Roy Nelson and Other Fighters Who Prove Winning Isn't Everything

There are some fighters that fans will always love because they come to battle. Whether they love them or love to hate them, they will always pay to see them fight. The fighters aren't necessarily "elite" in their division, but they're guys that are recognized for their blue-collar style. Guys like this just throw the wraps on, tighten up the gloves and wait for the opportunity to hit and be hit.

What keeps these guys trudging through the highs and lows? Is it that they put in the hours and time away from family that makes them give it their all? Is it that they want to be the best of the best? Do they have potential unseen that they are waiting to explode in the next battle? Probably not. Guys like this love to fight.

Do they want to be the best? Absolutely.

No fighter wants to get paid to fight for a .500 average. Fighters have the mentality that they are the best. They believe they can go out and show up any other fighter on any given night.* They have to because their career, pride and, above all else, health depend on it. These fighters are a completely different breed, however. They don't seem to care about the thrill of the chase. They just want to ruin every opponent's night.

So without further ado, the qualification system:

• Not in title discussion
• Battle-tested
• Willingness to absorb punishment to deliver punishment
• Name recognition
• Not an "elite" fighter*

* in some cases this means anymore

Honorable Mention

This group of fighters don't quite make the list, but not for the reasons you might think.

Frankie Edgar makes honorable mention because he HAS lost, not because he is short of elite. He is a top of the food chain kind of guy. Edgar is a former champion that holds wins over lightweight kingpin BJ Penn, not to mention Gray Maynard, Sean Sherk, Jim Miller and Spencer Fisher.

Edgar may go down, but he doesn't go out. This guy will take all you can dish out and then smile before he batters you with world-class boxing. Despite two losses to Benson Henderson, Frankie is still a force to be reckoned with. Look for him to make a run at Aldo's featherweight title in early 2013.

Stefan Struve is seemingly finding his rhythm in the heavyweight division. He loves to stand and bang, and fans love to watch him do that. When he gets into exchanges, everyone knows someone is about to fall down. His few losses have come to outstanding opponents, but possibly could have been avoided by fighting to his strengths.

He looks to be a smarter fighter in his last few outings, racking up two submission wins over talented strikers and a key TKO over a tough guy in Dave Herman. Still, Struve is honorable mention because he is 24 years young and still has time to wreak havoc on the suddenly uber-competitive heavyweight division.

Rounding out the honorably mentioned is Nam Phan. His technique is graceful, and he is a joy to watch for any true MMA fan. His implementation of body punches and crisp movement should be complimented with powerful punches...but it isn't. If he had a couple stunning KO's since joining the UFC, he'd have a lot more name recognition. Unfortunately, he doesn't meet my standard of "Proof that Winning isn't Everything."

Dan Hardy

Professional Record: 24-10 (1 NC)

Finishing Rate: 67 percent (15 KO/TKO, 1 SUB)

Weight Class: Welterweight

Notable Fights: Carlos Condit, Georges St-Pierre, Chris Lytle, Duane Ludwig, Mike Swick

Dan Hardy wants to win. Scratch that. Dan Hardy needs to win. He won his last outing with his thunderous left hook and followed it up with so brutal elbows. Prior to that, Hardy lost four in a row, which had the UFC brass talking. It is unusual (at best) that a UFC fighter loses four in a row without getting his walking papers, but Hardy did just that. 

Hardy has a way of getting into people's heads and staying there. He is cocky, but doesn't take it over the top like some other people. He believes in himself, has an iron will and fully intends on punching opponents as hard as he can. When the cage door closes behind him, watch out. This man gets punched in the face and gets excited about it. When the going gets tough, Dan Hardy doesn't care. 

This man went five rounds with a healthy and motivated George St. Pierre. Yes, he was completely dominated for 30 minutes, but he was not finished. He was caught in a serious armbar, but somehow managed to hang in there. He persevered through that whole fight, and though he was way over-matched, he fought like the warrior he is.

He may only have a 5-4 record in the UFC, but his drawing power is much greater than that. Why? Because he is a fighter, that's why. He's a gamer. His wrestling needs to improve. Unless he is put to sleep, don't count him out.

Fighters be wary, if this man is standing in front of you, approach with caution.

Melvin Guillard

Professional Record: 30-11-2 (1 NC)

Finishing Rate: 70 percent (19 KO/TKO, 2 SUB)

Weight Class: Lightweight

Notable Fights: Nate Diaz, Joe Stevenson, Jim Miller, Donald Cerrone, Joe Lauzon

Melvin Guillard is one dangerous man. Just ask Donald Cerrone. Hold your laughter, please. Yes, Cerrone won in their matchup at UFC 150, by KO no less.

Before that, things looked pretty bleak for the Cowboy. Melvin throws fists with reckless abandon. It has cost him some fights, but not fans. Don't get me wrong, many fans absolutely loath Guillard.

Guillard is loud, obnoxious and has had his share of problems outside the octagon. He wears sunglasses indoors, dances like a goofball and is seemingly overconfident against opponents he doesn't respect. Some fans love it; some fans hate it. Either way, they spend their precious dollars to see him fight. 

He has exhibited poor submission defense and has come up short repeatedly against top competition. While he is not elite in any sense of the word, he has elite power. When this man touches people, they fall. He's no slouch in the wrestling department, either.

With the talent, speed and ability, he should be elite. That fact keeps fans watching and waiting for something kinetic to come from all that potential.

Chris Leben

Professional Record: 22-8

Finishing Rate: 77 percent (12 KO/TKO, 5 SUB)

Weight Class: Middleweight

Notable Fights: Anderson Silva, Wanderlei Silva, Michael Bisping, Aaron Simpson, Brian Stann

"The Crippler" is a fitting nickname for Chris Leben. Either that, or possibly the Honey Badger, because "he don't care." He really doesn't.

To say that his behavior is controversial would be an understatement. Ever since becoming the antagonist on The Ultimate Fighter Season One, fans have been split on this guy. He has a history of alcohol abuse, was popped for Stanozolol and is currently serving a year-long suspension for testing positive for painkillers Oxycodone and Oxymorphone. 

He has given MMA fans good reason to want to see him get knocked out. Still, he has a pretty loyal following in his fanbase. He is similar to Guillard in the sense that people want to see him punch people in the face the way Chuck Liddell used to.

A 19-time competitor for the UFC, Leben was billed as a top talent upon entering The Ultimate Fighter. That assessment was looking good until Anderson Silva put on a clinic at his expense. 

Still, Leben has his share of highlight-reel knockouts. If you think that's all he's got, go ask Yoshihiro Akiyama. When it looks like the fight is all but over, Leben can throw a Hail Mary and end an opponent's night. I bet Terry Martin would agree. 

Leben is an animal. He is cut from another cloth. His chin is carved from granite. He wears his heart on his sleeve. He brings the fight to everyone he encounters. He won't ever be a champion, but he will always leave it all in the cage.

Mark Hominick

Professional Record: 20-11

Finishing Rate: 80 percent (9 KO/TKO, 7 SUB)

Weight Class: Featherweight

Notable Fights: Jose Aldo, Chan Sung Jung, Leonard Garcia, Rani Yahya, Mike Brown

I know, I know. How can I list someone who got knocked out in seven seconds? See his fight against Jose Aldo.

Aldo is clearly the man at 145, and will be for the foreseeable future, but at UFC 129, he proved his mettle. He is a tough dude. His hematoma was scary looking. I mean, that thing had its own heartbeat. 

Hominick got brutalized by Eddie Yagin. The connection between Yagin's looping right and Hominick's face was magnetic. That didn't stop Hominick from pressing the action, using crisp technique and recovering after every haymaker landed. He has all the tools to be a great fighter, but he's far from elite. If there's one thing he should be recognized for, it's his heart.

He's lost three in a row now. Look for him to right the ship against Pablo Garza at UFC 154.

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira

Professional Record: 33-7-1 (1 NC)

Finishing Rate: 70 percent (3 KO/TKO, 20 SUB)

Weight Class: Heavyweight

Notable Fights: Fedor Emelianenko, Dan Henderson, Mark Coleman, Josh Barnett, Frank Mir, Cain Velasquez, Randy Couture, and the list goes on

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira was an absolute badass in Pride. In fact, his only losses during his tenure there were against Fedor Emelianenko and Josh Barnett.

That may not hold much weight today, but six years ago, it was a different story. He took on the toughest competitors in the toughest organization for five years. Moreover, he was not stopped through his first 37 professional fights. 

It seemed like he made a point of breaking fighters' wills by simply hanging in there. Big Nog took all the punishment his opponent could give him and then submitted them fearlessly.

If that's not enough, you've probably been curious about the large scar on his back. As a boy, Nogueira was run over by a truck. As the story goes, he went into a coma and was hospitalized for almost a year, losing a rib and part of his liver in the process. I'd like to believe the tire popped upon crushing him, the rim bent do to his "unbreakableness" and he submitted the truck driver by triangle choke. 

Nogueira is 4-3 since joining the UFC and has been much less effective. Two of his wins have come by stoppage, while he has been stopped three times. The man that everyone believed couldn't be stopped has been.

However, the aura around him will likely never dissipate. His star power comes from being a pioneer for the sport. He still has that same old mentality that he'll win by willpower, but all the hits have taken their toll.

Nogueira remains very dangerous and will always put on a good show. As long as it doesn't get painful, fans will still tune in to see him fight.

Diego Sanchez

Professional Record: 23-5

Finishing Rate: 65 percent (6 KO/TKO, 9 SUB)

Weight Class: Welterweight/Lightweight

Notable Fights: Nick Diaz, Jon Fitch, Josh Koscheck, BJ Penn, Jake Ellenberger, Kenny Florian, Martin Kampmann

The Dream? The Nightmare? It doesn't matter what his nickname is, this man is tough. He is a man's man when it comes to taking the stage. He wants to impose his will.

Octagon control was defined by what Diego Sanchez does to people. He has a strong wrestling base and keeps coming forward. Those are his tricks. He is not an elite fighter. He is not a true talent. He does not possess great technical abilities. That said, Diego Sanchez is a tough draw for anyone he's matched up against. 

The man has never been stopped. Sure, the BJ Penn fight was a TKO loss, but that doesn't count. A doctor told "The Dream" the nightmare was over. A doctor said that Sanchez had taken enough damage and awarded Penn the victory. Sanchez had another 2:23 left in him. 

He is probably done vying for a world championship, but that doesn't mean he's done being competitive. No, Diego Sanchez will continue to make every opponent pay dearly for signing on that dotted line. He may not come out on top, but everyone will remember the day they shared a cage with this man.

He's another one of those guys that people are very divided on. You love him or you hate him. Whatever side you're on, there's no denying his fights' entertainment value.

Wanderlei Silva

Professional Record: 34-12-1 (1 NC)

Finishing Rate: 79 percent (24 KO/TKO, 3 SUB)

Weight Class: Light Heavyweight, Middleweight

Notable Fights: Dan Henderson, Rich Franklin, Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic, "Rampage" Jackson, Kazushi Sakaraba, Chuck Liddell and many more

So, there's been a lot of talk about making Wanderlei Silva retire. He is over the hill, and the case could be made that he's done. His chin is definitely in question, but he is by no means a sacrificial lamb at this point in his career.

Silva still packs a punch, enough so that he planted Franklin firmly on his butt in their most recent matchup. Prior to that, he ruined Cung Le's UFC debut. He lost to a heavy-handed Chris Leben and earned a decision victory over Michael Bisping. That ain't too shabby. But arguing for a man's job isn't what this slideshow is all about.

Silva has endeared himself to the MMA community by being likable, aggressive, respectful and having an epic nickname, "The Axe Murderer." He is a humble guy outside the cag and totes a killer instinct inside the cage.

He has been open about why he fights. First, he likes to (good answer). Secondly, for the fans (great answer). He holds his fans in such high regard. No MMA fighter dislikes their own fans, but no other fighter is as grateful for each one the way "The Axe Murderer" is. 

Wanderlei Silva has had some of the best guest appearances, interviews and commercials in all of MMA's history. He has a great sense of humor. Most importantly, though, he is a great competitor. He is no longer elite and his championship days are behind him, but his star power is still in full-swing.

Joe Lauzon

Professional Record: 22-7

Finishing Rate: 100 percent (4 KO/TKO, 18 SUB)

Weight Class: Lightweight

Notable Fights: Kenny Florian, Anthony Pettis, Melvin Guillard, Jens Pulver, Ivan Menjivar

J-Lau is not a people's champ. He's not extremely intimidating, he's not widely hated and he's not elite. He is, however, a competitor in every sense of the word. He doesn't rub people the wrong way unless he's grinding them out looking for a submission.

Lauzon is the kind of guy fans root for because he is humble, grateful and puts in the work. He's 9-4 in the UFC, but has failed to complete a run at the belt.

He looked primed for a run after disposing of Melvin Guillard in 47 seconds, but then blocked a Pettis head kick with his face. He's since bounced back with a hard-fought submission victory over Jamie Varner. In that fight, he showed grittiness and a will to win. Anyone who's ever watched Lauzon fight already knew that, though.

That's not what endears this man to MMA fans. No, it's his ability and desire to finish fights. Lauzon wants no part in decision victories. He wants to end the fight so there's no question about who won.

Lauzon has competed professionally 29 times in a little over eight years. Of those 29 fights, 22 times he has had his hand raised. Of those 22 victories, 18 have been by way of submission. Of those four remaining victories, two have been by TKO and the remaining two by KO.

That's right folks, zero decision victories. In fact, he's only been to a decision once, against Sam Stout. He lost the fight, but still managed to earn "Fight of the Night" honors.

He is the all-time UFC leader in post-fight bonuses with 11, six for "Submission of the Night," four for "Fight of the Night" and even a "Knockout of the Night" award. He doesn't produce boring fights. Although he wants to win, and win decisively, he doesn't need to in order to prove his worth.

Thiago Silva

Professional Record: 14-3 (1 NC)

Finishing Rate: 93 percent (11 KO/TKO, 2 SUB)

Weight Class: Light Heavyweight

Notable Fights: Lyoto Machida, Rashad Evans, Brandon Vera, Keith Jardine, Alexander Gustafsson

Thiago Silva is so intimidating that he doesn't come with a nickname. He shows up to fight covered in tattoos and looks like he wants to kill someone. Then, he stands toe-to-toe and exchanges fearlessly. With lead fists, he's trouble for anyone who is man enough to exchange with him.

At any moment, he could connect, put the lights out and then motion as if he would have preferred to cut the other man's throat. He is the strong, silent type before the fight, very much like a calm before the storm.

Silva looks like a bad guy, and his tampered urine sample after the Brandon Vera fight didn't helps his cause. He claimed his intentions were good, but that doesn't mean he played by the rules. It added to his mean, ruthless image. And, that's not a terrible thing for a fighter. If fans think you're a bad dude, they'll want to watch you fight.

Any press is good press when it comes to professional sports. Silva's just got to stay healthy and keep being a bully. So long as he does those two things, he doesn't need to worry about receiving walking papers.

Roy Nelson

Professional Record: 17-7 

Finishing Rate: 88 percent (10 KO/TKO, 5 SUB)

Weight Class: Heavyweight

Notable Fights: Junior dos Santos, Fabricio Werdum, Frank Mir, Andrei Arlovski, Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic

Does "Big Country" really need an explanation? He's one-of-a-kind. He has walked to the ring to the tune of "Fat" by Weird Al Yankovic. He's built like a meatball with limbs and a beard. He's been battered and beaten, but never surrenders.

He was the first man to go the distance against current champ Junior dos Santos. In that fight, Nelson was pulverized from every angle, knocked to the ground repeatedly and hung in there to the bitter end. That fight may not have been the best effort of his career, but it will stand as the moment Roy Nelson left fans in awe. His ability to take punishment is unparalleled. 

Like his physical specimen, Nelson's personality is larger than life. He doesn't hold his tongue. He calls it like he sees it and doesn't worry about offending anyone in the process. "Big Country" and UFC President Dana White have had a tumultuous relationship, but the doesn't seem to have an impact on Nelson.

Nelson is very active on social networks, interacting with fans regularly. He once said he'd drop to 205 if he got 100,000 fans, only to recant the offer.

Many people would love to see a "healthier" Roy Nelson make a run at 205. Personally, I say let the dude make his own decisions. Every decision he's made up to this point has been wildly entertaining. Look for him to continue to build his name on the upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter.