25 Awesome MMA Post-Fight Celebrations

Sometimes, the excitement doesn't really begin until a fight is over. Unlike the players in the NFL, fighters are free to express their excitement without fear of penalty.

After a brutal knockout or slick submission, many fighters have some type of unique way to celebrate their victory. For some, it may be a simple fist pump, while others may perform a backflip off the cage.

No matter how they go about doing it, post-fight celebrations are a great way for fighters to show their personalities inside the cage. Of course, some fighters simply have more personality than others, and those are the fighters you can expect to see on this list.

Here are the top 25 most awesome post-fight celebrations in MMA history.

Rousimar Palhares

It's the victory celebration that wasn't. After rocking Dan Miller badly at UFC 134, Rousimar Palhares stopped fighting before referee Herb Dean stepped in and jumped on the fence.

Mid-celebration, Palhares was brought back to reality by Dean, who explained that the fight was not actually over. Palhares ended up fighting his way to a lopsided decision.

Mark Coleman

After his win over Igor Vovchanchyn to win the Pride Openweight Grand Prix, Mark Coleman tried to jump over the ropes, or at least that's what it appeared he was attempting to do.

Needless to say, he failed.

Muhammed Lawal

After defeating Mike Whitehead via knockout in December 2009, Muhammed Lawal decided to celebrate by shaking up an energy drink and having it explode all over the canvas.

Because his actions affected the fighting surface, this is one of the few situations where a fighter was fined for a post-fight celebration.

Jamie Varner

In one of the wildest combinations of dance moves ever witnessed, Jamie Varner did the chicken dance, mocked going to sleep and woke back up to do the worm.

Personally, I thought the worm was overkill, but Varner's celebration after submitting Jason Gilliam at UFC 68 certainly deserves mention on this list.

Din Thomas

After an armbar that earned him Submission of the Night honors at UFC 71, Din Thomas broke out his best dance moves with a shimmy.

Thomas then proceeded to lose his next two fights, making this his last post-fight celebration of his UFC career.

Shinya Aoki

After breaking Mizuto Hirota's arm with a shoulder lock in December 2009, Shinya Aoki proceeded to rub salt in the wound by showing his middle finger to Hirota and the entire crowd at Dynamite 2009.

It certainly wasn't the most professional post-fight celebration, but don't say you didn't laugh when you watched it.

Brock Lesnar

No one ever said Brock Lesnar showed the most sportsmanship in victory, but he certainly was entertaining. Toward the end of his dominant win over Heath Herring, Lesnar pretended to ride Herring like a horse.

It was certainly disrespectful, but it was an excellent prequel to Lesnar's career.

Tank Abbott

Call it classless if you will, but don't try to tell me you didn't laugh when Tank Abbott mocked John Matua's stiff limbs after his knockout victory at UFC 6.

In today's MMA, Abbott's actions would probably cause an uproar. However, considering the state of the sport at the time of Abbott's debut, this post-fight "celebration" was pretty much par for the course.

Phil Baroni

Phil Baroni's victory over Dave Menne at UFC 39 led to one of the more memorable post-fight displays of all time.

After knocking out Menne, Baroni jumped onto the cage and called himself "The Best Eva" before screaming "I'm the f-----g man" repeatedly.

Bas Rutten

Bas Rutten was the owner of one of the more unique, if not strange, celebrations in MMA history. Watch Rutten's multiple jumping splits after defeating Maurice Smith at Pancrase 6.

Anderson Silva

UFC middleweight champ Anderson Silva has won so many fights inside the Octagon that it is nearly impossible to remember every celebration he has had.

From playing fake guitars to dancing like Michael Jackson, Silva has had more opportunities to celebrate than almost any other fighter in MMA history.

Chris Leben

After most of his wins, Chris Leben looks right into the camera and gives the creepiest look that he possibly can.

The fact that he is covered in blood and is often seconds removed from nearly being knocked out himself makes the pose exponentially more chilling.

Stephan Bonnar

Stephan Bonnar's post-fight celebration is simple, but it fits him well. Usually spattered with blood, as he has the tendency to get into wars, Bonnar looks into the camera while holding his fist.

Bonnar's pose is a good reminder of why he is nicknamed "The American Psycho."

Roy Nelson

Roy Nelson doesn't have the physique most people would associate with a professional fighter. Whether it has an adverse effect on his career or not, Nelson embraces his role as the pudgy kid of the MMA world.

It might not be the most intimidating post-fight celebration, but Nelson's belly rub is certainly good for a few laughs.

Rashad Evans

At UFC 88, Rashad Evans met Chuck Liddell in what was the biggest fight of his career up to that point.

Although he was an underdog in the matchup, Evans scored a second-round knockout against the all-time great, surprising most fans worldwide.

After the win, Evans feigned a heart attack in celebration. Not only was the celebration original, but it also captured the feeling of most people watching the fight at the time.

Takaharu Murahama

After his win over Chris Brennan under the Shooto banner in 2003, Takaharu Murahama simply didn't know what to do with himself.

First, Murahama did some type of walking celebration while flailing his arms around, then he executed a much more common celebration by climbing on the ropes and raising his hands in the air.

Forrest Griffin

After his incredible upset win over Mauricio Rua, a win that earned him his first UFC title shot, the pure joy Griffin showed as he ran to his corner was greater than almost any choreographed celebration.

Griffin scored another upset in his next fight, capturing the UFC light heavyweight title from Quinton Jackson.

Josh Barnett

It's not very original, but Josh Barnett's post-fight celebration is one of the most recognizable in MMA.

After every victory, Barnett makes a throat-slashing motion, which might not be great for the image of the sport, but it is entertaining.

Thiago Silva

While Josh Barnett introduced the throat-slashing celebration to MMA, Thiago Silva took it to another level.

The level of intensity Silva shows as he walks to the cageside camera for his post-victory celebration might be unmatched.

Ronaldo Souza

In terms of originality, Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza's post-fight submission may be the best in all of MMA.

Paying tribute to his nickname, which is a Portuguese name for a member of the crocodile family, Souza mimics a crocodile walking after submitting his opponents.

Chuck Liddell

There really isn't anything extraordinary about Chuck Liddell's post-fight celebration, yet it has become one of the most iconic images in the sport.

It is simply a man letting his emotions loose after knocking another man unconscious, and that raw enthusiasm is part of what MMA is all about.

Jose Aldo

Prior to UFC 142, Jose Aldo had already had some great celebrations during his reign as WEC featherweight champion. Aldo's post-fight actions earlier this month took the cake, though.

After knocking out Chad Mendes, Aldo sprinted into the crowd and was carried on the shoulders of Brazilian fans.

Quinton Jackson

Quinton Jackson's trademark howl is downright goosebump-inducing. Before a fight, it simply means Jackson is about to walk out of the tunnel and toward the Octagon.

After a fight, it is the last thing Jackson's opponents want to see, since it would likely mean they are just regaining their senses from a temporary state of unconsciousness.

BJ Penn

Who ever said MMA fighters didn't have to be at least a little bit crazy?

Like a wild animal that just finished consuming its prey, BJ Penn licks his opponent's blood off his gloves.

It's part badass and part disgusting, but it's definitely one of the best celebrations in MMA.

Tito Ortiz

For years, Tito Ortiz dug the graves of many opponents as UFC light heavyweight champion.

However, a rough patch in his career meant that fans went nearly five years without seeing the most well-choreographed celebration in the sport.

Finally, an upset win over Ryan Bader at UFC 132 allowed Ortiz to show off MMA's best victory display at least one more time.