UFC 129 Fight Card: Georges St-Pierre and the 25 Biggest Media Darlings in MMA

UFC President Dana White has stated many times that he believes Georges St-Pierre is the most popular athlete in Canadian sports history. Wayne Gretzky might disagree, but there is no argument that St-Pierre has become one of the most recognizable figures in the history of MMA.

While his talent inside the Octagon is probably the main reason for his celebrity status, St-Pierre's willingness to converse with the media has also played a major part in his fame. Several other fighters have also used the media to their advantage to launch their careers.

Here are the 25 fighters who receive the most recognition from the media.

25. Frank Mir

A former UFC Heavyweight Champion, Frank Mir has constantly been in the news throughout his career. From his short time as champion, to his career-threatening motorcycle accident, to coaching on The Ultimate Fighter, to headlining the biggest card in MMA history at UFC 100, the media has always been cognizant of Mir.

Mir has been so involved with the media over the course of his career that he has become media himself on several occasions. In addition to appearing as a guest commentator at several Zuffa events, Mir has been hired by Versus as an MMA analyst.

24. Brian Stann

Brian Stann's reputation far eclipses his fight in the Octagon. As a Marine who has been awarded the Silver Star, Stann is recognized as one of the best role models in the sport.

Stann's success in MMA has only furthered his relationships with the media. Recently, Stann was added to ESPN's MMA Live panel as an analyst.

If Stann is able to win his upcoming fight with Jorge Santiago and go on to become a top contender, his potential for drawing more fans to the sport could be unlimited.

23. Kenny Florian

A runner-up on the first season of The Ultimate Fighter, Kenny Florian has grown in popularity along with the UFC.

In addition to fighting in two lightweight title fights, Florian has also appeared routinely on ESPN's MMA Live as an analyst.

22. Dominick Cruz

Having not made his debut with the UFC yet, Dominick Cruz has not received the media attention that most of the other UFC champions have.

Still, Cruz has proven to be a well-spoken fighter in his interviews as WEC Bantamweight Champion, and now he will have the UFC machine to help further his promotion. 

Now, Cruz is scheduled to headline a UFC event in a grudge match against Urijah Faber. As the event draws closer, Cruz's popularity is sure to increase drastically.

21. Jose Aldo

Like Cruz, Jose Aldo's only recent addition to the UFC has resulted in the featherweight champion receiving less publicity than some of the other champions in the organization.

However, Aldo is certain to receive more attention once he is able to display his talents in the Octagon.

Nevertheless, as it has been for Anderson Silva, the language barrier than exists between Aldo and American media will continue to prevent him from reaching a level of popularity such as that which Georges St-Pierre has reached.

20. Rashad Evans

After gaining initial star power through winning Season 2 of The Ultimate Fighter, Rashad Evans has parlayed that into a career as one of the most recognizable figures in the UFC.

Evans furthered his media recognition by becoming UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, but his popularity reached its peak when coaching against Quinton Jackson on The Ultimate Fighter.

Evans has also appeared as an analyst on ESPN's MMA Live.

19. Josh Koscheck

The original troublemaker on The Ultimate Fighter, Josh Koscheck has set the example for a long line of instigators on the series who have looked to gain popularity through the media outlet.

Koscheck has become far more than just a personality, though. Despite his loss to Georges St-Pierre in his last fight, Koscheck remains one of the best welterweights in the sport.

Prior to his fight with St-Pierre, Koscheck also appeared as a coach on The Ultimate Fighter.

18. Forrest Griffin

Having fought in the most memorable fight in the history of The Ultimate Fighter, Forrest Griffin has become one of the faces of the UFC.

Later, another memorable win over Mauricio Rua led to a title shot and an appearance as a coach on The Ultimate Fighter for Griffin. After the reality series, Griffin defeated Quinton Jackson to become the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion.

In addition to his accomplishments, Griffin has a great sense of humor that has endeared him to the media.

17. Tito Ortiz

Tito Ortiz has not won in more than four years, but he has somehow been able to remain relevant in conversation.

However, Ortiz's inclusion in the news has not always been positive. At one point, Ortiz made national news for an accusation of domestic violence against his wife, Jenna Jameson.

Still, Ortiz remains one of the most popular fighters in MMA history.

During his career, Ortiz has been a champion, coached on The Ultimate Fighter and even made an appearance with TNA Wrestling.

16. Urijah Faber

As featherweight champion, Urijah Faber was the face of the WEC. Now, Faber is looking to further his popularity by becoming UFC Bantamweight Champion with a win over Dominick Cruz in his next fight.

After just one fight with the organization, Faber will already headline a pay-per-view event against Cruz.

Faber has done an excellent job of marketing himself as well by appearing in several television commercials over the course of his career.

15. Fedor Emelianenko

He has little personality, doesn't speak English, has lost two fights in a row and has never fought in the UFC. Still, the fans and media remain extremely interested in what's next for Fedor Emelianenko.

A lot of fighters sell fights with trash talk, but Emelianenko sells fights through a loyal fanbase that has followed him throughout his legendary career.

Despite everything that seems to be going against him in terms of drawing power, Emelianenko has had several organizations drool over the thought of signing him.

14. Alistair Overeem

One of the most imposing figures in MMA, Alistair Overeem's popularity has exploded over recent years.

The well-spoken heavyweight has also become the subject of many dream fights that fans hope to witness in the near future.

If Overeem were to join the UFC, he could immediately become one of the most popular fighters on the planet.

13. Michael Bisping

After being accused of spitting at Jorge Rivera's corner man in his last fight, it is a bit odd to use Michael Bisping's name and the word darling in the same sentence, but the Englishman is certainly deserving of a spot on this list.

Bisping was first recognized for winning Season 3 of The Ultimate Fighter. Since then, Bisping has gone on to become a longtime contender and the most popular fighter in Great Britain.

Bisping has also appeared as a coach on The Ultimate Fighter. However, that did not end well, as Bisping was knocked out by opposing coach Dan Henderson after the series.

Bisping has many detractors, though, so moments such as his loss to Henderson have only added to his fame.

12. Frankie Edgar

After his come-from-behind draw against Gray Maynard in his last fight, Frankie Edgar is finally receiving much-deserved praise.

The UFC Lightweight Champion has become an excellent representative of the sport. As such, he has attempted to lead the charge for legalizing MMA in New York.

For now, Edgar is one of the most recognized fighters in the sport, but a loss to Maynard in his next fight could potentially drop him all the way off this list.

11. Cain Velasquez

Cain Velasquez showed why he is one of the best fighters in the world with his dominant victory over Brock Lesnar in his last fight. The win gave Velasquez a huge boost in popularity, but not to the point that he is one of the more talked-about fighters in the mainstream.

Unfortunately, some casual fans may still refer to Velasquez as "that Mexican who beat Lesnar."

Surely, Velasquez's popularity will continue to increase over time, especially if he is able to retain the belt against the winner of a fight between Lesnar and Junior dos Santos.

10. Jason Miller

Jason "Mayhem" Miller has done what few fighters have been able to do by achieving mainstream recognition without being a long-term UFC fighter.

Miller hosts MTV's Bully Beatdown, which has allowed him to attract many fans to himself and the sport of MMA.

Miller's engaging personality makes him a frequent target for interviews and is the reason that many MMA fans have been drawn to follow him.

9. Nick Diaz

Strikeforce Welterweight Champion Nick Diaz attracts more and more attention with every fight he has had outside of the UFC.

Diaz's controversial and sometimes head-scratching personality has earned him more critics than proponents. In the world of entertainment, it is better for people to dislike you than to not care about you, though.

Diaz has now been receiving attention for his desire to compete in a boxing match in the near future.

A possible title-merging fight with Georges St-Pierre would further Diaz's media recognition even more.

8. BJ Penn

Despite losing his UFC Lightweight Championship, BJ Penn has remained one of the most interesting figures in the sport.

Since moving to welterweight, Penn has already become a contender again, and the possibility of Penn fighting for another title is only enhancing his legacy.

Penn has also coached on The Ultimate Fighter and headlined cards against some of the biggest names in MMA.

7. Chael Sonnen

Despite losing to Anderson Silva in his last fight, Chael Sonnen's mouth and legal problems have kept him in the news.

In addition to talking trash with fighters he doesn't even have a fight scheduled against, Sonnen has been fighting multiple other battles outside of the Octagon in recent months.

After his fight with Silva, it was discovered that Sonnen had tested for abnormally high levels of testosterone. Initially Sonnen was suspended for one year, but he had the suspension reduced to six months after a hearing with the California State Athletic Commission.

Also, Sonnen pleaded guilty to money laundering. Facing years in prison, Sonnen worked a plea deal to have his sentence reduced to a fine and probation.

6. Anderson Silva

Were it not for the language barrier, Anderson Silva would likely be an even more publicized fighter than Georges St-Pierre. Even still, Silva is one of the most talked-about fighters in the MMA media today.

In addition to being the most talented fighter in the world, Silva has paired with Steven Seagal to draw more attention from American MMA fans.

In a recent interview with MMAFighting's Ariel Helwani, Silva showed that he may coming around to the idea of doing interviews in English in the future. This would be a huge step toward increasing his popularity.

5. Randy Couture

Randy Couture was one of the key fighters in helping bring MMA to the mainstream.

Now, Couture has announced that he will finally retire after his fight with Lyoto Machida at UFC 129. Couture has announced his retirement before, though, so the media has already begun questioning whether Couture will return.

Couture has also spent time as a commentator for UFC events.

The star power Couture has gained through MMA has also led to new opportunities. He has a bright future in acting when he finally does call it quits.

4. Quinton Jackson

Like Couture, Quinton Jackson has extended his success in MMA into an acting career. Jackson starred in a re-make of The A-Team in 2010.

Jackson has also made waves with the MMA media. His likable personality has led to multiple appearances on The Ultimate Fighter.

"Rampage" has created a persona that has superseded MMA fame and allowed him to become one of the first fighters to receive recognition from mainstream media.

3. Jon Jones

The Jon Jones media circus has only just begun, and he is already one of the most famous fighters in the world.

Some may argue that Jones is already approaching Brock Lesnar as the biggest draw in MMA, but the UFC 128 pay-per-view buy rate certainly suggests otherwise.

Still, Jones is on his way to becoming the face of MMA as long as he is able to hold on to the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship.

2. Georges St-Pierre

George St-Pierre has been able to market himself on a level that few other MMA fighters have.

St-Pierre has scored commercials with ESPN and endorsement deals with companies such as Under Armour.

Of course, it didn't hurt his chances at media-related success that St-Pierre is one of the two best fighters in the world.

1. Brock Lesnar

Brock Lesnar has brought more fans to MMA than any other fighter in the history of the sport.

Lesnar manages to live a private lifestyle without having the media lose interest in covering him. It is an amazing phenomenon that can only be explained by his size and polarizing personality.

Lesnar may have lost some of his intrigue with his loss to Cain Velasquez, but he remains the biggest draw out of any fighter in MMA. People might not like it, but there is a reason that Lesnar is paid the money that he is.

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Sean Smith is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report MMA. For the latest insight and updates on everything MMA, you can follow Sean on Twitter @BR_Sean_Smith.