MMA: The Top 25 Fighters With Mainstream Commercial Appeal

Qualifying "mainstream commercial appeal" is no easy task as there are no certain set of quantifiable criteria.  

The appeal can happen because of various combinations of good-looks, being well spoken, attitude, experience, and a range of intangibles.  

"Mainstream" is a difficult enough term to define, but each of these fighters have something special that gives them at least widespread appeal.

25. Nick Diaz

Starting the list is probably the most controversial.  

Nick Diaz's marijuana endorsing and rule-breaking attitude might not seem "mainstream" to you, but let's face it, counter-culture is pretty widespread.  

Plus his "Screw All Of You!" type attitude has that love it or hate it type of appeal.

24. Ryan Bader

Being a former all-american wrestler with good looks and cartoonishly swollen muscles will do a lot for your commercial appeal.  

And the young undefeated Ryan Bader isn't the only one on this list to fit that criteria.

23. "All American" Brian Stann

The man is a war hero and fights with an exciting power-punching style.

Always composed and respectful, he is a great ambassador for the United States and for the UFC.

22. Andrei "The Pitbull" Arlovski

The former UFC heavyweight champion doesn't speak English very well, but compared to some other non-speakers, he can get quite excited to talk with the press.

The man also has an incredible physique.  Earlier in his career, Joe Rogan commented that he physically looks like an 'Adonis'.

21. Roy "Big Country" Nelson

If Andrei Arlovski is an Adonis, than Roy "Big Country" Nelson is a chubby Buddah.  

Shameless rubber of his Buddah belly, Nelson is a funny and fun-loving guy.

Nelson is a smart man who gives intelligent analysis of the fight game.  I don't think I'm alone in finding that appealing.

20. Alistair "The Demolition Man" Overeem

K-1 kickboxing champion and Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem is a physical specimen.

The Dutchman's English is improving and he has shown an increased affinity for media exposure.  Already an international superstar, Overeem's stock seems to be on the up and up.

19 Anderson "The Spider" Silva

It might seem peculiar to have a man on this list who speaks poor English, and usually seems like he just wants to get done with his media obligations.

However, having a flashy fighting style in the octagon and a quirky sense of personal fashion outside of it, will help with one's marketability.

Being the most dominant UFC champion in history doesn't hurt either.

18. Dan "The Outlaw" Hardy

Dan Hardy can be cocky and abrasive, and has adapted his affinity for punk rock and hardcore into a contemporary personal style for himself.  

With confidence and perpetual media awareness, Hardy has made his persona available for media consumption.

17. "King Mo" Muhammed Lawal

Boastful and proud, King Mo loves putting on a show for the fans.  

Humbled in his first career defeat last year, King Mo will be back making a name for himself when he recovers from injury.

16. Pat "HD" Barry

How could someone who's nickname stands for "Hype or Die" not make this list?

Apart from having a very exciting and crowd pleasing fighting style, Pat Barry has an incredibly outgoing personality.

He'll just as soon hug you or break a bone for you.  Now that's putting yourself out there.

15. "The Prodigy" BJ Penn

Former champion BJ Penn needs no introduction to most.  

Penn has a calm public demeanor but an unshakable and fierce warrior spirit that shines through in the cage.

A proud Hawaiian native, Penn is also an icon for many things in popular surf culture.

14. "The California Kid" Urijah Faber

Former featherweight champion and current top-10 bantamweight, Faber is one of the most well-known and respected fighters under lightweight.

Faber has started many ventures and is leader of the "Team Alpha Male" Gym.  Although a busy man, Faber has never shied away from the spotlight.

13. Jonny "Bones" Jones

Being heralded by many as the future of the sport.  

Jones is still learning a lot, but looks to be well preparing himself to carry a lot of promotional weight in the future.

He is already one of the featured models for UFC brand clothing apparel.

12. Mauricio Rua

Another man who's English is not the greatest, but he is learning and confident and does not shy away from media attention.

Which makes sense, because before he became a full-time fighter, the current UFC light heavyweight champion was a male model in Brazil.

11. Frank Edgar

The eternal underdog, UFC lightweight champion Frank Edgar is beloved for his scrappy, hard-working, blue-collar attitude.

The New Jersey native gained headlines for giving a motivational speech to the New York Jets that helped them in their recent playoff run.

Glad to share time for the media, Edgar also represented the UFC in their NYC press conference.  A good guy, and great face for the lightweight division.

10 Forrest Griffin

Griffin has been a fan favorite since the first season of 'The Ultimate Fighter'. 

Loved for his go-for-broke fighting style and his sarcastic and self-deprecating sense of humor.  

Griffin is an ambassador for the UFC and for fight culture on a whole, having written two well received books.

9. Michael Bisping

Michael Bisping is the face of MMA in the United Kingdom, where the sport is growing rapidly.  In 2008, he was voted "Coolest man in the UK".

Not everything that comes out of his mouth is wholly appreciated by people in the fight game, but that's not his aim, and he certainly grabs headlines.

8. Wanderlei "The Axe Murderer" Silva

Silva is an international superstar beloved by fans all around the world.

He unabashedly claims that entertaining the fans takes priority to winning the fight.  

Silva gushes love for the fans and the sport and his entertaining style ensures that he will always have a place representing fighters.

7. Rich Franklin

The school teacher from Ohio.  

Franklin is a good looking and articulate fighter who is proud to represent the sport he loves.  He even started the "American Fighter" apparel brand.

Being a Christian, but not being completely outspoken about it, also helps to his mainstream appeal.

6. Jason "Mayhem" Miller

Jason is a very very weird guy, and of course that is very appealing in this day in age.  

Quirky and off-beat, you never know what to expect when talking about "Mayhem" Miller.

That outlandish personality even landed him his own television show on MTV.  Keep working it "Mayhem".

5. Rashad Evans

Rashad is a championship level fighter who is intelligent and knows how to dress well.

He officially penetrated the mainstream commercial world with a Microsoft television commercial, and will be looking to continue that success in the future.

4. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton Jackson's appeal comes from part hip-hop culture, part infamy, and part goofy personality.  

Rampage is always finding ways to supplement his income.

He even landed a lead role in the major 2010 Hollywood production of "The A Team".

3. Randy "The Natural" Couture

Mr. Couture also goes by the nickname "Captain America".  

A legend in the sport for his fights, he is also a pioneer in finding commercial success.  He has been in over 10 films, with a handful of them being major productions.  

A respected leader by everyone in the fight game, Randy Couture is a true ambassador.

2. Brock Lesnar

"appealing, no?"

Simply put, Brock Lesnar is the biggest PPV draw in the UFC and the sport of MMA.  A hulking beast of an athlete, Lesnar is a sight to behold.

Lesnar was a success in the WWF/WWE sports entertainment world, and has been able to transfer that notoriety into his MMA career.

Noted for his intense presence and simple tastes, Lesnar resonates deeply within the mainstream collective.  

1. Georges "Rush" St-Pierre

St-Pierre is considered by many to be the poster boy of modern MMA.  

Always pushing for perfection, St-Pierre is a consummate professional.  With good looks and a respectful attitude, St-Pierre is able to land major endorsement deals and the occasional movie role.

Honorable Mention

Yoshihiro Akiyama- A Japanese superstar and icon, has yet to transfer his notoriety into english-speaking mainstream.

Cain Velasquez- Champion who resonates with the burgeoning latino community, but has yet to find mainstream.

Tito Ortiz- His persona seems a little tired now, but still has some of that "love me or hate me" type attitude left.

Chael Sonnen- Incredibly outspoken, the Oregonian will need to leave behind his various scandals before finding commercial appeal.

Matt Mitrione- The big lug is starting to hit his stride and become relevant....