Colby Covington and 4 other UFC fighters who played characters to promote fights

In the UFC, racking up wins is only half the battle when it comes to earning title fights. With trash talk becoming an ever more valuable tool for drawing fan interest to bouts, countless mixed martial arts have taken to doing so to sell pay-per-views. Thus, the importance of being a good enough fighter is no longer as great.

Now, fighters are expected to play the part-time role of a promoter, doing anything and everything to attract attention to themselves. Doing so can be the difference between Dana White and the UFC brass offering a fighter a title shot or booking them in a meaningless bout when they're already on lengthy win streaks.

So it should come as no surprise that some fighters have taken the extra step of playing characters, typically exaggerated versions of their actual personalities, to drum up fan interest in themselves. Some even managed to become undisputed champions, while others never quite reached the pinnacle of the sport.

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#5. Jorge Masvidal, former UFC welterweight/lightweight

There was a point in time when Jorge Masvidal disliked trash talk, and even told the MMA world that they were welcome after he flatlined the then-unbeaten Ben Askren, a renowned trash talker. But after rising to the top of the welterweight division, 'Gamebred' had a change of heart.

He began adopting a persona that was a combination of the Tony Montana character from the 1983 film Scarface and his 'Street Jesus' alias. He began dressing and acting like the Montana character, while simultaneously promising to baptize his foes with knockouts.

However, Masvidal's stint as a pay-per-view attraction was short-lived. After beating Nate Diaz for the 'BMF' title, he tumbled down the rankings on a four-fight losing streak before retiring from the sport.

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#4. Sean Strickland, UFC middleweight/welterweight

Only recently have fans begun paying attention to Sean Strickland. While he's always been a serviceable fighter of decent skill, he was never a noteworthy mixed martial artist. His fighting style did him no favors and he was nothing more than another name on the roster.

Last year, however, 'Tarzan' stunned the MMA world by debuting a character that dialed his personality all the way up to 11. Suddenly, Strickland was the most outspoken fighter in the promotion, openly expressing controversial political and social views that were so ridiculous, all anyone could do was laugh.

He began saying anything and everything for sheer shock value, and his brand of reckless, unapologetic trash talk transformed him into a fan favorite despite his fighting style being radically different compared to his alleged desire to kill a man inside the octagon.

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#3. Chael Sonnen, former UFC middleweight/light heavyweight

Much of what works in MMA from the standpoint of trash talk, self-promotion, and playing a character can be owed to Chael Sonnen. 'The American Gangster' wrote the playbook on adopting a persona to draw fan interest, and he did so to great effect, sparking one of the greatest rivalries in UFC middleweight history.

Sonnen often quoted professional wrestling icons, of which he is an admitted fan. Furthermore, he prepared his lines ahead of time, using his gift of gab and quick wit to improvise when needed. 'The American Gangster' became 'The Bad Guy' and laid down the blueprint for the likes of Colby Covington.

He played a cocky, well-spoken heel who made hyperbolic statements about himself, while simultaneously downplaying his opponents with stinging trash talk that targeted them in every way: competitively, personally, there was no limit.

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#2. Henry Cejudo, UFC bantamweight/flyweight

Back in 2018, the UFC flyweight division was in danger of being scrapped by the promotion. Fans weren't interested in the weight class, and the then reigning champion, Demetrious Johnson, was not a trash-talker that fans either found amusing or hated enough to tune in hoping to watch him lose.

However, everything changed after Henry Cejudo bested 'Mighty Mouse' for flyweight gold. He took Chael Sonnen's advice and did everything in his power to make himself interesting by becoming 'The King of Cringe,' an insufferable braggart, whose odd trash talk and antics were regarded with embarrassment.

Stunts like custom pillows with his opponents' faces on them, along with his sudden use of a crown, were all part of the package, and it worked. People developed an interest in him that no other 125-pounder before him could have boasted.

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#1. Colby Covington, UFC welterweight

If Colby Covington is to be believed, he was on the verge of being released by the UFC in mid-2017. According to him, he was told that he wasn't interesting, his fighting style lacked entertainment value, and that he simply wasn't someone fans cared to pay attention to

Armed with the alleged knowledge that he was set to be cut from the promotion, he took on Demian Maia at UFC Fight Night 119. After beating the Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace, 'Chaos' cut his most infamous promo when he referred to the Brazilian crowd in São Paulo as 'filthy animals.' It was the birth of his heel persona.

While he was previously respectful, he became a vitriolic trash-talker, who targeted anyone and everyone with the most obscene insults possible. He also adopted his support for the former United States President Donald Trump into his character, donning the infamous red 'Make America Great Again' hat.

To his credit, the gimmick worked and launched him into the annals of superstardom.