10 Most Fitting Nicknames in the UFC

An organization that started as an open-weight tournament in 1993, the UFC has grown into one of the most well-known brands in the world.

While fighters under the UFC banner are only as successful as their performance indicates, the most exciting and popular fighters are synonymous with solid nicknames. 

Rampage Jackson and Shogun Rua for instance are two fighters who have become acknowledged by their nicknames alone. Records are more important, but brands are everything today. 

A good nickname should reflect a fighter's natural abilities and accomplishments, but can also represent a physical appearance. Some nicknames are catchy but don't always fit the people who carry them. 

Here is a list of the 10 most fitting nicknames in the UFC. 

Honorable Mention

Michael "Mayday" McDonald- McDonald may fight in one of the smallest divisions in the UFC, but the No. 3 ranked Bantamweight goes to war every time he steps in the Octagon. With nine knockouts and four submission victories in his 15 total career wins, Mayday drops the bomb on opponents more often than not. 

Alexander "The Mauler" Gustafsson- Gustafsson has compiled 15 victories in his MMA career, with 12 of those coming by way of a finish. Gustafsson is a long and strong fighter who literally mauls his opponents into submission. The only man to match Jon Jones in size in the light heavyweight division, Gustafsson will look to qualify his nickname even more when he fights for the light heavyweight belt in September. 

Anthony "Showtime" Pettis- Pettis has been called Showtime his entire career but his flying kick off of the WEC cage against Ben Henderson in December of 2010 proved just how much the name fits. Showtime is one of those fighters whose unpredictable nature and flashy speed make him a dangerous fighter to step up against. His quick work of Joe Lauzon and debilitating liver kick knockout of Donald Cerrone put Pettis into the spotlight of the UFC and has earned him a shot at Henderson for the UFC lightweight title.

10. Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza

He’s only fought in the UFC one time but everyone knows from his Strikeforce career that Ronaldo Souza is one of the best fighters at middleweight.

Souza is one of the best submission fighters in MMA with 14 of his 18 career victories coming by submissions. He controls his opponents with top-notch grappling until the moment opens to strike like an alligator of sorts.

That is why his nickname “Jacare,” which is the Portuguese pronunciation that refers to a type of alligator in South America is a perfect moniker. 

Jacare has shown a vastly improved striking game but his ability to control opponents on the ground or standing up makes him a certifiable predator in the cage. More often than not, if he gets a good grip on you he will finish you.

Souza is truly an animal in the Octagon.

9. "Rowdy" Ronda Rousey

Before she even stepped foot inside of the Octagon, Dana White claimed her to be mean and nasty. He couldn’t have been more right. 

Rousey is one of the most intimidating figures in the UFC in my mind because her opponents know exactly what she’s going to do to them, and she still does it. Rousey is 7-0 in her MMA career with all seven victories coming by way of first round armbar.

If her brash and blunt attitude outside of the cage wasn’t enough, her confidence and relentless efforts to lock in an armbar every time in the cage earns her the nickname “Rowdy.”

Inside and outside of the Octagon Rousey lives up to her nickname and the thing that makes it fit even more is the fact that she doesn’t apologize for any of her ways.

There’s nothing more frightening than not being able to stop something you are certain is coming. Rousey will keep being Rowdy until someone proves to be more so.

8. "The Natural Born Killer" Carlos Condit

Carlos Condit may be on a two-fight losing streak, but any fighter who has finished 26 of his 28 career victories is a killer.

The Natural Born killer has proven time and time again that he is one of the most exciting fighters in the UFC. He has knockout power in all of his limbs and when he smells blood he attacks in a ferocious manner.

Condit goes into every fight with the intentions of finishing his opponents and his ability to take punishment while doing it makes the nickname stick even more. He’s never been knocked out in his career but is willing to accept this fate if it comes while looking for one of his own.

One of the best fighters in the UFC, Condit swings for the fences every time out, and his record indicates he doesn’t miss often. The Natural Born Killer is without a doubt one of the best finishers in any division. 

7. Johny "Big Rigg" Hendricks

With a beard like a long-haul truck driver, and the power in his hands similar to the force of an 18-wheeler, the No. 1 welterweight contender's nickname seems to represent Hendricks well. 

Hendricks is 15-1 with eight knockouts and the video above says all that needs to be said about his power. 

"Big Rigg" Hendricks can put anyone to sleep. 

6. Frankie "The Answer" Edgar

Frankie Edgar may be just 1-3 in his last four fights but that doesn’t mean they didn’t reveal his excellence inside of the Octagon.

While dropping two close decisions to Benson Henderson for the lightweight strap, Frankie Edgar’s performance in the later rounds of these tilts proved his ability to adapt as a fight progresses. His efforts against Jose Aldo showed the same thing.

Edgar always finds an answer.

Famous for fighting in a weight class with significantly bigger opponents for the majority of his career, Edgar has always found a way to pull out victories. He uses his crisp punching and movement along with his unparalleled conditioning and heart to decipher his opponents plans and thwart them.

Edgar is 16-4-1 in his career and the move to featherweight will likely yield big returns and inject life into a still thriving MMA career. If there’s a good answer to the question of Edgar’s relevancy in the division, he will find it.

5. Anderson "The Spider" Silva

Yes he lost his middleweight crown that he held for over seven years by showboating and underestimating his opponent.

But 14 finishes in 17 UFC appearances says more than enough for the legacy of Anderson Silva.

The Spider is accurately named for his ability to lay-and-pray on his opponents. Silva draws you into his web before tangling you and mangling you with every strike and submission in the book.

Spiders are generally vulnerable to relentless attacks, as is Silva who becomes susceptible when actively pressure and pushed to the brink. But his ability to consistently entrap opponents into his game plan has made him perhaps the best fighter of all-time.

At 33-5 with 26 finishes to his credit, Anderson Silva is as deadly and smart as any spider out there. And probably just as deadly.

4. "The Korean Zombie" Chan Sung Jung

Zombies keep coming forward no matter what you dish at them and Chan-Sung Jung is that type of fighter.

"The Korean Zombie" is one of those fighters that you can never count out of a fight because of his ability to take damage and keep swinging like nothing happened. Although he recently lost by TKO to Jose Aldo last weekend, Jung proved his pace and strategy never changes.

With a 13-4 career record and 11 finishes, the game plan of relentless pressure seems to work for Jung. He’s been knocked out only twice in his career, which is impressive for a fighter who seemingly never backs up.

Most people believe guys are more dangerous when hurt because the need to pull out a spectacular finish is more imperative. Jung fights this way all of the time which makes him perfectly suited for his Korean Zombie title.

3. Demetrious "Mighty Mouse" Johnson

He may be diminutive in every sense of the word, but Demetrious Johnson is as mighty as they come when the cage door closes.

Johnson took the nickname Mighty Mouse because the cartoon character was always his favorite growing up. However, after amassing an 18-2-1 record to this point in his MMA career, Johnson’s talent gives new meaning to the nickname.

The UFC Flyweight Champion stands just 5’3’’ and 125 pounds. He has a big head and large ears which if added to his stature, make him susceptible to mouse comparisons.

But after showing off his skills in every area in his title victory over John Moraga at UFC on Fox 8, Johnson has proved to the skeptics of smaller fighters that he is one of the best in the world.

At No. 7 in the P4P rankings, Johnson’s mighty all-around game has put him in the upper-echelon of the fight game.

A solid nickname should work in more ways than one, and that is certainly the case for Demetrious Johnson.

2. Stefan "Skyscraper" Struve

While Stefan Struve has shown a bit of good and bad in his 13 career UFC bouts, one thing about him remains the same: he’s freakishly tall.

The 7-footer is the tallest fighter to ever step inside of the Octagon which makes his moniker “Skyscraper” an obvious choice.

Struve has consistently found a way to utilize his height to his advantage in the cage, compiling a 9-4 record in his UFC career. His knockout loss to Mark Hunt in his last fight dropped him out of the Top 10 in the division, but Struve’s kickboxing ability and size could help him make another run at the upper echelon of UFC heavies.

While probably the most obvious nickname of any fighter in the organization, Struve has the potential to take on taller expectations in the future.

1. Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva

He’s one of the biggest and scariest looking men to ever step inside of the Octagon, which makes his nickname perfect for Antonio Silva.

"Bigfoot" is one of the top heavyweight fighters in the UFC whose size and strength have earned him the No. 7 ranking in the division. Although a gentle giant outside of the cage, Silva’s intimidating demeanor and size show through when he fights.

His key wins against Alistair Overeem and Fedor Emelianenko showcased his beastly punching power but his five career losses show more fitting reasons for his acquired nickname.

Bigfoot is a strong striker but is slower than some of the top-tier guys in the world which leaves him vulnerable. Just like the mythological being himself, Silva is a mystery.

Inside of the cage he can’t seem to find the finesse to go along with his power in clutch fights.

Although he’s big and scary, the lack of speed and the mystery of his real talent makes the name Bigfoot stick to Antonio Silva.