The 12 Biggest Excuse Makers in MMA

"Everything happens for a reason."

It's a cliche we've all heard before, and for MMA fighters, it often means fans are treated to a laundry list of excuses following an unimpressive performance.

Some nights a fighter just simply isn't the better man. Everyone loses, we as fans understand that our favorite fighters can't win every time and even the worst fighter has a puncher's chance.

What we fans don't understand is why fighters continuously make excuses following losses in their career or make an outlandish claim after a poor showing. The reasons may even be true like legitimate injuries, but it often times feels like just another excuse for a loss.

Legitimate claims or not, the men on this list are notorious for their excuse making in their careers.

Karo Parisyan Can't Handle the Heat

Karo Parisyan has always had the talent to be a top welterweight. His incredible judo matched with his strength and heart would make for a fine title contender but unfortunately, Parisyan never put all the pieces together.

Following his loss to Thiago Alves in 2008, Parisyan had a Jersey Shore-esque type of excuse for his loss; he was too good to train.

“My worst enemy has always been that I've been too talented to train, and now it’s catching up with me. I gotta start training or those guys will start catching up with me.” (MMAFrenzy.com)

Of course we would later learn Parisyan's issues were a result of anxiety problems and addictions to pain killers.

Parisyan could've said he had some personal issues going on and probably would've received a "pass" from MMA fans but saying the reason you lost is because you're too good to train simply can't be ignored.

Kalib Starnes "Works off the Jab"

Kalib Starnes' performance at UFC 83 against Nate Quarry was legendary; but for all the wrong reasons.

According to Starnes, he broke his foot following the first kick in the round and decided to implement a new strategy.

"After I knew my foot was broken, I was trying to back up and work off the jab and keep moving so I didn't get knocked out." (BloodyElbow.com)

Starnes' injury claims may have been legit but when you check out the link and see he threw even more kicks after he allegedly knew his foot was broken, his argument crumbles more than grandma's crisp holiday sugar cookie.

It's even more of a ridiculous claim when you consider Starnes lost his chance at winning The Ultimate Fighter for quitting due to a "broken rib." Apparently a broken rib > broken foot to Mr. Starnes.

Georges St. Pierre

An exception to this list, Georges St. Pierre  isn't making this list for making excuses after a loss. Instead, GSP takes to the mic after each bout and apologizes for winning.

In his title defenses against Dan Hardy, Josh Koscheck, and Jake Shields, GSP let fans know he was sorry for not finishing his opponents.

I guess we should be glad GSP is aware of his critics and is working on improving his game but does one of the all time greats in MMA need to apologize for winning?

Quinton "Rampage" Jackson: Poison and Keeping the Devil at Bay

Quinton "Rampage" Jackson is one of the most entertaining fighters in MMA history. He also happens to be one of the biggest excuse makers following some of his high profile losses.

Against Kazushi Sakuraba, Jackson claimed he had been "poisoned" by his room service.

Following a loss against his rival Wanderlei Silva, "Rampage" claimed to have been touched by Jesus in a dream and underwent a fasting of idiotic proportions.

When he lost to Rashad Evans and prior to the Jon Jones bout, Jackson claimed the two men had spies running through his camp.

From the outlandish to the more probable, "Rampage" has had plenty of excuses for his losses. Maybe he should try the "I'm too one-dimensional to be elite" excuse next time?

Chris Leben Gets "Crippled"

Chris Leben had an up and down 2011.

It started off in a rough way when Leben said his opponent, Brian Stann couldn't punch his way out of a wet paper bag and then was floored in their matchup. Not content with simply losing to a better fighter, Leben's coaches quickly let fans know their fighter lost due to being "sick".

After a quick victory over Wanderlei Silva at UFC 132, Leben virtually quit in the corner by telling the ringside officials he couldn't see. It was later revealed Leben cut over 20 pounds the day before the bout which affected his performance.

If getting suspended for a year didn't lose Leben enough fans, his excuse making run in 2011 certainly did. He will always have a fan-friendly fighting style but it will be interesting to see how much fans will forgive and forget if and when he makes his return.

BJ Penn and Greasegate

When BJ Penn lost his champion vs. champion superbout against Georges St-Pierre, it was clear that GSP was simply the better fighter. That is, everyone but Penn and his camp.

Following his humiliating defeat, Penn laid claims that GSP greased and took steroids among others.

The claim did have some merit at first as there is a video of GSP's cornermen applying Vaseline to his face and then touching his chest without wiping their hands.

Unfortunately, Penn damaged his own credibility by some of the most outlandish claims (ingesting substances to make your body slippery?) and his suggestions as acceptable punishments (pre-fight showers?).

Did he also want GSP and his coaches paraded through downtown Las Vegas like an ancient Roman prisoner too?

Tiki Ghosn Gets KO'd from Reality

When Tiki Ghosn still had an MMA fighting career, he had the unfortunate pleasure of adding his name to the Robbie Lawler hype train at UFC 40.

In the post fight interview, Ghosn claimed the fight had been stopped because of a cut he sustained. He clearly ignored Lawler's punches that not only knocked him unconscious, but seemingly knocked him out from reality.

Perhaps this was the first sign that a storm was brewing as Chael Sonnen was no doubt taking notes on that date in 2002.

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira Can't Accept Losing to Frank Mir

The first matchup between Frank Mir and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira was marred by controversy as Big Nog claimed a staph infection was the reason he didn't look like himself.

After showing glimpses of the old Nogueira, fans were interested in seeing just how much the infection affected the outcome of their first bout.

The rematch featured a quick back-and-forth exchange that saw Mir on wobbled legs recover and break the arm of Nogueira. Instead of blaming himself for attempting a submission instead of continuing to punch a near senseless Mir, Nogueira blamed the third man in the Octagon that night.

Just as every hero has their arch nemesis, it's clear that Mir is simply a better fighter nowadays than Nogueira. Big Nog gets away with his excuses given the fact that he's a popular fighter and Mir isn't but that doesn't make it any better.

Shane Carwin Punches Himself into Lactic Acidosis

Denial can be an ugly thing. Just ask Shane Carwin.

Instead of simply admitting he punched himself out and didn't have the cardio to keep going, Carwin pegged an adrenaline dump and a case of lactic acidosis as the reasons for his loss to Brock Lesnar.

A simple explanation would've saved Carwin from heaps of fan criticism but instead he chose to simply, "deny, deny, deny."

Look for that lactic acidosis to flare up again when Carwin makes his return from surgery sometime in 2012.

As Chris Rock would say, "Let that 'tussin get in there!"

Chael Sonnen: Human Promo Reel

Since losing his title matchup against Anderson Silva, Chael Sonnen has used almost any excuse possible as to why he's the true UFC middleweight champion.

Sonnen attempted to provide a simple explanation saying "he fights them all" which furthered the "Anderson Silva is ducking Chael Sonnen" discussions.

On The Jim Rome Show in October, Sonnen was dumbfounded at how he could hit Silva so many times yet still be considered a loser.

What I'm dumbfounded at is how Sonnen missed his true calling in the WWE as his personality is tailor made to make him one of the top guys in the promotion.

Ricardo Arona and "Rodney Dangerfield Syndrome"

Ricardo Arona just can't get any respect; or a fair opportunity at a win.

When Quinton "Rampage" Jackson powerbombed him straight to hell, a headbutt was the reason for the KO.

Insisting that his strategy was based on his physical attributes against Sokoudojou, Arona explained that a "dengue disease" was the culprit.

Losing to Mauricio "Shogun" Rua was the result of being tired from an earlier bout.

Apparently it seems that the entire world is against Arona and he simply can't catch a break. I'm almost expecting Arona to come out after a loss and say he would've gotten away with it if it weren't for those meddling kids and that stupid dog.

Tito Ortiz Is IronMan

Tito Ortiz may have turned into a fan favorite during the twilight of his career but he did little to gain fan support after his bout with Forrest Griffin in 2009.

Ortiz revealed in the post-fight interview that he suffered from bulging discs and a "cracked skull." Unfortunately for Ortiz, the NSAC didn't find anything wrong.

While taping The Ultimate Fighter, Ortiz claimed to be fully healthy only to have to pull out of his trilogy bout with Chuck Liddell due to lingering neck issues.

He may not be a M.D., but considering his knowledge of all his medical problems, Ortiz must've stayed at a few Holiday Inns while on the road.