Booo: Brock Lesnar and Josh Koscheck Star in the Top 10 Heels of the UFC List
You know the expression "the guy we love to hate." These are the heels. Some do it intentionally, some reluctantly accept the role, and some lie in ambiguity: half hero/half heel.
What makes someone a heel? Well, ask yourself who are the people in life that you don't like? Generally speaking, people who are gracious, respectful, humble and classy are well liked.
Those who are not, are often heavily disliked—even despised. While one cannot easily "boo" a colleague in the office, they may do so at a sports venue. Some fighters claim to enjoy it.
People are enigmatic—what makes someone like or dislike another is impossible to know. The Rock, when he first turned heel, told Vince McMahon, "The more I insult the fans, the more they cheer me."
Here is a list of the fighters I feel get the most boos and have the most detractors. Many of them have millions of fans and may be top-notch human beings, but also exude something that irks a significant size of the population. Let me know where I have gone amiss.
10. Dan Hardy
1 of 10
Right from the beginning, no one liked this guy. The mohawk, smug look and brash attitude did not help his cause. Hardy is very arrogant, which does not ingratiate him to the average fan. Doing the Hulk Hogan ear bit and being overly pleased with himself when Buffer calls his name worsened things for the Brit.
Hardy was an unknown fighter from a foreign land and impressively dispatched two affable contenders from The Ultimate Fighter. I think his vanquishing of the very popular Marcus Davis and Mike Swick also started him on the path to heeldom.
These fights, and his sound techical striking, also made him a threat to dethrone the extremely beloved champion, Georges St. Pierre. With G.S.P.'s chin in doubt after the Serra fight and Hardy's knockout power, some people were worried.
Fans finally cheered him stateside after the G.S.P. loss, due to his determination and unwillingness to tap when he was caught in deep submissions. All of his fights, save the title shot, were all fan-friendly as they were action-packed.
He is amusing in interviews, and fans who have met him say excellent things about "The Outlaw." Hardy's performance at a UFC Q-and-A was amusing and won him some fans.
His quote, "If you like Josh Koscheck, then you haven't met him," earned him some ink and points for charisma. He also humorously recounted Diego Sanchez's enthusiasm during the B.J. Penn fight.
He was recently knocked out by Carlos Condit, making it two losses in a row. Perhaps now that he tasted some humble pie, fans can appreciate the son of Nottingham's talent and exciting fighting style. Just being from Nottingham alone has to land him on at least a few Most Wanted lists.
9. Nate Diaz
2 of 10
Nate carried himself well on his stint on The Ultimate Fighter. He seemed respectful, fun, hardworking and proved to be a good teammate. His conflict with Karo Parysian was one of the most entertaining in the show's history.
This helped showcase his impressive range of skills. He has given fans many great fights and for all of his detractors, I would say that no MMA fan dislikes his fights. Nobody can discredit his work ethic, nor the depth of his abilities.
However, Nate played a key role in the Strikeforce brawl and was one of about eight people who attacked a lone Jason Miller. He was also involved in a tame post-fight incident with K.J. Noons and Noons' father.
Diaz rarely has anything positive to say about his opponents—past or future. He uses foul language and always seem to be playing a "thug" role for the cameras. Love it or hate it, giving the finger while locking in a triangle against Kurt Pellegrino is a classic heel maneuver.
In his last fight, the fans chanted: "Diaz sucks!" Obviously, he does not, and while he was fighting in Boston against a New England native, there are many who dislike him.
He probably loves his local telephone exchange number more than any other fighter in UFC history and sure looks to be sidling for a postfight career with the Stockton Tourism Board.
Brawls, bad language and birds are the traits of a heel. Boo him or cheer him, he will keep putting on great fights and will be fighting for a title one day.
(Watch Nate, in a white shirt, shaved head and dark pants, at :22 going for a takedown, at :29 punching and kicking Jason Miller while he is being attacked by several other people.)
8. B.J. Penn
3 of 10
Yes, Baby Jay has millions of fans. Despite his willingness to fight at any weight class, incredible Jiu Jitsu and boxing abilities, exciting fighting style and winning smile, he has gathered a dedicated group of boo birds.
On his own eponymous website www.bjpenn.com, one can read, in many forums, people criticizing him for his lack of cardio and allegations of sacrilegious lack of dedication to the sport. Pudgy love handles and a lack of definition serve to further hurt his public appeal, but this is deeper than superficial appearances.
He has had feuds with Jens Pulver, Sean Sherk, Dana White and Georges St. Pierre; it is difficult to come out of so many clashes unscathed. The genesis for the repugnance for the talented Hawaiian began with his leaving the UFC as champion for more money in another organization.
As a coach on T.U.F., he showed that he is indeed eccentric and made the wildest team selection in show history. He also promised to break Jens' shoulder with a typical heel approach to a fight. His reaction to his loss to G.S.P. made him look like a " sore loser " to many followers of the sport.
Vowing to never fight again in Nevada after the G.S.P. incident seemed to be too much for many. Declaring "Sean Sherk, youre dead!" seemed out of context and at the very least to be inappropriate.
Refusing to do interviews with Joe Rogan to promote his own website can be taken as egocentric.
As a fan, it was hard to dislike watching him fight when he was on a brilliant run. He tore through Florian, Stevenson and Sherk, and busted up Diego Sanchez in incredible fashion.
He looked out of this world against Hughes and if he can get pass Jon Fitch, "The Prodigy" will be facing his arch nemesis: Georges St. Pierre. This could be a chance to redem his reputation and win back some wayward fans.
Regardless, he is a Hall of Fame fighter and one of the best athletes of his generation.
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7. Rashad Evans
4 of 10
Matt Hughes declared Rashad on Season Two of T.U.F. to be a showboat and Evans never gave the world a chance to see him as any different. Some of his least popular antics have been included his own nipples and strutting around the Octagon after he knocked out Chuck Liddell.
Of all the people who have knocked out the Iceman, and there have been a lot lately, he is the only one to act in such a manner. Most fighters look to see if the opponent is okay and to check up on them. Jumping around and celebrating is also acceptable, but this just seemed weird and too cocky.
He also grabbed his own groin region and made a haughty look after being hit by a punch to the face against Forrest Griffin. Griffin and Liddell are uber-popular and are considered classy fighters, so disrespecting these two icons is not going to win a lot of fans.
Against Lyoto Machida, while losing the striking exchanges, Rashad began boasting that Machida could not hurt him; he stopped saying that when he crumpled into the fetal position, bloodied and unconscious.
He later rationalized this by saying that his trash-talking proves he has courage and strong character—although he phrased it differently. The Spartan is a former champion and has the potential to beat any fighter in the world. It is doubtful that his attitude and level of class will ever make him the people's champion.
As a coach on T.U.F. and in their first live head-to-head meeting, Rashad showed to people that he had yet to mature since his days from Season Two. Quinton Jackson is very well loved and acts out in a manner that most people take as good fun.
Rashad took this potentially light-hearted and amusing showdown to the lowest denominator by cursing and acting as if he wanted to fight. He made himself look silly and immature by regressing to a playground-fight preparation mode, whereas the beloved Jackson was trying to give the fans a fun show.
He often employs a counterattack fight strategy that makes him less than appealing to the viewing public, specifically pay-per-view buyers and fans in attendance.
Safe bet: Most fighters who are showboating, cursing, grabbing their nipples and testicular region while being paid by millions of people to see their fighting skills will leave many disgruntled. That will find one on a list of heels.
6. Michael Bisping
5 of 10
If he were not British, he would not have any fans at all. Yes, he is beloved across the pond, but in the New World he is as popular as tea taxes and cricket. As a coach on T.U.F., he poured water on an opposing team member, missed cornering duties because he slept in (alarm clock?), acted spoiled and disrespected the easygoing and affable Dan Henderson.
The self-admitted douchebag acts like a baby when he does not get a decision—see the Silva fight. He told Matt Hamill that he was in the wrong sport and should go back to wrestling after being awarded a close decision—not the classiest way to win.
There are also people who feel he is babied by the UFC by getting so many hometown fights. Seeing him knocked out by Hendo was a great thrill to most UFC fans. People also resented how he was being promoted as the European golden goose to break into foreign markets.
Leben called him out for having a boring fighting style and this echoed many viewers' thoughts. Bisping looked to be a heel by making the UK vs. USA more nationalistic than it needed to be.
North American fans love fighters regardless of their passport. Wanderlei Silva is immensely popular; Mirko Cro Cop was always a huge draw; Royce Gracie is beloved and exalted as a living legend.
The issue with Bisping extends past his nationality.
5. Anderson Silva
6 of 10
It is difficult to leave him off the list. The boos that he gets are the most deafening of all time—surpassing even Khalib Starnes. Conversely, the cheers and oohs and aaaahs that he gets are unprecedented.
He is the best MMA fighter of all time and should be considered with Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky, Barry Sanders, and Barry Bonds as one of the greatest athletes of our generation.
What the Spider did in the Griffin fight transcends superlatives. His failure to display his immense talent is what makes him so despised at times. The love-hate relationship has taken a turn for the better as he showed great heart in the Sonnen fight.
His next clash in the Octagon will be against Vitor Belfort and will produce one of his greatest performances of all time. It will be a pure striking encounter against an electric knockout artist in Belfort.
Anderson could just as easily be on a top 10 of the most popular athletes of all time with the right change in perspective in what he is getting paid to do.
A good heel always has an evil manager. Mister Fuji and Freddy Blassie were the best of the best when it came to running their stable of heels. Anderson has Ed Soares, who intentionally misrepresents the words of his charge to soften his stance on fighting for the fans.
Soares also gets involved with the other fighters to stir things up as he did with Chael Sonnen, saying that no one knows who Chael is, that he didn't deserve a rematch with Silva, and telling Quinton Jackson that his win over stablemate Machida was BS. This serves to help keep Anderson in the quintessential "heel" role.
No one reading this needs to be told why he is on the list. I believe that everyone wishes that he were not on the list. People meeting him in person know that he is gracious, polite and good-natured.
Watch for Anderson to dispatch Belfort in fan-pleasing fashion, do the same with Okami, and meet Sonnen in an exciting rematch. The heel will turn hero and all will be well in MMA land.
4. Frank Mir
7 of 10
Is anyone more full of himself than this guy?
The only time people cheer for him is when he fights the ultra-hated Brock Lesnar. In every fight, he is the best at everything.
Don't believe it? Without even asking him, he will tell you.
Cheick Kongo is a popular fighter and Frank began a diatribe criticizing him, threatened to rip his arm off and to scar him emotionally and physically forever. Sound like a classic heel? At the very least, it seemed out of order.
He brags about his wins and calls them trophies, stating he has Brock's leg and Nogeueira's chin on his mantle. Not the classiest way to be a good winner. He also said, "I want Brock to be the the first to die from Octagon-related injuries."
Consider the self-aggrandizing face he puts on after he wins and when he makes comments like: "I'm back!" and "You have my belt."
Mir is talented and can finish a fight with exciting subs or big power shots. He is intelligent and a very well-spoken person. But, wishing death on someone makes you a first-rate heel.
3. Chael Sonnen
8 of 10
I would say most people were indifferent about the bombastic wrestler from Oregon going into the Anderson Silva title match. He came in with three decision victories, each time surprising people, but not enough to believe in him for the next fight.
Although those who knew him from before were aware he had a bit of a history with sportsmanship—he complained about a loss in a championship fight against Paulo Filho where the referee had stopped the fight when Sonnen was in a tight armbar. His complaining that he never tapped earned him a rematch.
He had the fans behind him for the title fight, for more than anything because people were desperate to believe that an anti-Silva existed. He sold them on the idea and he had fans supporting him. He backed up his words and gave the world a great showing. He didn't stall when he had a decision and title three minutes away. For the record, he has four losses via triangle choke.
However, in trying to play the role of the People's Champion, he disrespected Silva's Brazilian culture, the integrity of his character and his fighting style—too far. His heel status skyrocketed when he failed his drug test.
2. Josh Koscheck
9 of 10
Josh seemed to intentionally seek out the heel role on the inaugural season of T.U.F. He picked on a weak teammate and when he had Bobby's approval went after emotionally unbalanced Chris Leben.
Currently, as a coach on this season's T.U.F. , he is not faring any better. Calling fighters he is ostensibly there to coach fat, and gleefully displaying schadenfreude when someone loses, seems classless. His repetition of the male nurse bit is almost annoying as Rampage Jackson's "titty" bit. Get a new line.
Inside the Octagon, he is not gracious in victory; ask Sanchez and Leben. However, more acutely, ask Paul Daley, who was so frustrated by Koscheck's lack of sportsmanship that he sucker-punched him after the fight.
He may or may not have faked receiving illegal knees/eyepokes in his fight with Anthony Johnson and lied about throwing an eye poke himself. The point, though, is he won all of these fights.
This is because he is intelligent, hardworking, extremely athletic and has what it takes to be a great fighter. He is no longer simply a wrestler. He is now a complete fighter and a legit title contender!
Insulting Les Habitants en Montreal n'est pas gentil. In fact, it is intentionally striving to be a hellacious heel. With his talent and his winning percentage, it makes him easier to boo because he is dangerous and capable of making those who come to watch him lose leave disappointed.
1. Brock Lesnar
10 of 10
Personally, I liked the Bud Light line, and Sable was one of the most attractive people on television in her WWF days. I give Brock a pass. But I appreciate that I am in the minority.
Do people not see how much effort he puts into the sport? He showed superior Jiu Jitsu in the Frank Mir rematch and knocked him out from top half-guard.
What did Brock do wrong? I guess coming from the WWE made him hated. People feared it would marginalize MMA.
But, he carries the pedigree of a true wrestling champion. He is a specimen and makes for good television. If fans did not have a reason to hate him at first, he quickly gave them a few. Giving people the finger and encouraging them to boo will not sway many converts over to one's side.
Brock exposed, in his past two fights, that he does not like to get punched in the face and will turtle and hurdle himself away from fighters who hit him. This may prove to keep him in the middle of the heavyweight pack, but I think he is exciting and good for the sport.
He is gigantic, quick, exciting and explosive. The Mir fight was not boring for me at all. The Heath Herring fight was the best athleticism I have ever seen in a heavyweight fight.
Whether or not he can learn to fight at a championship level remains to be seen, but most likely, he will remain a champion heel.
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