweight gold in the near future.

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