5 UFC fighters with signature post-fight celebrations

UFC fighters put their heart and soul into training and preparation going into their bouts. Unlike athletes in other sports, fighters perform just a few times a year at most. On average, a fighter might make two or three appearances inside the octagon every year, considering each fight camp takes between eight to twelve weeks.

So when they do get the opportunity to perform, they have to make the most of it. A fighter builds his/her fanbase by being memorable. Some fighters play signature walkout songs as they make their way to the octagon, while others might pull out some trademark moves as Bruce Buffer announces their name.

A handful of fighters have signature post-fight celebrations. Former UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson performed his now-iconic celebration after each of his wins.

Past fighters famous for their iconic post-fight celebrations include Quinton Jackson for his howl, Ronaldo Souza for his alligator impression, B.J. Penn licking his gloves and Roy Nelson’s belly-rub.

That said, we thought we’d take a look at five current UFC fighters with signature post-fight celebrations.

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#5. Ryan Hall – UFC featherweight

Ryan Hall’s post-fight celebration reflects his personality perfectly. Hall is an unassuming, incredibly smart and hugely talented fighter. However, if you walked past him on the street, you wouldn’t immediately assume he was a professional cage fighter.

In his numerous appearances on podcasts and interviews, Hall’s methodical approach to training and fighting is clear as day. The grappling phenom is extremely analytical when it comes to breaking down fights and training methods. He has an understated yet brilliant sense of humor as well.

The popular featherweight shrugs moments after all of his wins. It’s almost as if he’s just as surprised as the viewer that his unorthodox grappling moves are effective in the octagon. His post-fight celebration has gone from being a trademark ritual to a subtle statement.

Watch a 20-second compilation of Ryan Hall shrugging after his wins below:

Ryan Hall is one of the most avoided fighters in the UFC. Fellow featherweights have systematically turned down a fight against him, largely because of his unnatural leg-lock-based style. He boasts an overall professional record of 9-2, and is 5-1 since joining the promotion.

Hall won The Ultimate Fighter 22: Team McGregor vs. Team Faber in 2015 and subsequently earned a contract with the UFC. During his time in the world’s premier MMA organization, he has beaten the likes of Gray Maynard, B.J. Penn and Darren Elkins. His most recent win came against Darrick Minner this past December.

#4. Justin Gaethje – UFC lightweight

Justin Gaethje is arguably the most entertaining fighter in the UFC and combat sports in general. 'The Highlight' has developed a reputation for being – as Joe Rogan puts it – "The most violent man in the most violent sport." The American has never had a boring fight.

Gaethje’s post-fight celebration is a true reflection of his fighting style - incredible to watch and extremely dangerous.

The former interim lightweight champion, after securing a victory inside the octagon, climbs on to the top of the cage wall and does a backflip. Thankfully, he’s never had an awkward landing on the canvas.

Justin Gaethje put together a record of 17-0 before joining the UFC. He made his promotional debut against top lightweight contender Michael Johnson and the duo had a scintillating back and forth war. The bout ended up winning both ‘Fight of the Night’ and ‘Performance of the Night’ bonuses.

Gaethje drowned Johnson with relentless pressure throughout the second round of the fight. Both fighters were noticeably fatigued and it seemed as though there would be no chance the fight would last the full three rounds. ‘The Highlight’ eventually secured a TKO finish and subsequently attempted to perform his signature post-fight celebration, despite being exhausted.

He attempted to climb the octagon wall twice, falling down to the canvas both times. He finally mustered the strength to climb the fence and pull off his trademark celebration.

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#3. Tai Tuivasa – UFC heavyweight

Tai Tuivasa has become a fan-favorite among MMA viewers in the last year or so. The fun-loving Australian's approach to the fight game, coupled with his penchant for sensational knockouts, has seen him resonate with the masses.

Tuivasa's signature post-fight celebration, the shoey, has become incredibly popular in recent times. Essentially, it requires drinking beer out of a worn shoe.

Tuivasa has made a habit of climbing onto the octagon wall, moments after finding a KO/TKO finish, and downing a beer out of an audience member's shoe. Every time he does it, those in attendance tend to go crazy.

The rise in popularity of the shoey in the MMA community has been synonymous with the resurrgence of Tai Tuivasa in the UFC heavyweight division. With his recent victories over Greg Hardy and Augusto Sakai, 'Bam Bam' broke into the rankings.

He is set to take on fellow knockout artist and top-ranked heavyweight Derrick Lewis in his next bout.

#2. Derrick Lewis – UFC heavyweight

Derrick Lewis is one of the most beloved and entertaining fighters on the UFC roster. His incredible sense of humor, coupled with his intensity in the cage and propensity for jaw-dropping knockouts, has made him a fan-favorite.

During his time in the promotion, 'The Black Beast' has knocked out the likes of Shamil Abdurakhimov, Travis Browne, Marcin Tybura, Alexander Volkov, Alexey Oleynik, Curtis Blaydes and Chris Daukaus. What makes his KO victories even more spectacular is his terrifying post-fight celebration.

Moments after getting a KO finish, Lewis takes a few backward steps while pounding his chest like a gorilla. He then powerslams his fists on the canvas before giving his opponent a memorable sight as they wake up. The Houston native finishes it off with a classic throat-slit.

Speaking about his trademark post-fight celebration, the UFC heavyweight said:

"They call me 'The Black Beast', so basically, that’s why I beat on my chest like a gorilla and I do a little stare or whatever, like a gorilla pose, a beast staring at a prey and I slit my throat, basically saying 'I killed your *ss.'"

Watch Derrick Lewis discuss his signature post-fight celebration below:

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#1. Valentina Shevchenko – UFC women's flyweight champion

Valentina Shevchenko is one of the best fighters in the world, irrespective of gender. The lifelong martial artist has enjoyed an incredible career so far. The Kyrgyzstani phenom is one of the most dominant champions in the UFC, having defended her flyweight title six times.

Shevchenko is an incredible fighter to watch. At the moment, she is among the most technically gifted athletes on the planet and her performances over the last few years are testament to that. 'Bullet' is currently riding an 8-fight winning streak, with 5 of those victories ending by way of KO/TKO or submission.

She even puts on a show after winning a fight. Her signature 'Lezginka' dance has become synonymous with her championship reign.

The Lezginka, also known as the Lezgi dance or Lezgian dance, is a national dance of the Lezgins, common among people living in the Caucasus regions of Asia and Europe.

During her appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, Shevchenko credited her mother Elena for her dancing skills. The UFC champion said:

"My mom said she didn’t want [my sister and I] to lose our femininity. So we have to do both things: martial arts and dance. It was something very natural for me that I learned, that I grew up with."

Interestingly, she used to do it on her way to the cage early on in her career. Upon joining the UFC, the dance has emerged as her trademark post-fight celebration. The reigning pound-for-pound queen is an entertainer in every sense of the word.