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Music has the power to uplift and inspire all of us, and that is no different for UFC fighters. Training regimes can be brutal in preparation for an upcoming bout, so it's understandable that some fighters may need extra motivation in the gym.
In a new weekly series, let's have a listen to songs featured in UFC fighters' Instagram stories.
Leon Edwards
Sweet Emotion [Aerosmith]
"I'll tell you about something you can sure understand, 'Cause a month on the road and I'll be eating from your hand" [Sweet Emotion]
Whether or not he 'eats' a Stockton slap, a month on the road is essentially what lies ahead for Leon Edwards - who faces Nate Diaz at UFC 262 on May 15.
Originally released by Aerosmith in 1975, ‘Sweet Emotion’ became the first breakthrough single for the Boston five-piece. They re-released the song with this very questionable video in 1991 - the very year Leon Edwards was born.
While some of the lyrics are vague, nonsensical and bordering on sexist, lead guitarist Joe Perry is on form with one of the most recognizable guitar riffs in rock history.
Tony Ferguson
No Easy Way Out [Robert Tepper]
"We're not indestructible, Baby, better get that straight" [No Easy Way Out]
Currently on a two-fight losing streak, Tony Ferguson is definitely not indestructible. ‘El Cucuy’ faces the dangerous Beneil Dariush next at UFC 262. Dariush is on a six-fight win streak.
Robert Tepper was right: there’s no easy way out.
A song with a fighting history, ‘No Easy Way Out’ was featured in Sylvester Stallone’s 1985 film ‘Rocky IV’. Cliched lyrics notwithstanding, it is a tune fit for a big-screen montage. Stallone even used it again a year later for his film ‘Cobra’.
Yes, this cheesy power-ballad is quintessentially mid-80’s - perhaps even a little too similar to Simple Minds ‘Don’t You Forget About Me’, released 6 months earlier - but there is simply no denying it as an ironic guilty pleasure.
Conor McGregor
Back To Back [Drake]
"Back to back like I'm on the cover of Lethal Weapon, back to back like I'm Jordan '96, '97 whoa" [Back To Back]
‘The Notorious’ Conor McGregor - the man who considers his own surname worthy of a UFC title belt - often refers to himself as the best ever in the UFC, perhaps comparable to Michael Jordan in basketball.
Yet his recent stiffness in the octagon has rendered him more like Danny Glover in Lethal Weapon: "too old for this s**t".
Released in 2015, ‘Back To Back’ is a diss track from Drake aimed at rapper Meek Mill. The original argument was fleshed out on Twitter. This won’t be lost on McGregor given his recent spat with Dustin Poirier has become headline MMA news.
The flow from Drake on ‘Back To Back’ often seems forced. It lacks the composure of ‘Hotline Bling’ or the Canadian’s performance on Dave’s ‘Wanna Know’. That being said, the animosity of the diss shines through and you can understand why some consider it to be his best.
Marlon Vera and Rafael dos Anjos
Eye Of The Tiger [Survivor]
"Don't lose your grip on the dreams of the past, you must fight just to keep them alive" [Eye Of The Tiger]
Both Marlon Vera and Rafael dos Anjos have recently struggled to maintain consistency inside the octagon. But their last UFC bouts went the distance, and now they’re back on their feet - just two men and the will to survive.
In 1982, Sylvester Stallone was denied permission to use Queen’s ‘Another One Bites The Dust’ for his upcoming film, ‘Rocky III’. At the request of Stallone, ‘Eye Of The Tiger’, a demo written by Survivor, was recorded as Queen’s replacement. The version in the film is at such an early stage that it contains tiger growls, removed from the post-film single which went to number one in the US charts.
From the teasing muted guitar intro, to the epic 80’s power chords, to the tame yet effective lyrics - this song will always be the workout anthem. A classic that will always be a popular UFC fighter's choice.
DMX [Earl Simmons] 1970 - 2021
Many UFC fighters including Francis Ngannou took to Instagram this week, paying their respects to legendary rapper DMX, who sadly passed away on 9th April.
A true master of his craft, DMX had been rapping since the tender age of 14 and went on to sell over 74 million records.
His greatest and most well known song, 'X Gon' Give It To Ya', is a powerhouse - sure to fire up the tamest of us out there. R.I.P. Earl.
UFC Weekly Fighter Playlist [Spotify]
New songs will be added to the UFC fighter playlist on a weekly basis.
