Anthony Pettis, Clay Guida and the 25 Most Entertaining Fighters in MMA Today

All professional fighters can be appreciated for their ability to whoop ass, but there are definitely those who also separate themselves from the pack for their enhanced ability to entertain.

After all, if a fight is not entertaining, we will only be willing to watch two guys trying to punch each other for so long.

The main event for this Saturday's Ultimate Fighter Season 13 Finale is going to feature two of the most entertaining fighters in the entire sport going head to head.

Sure, Anthony Pettis and Clay Guida are super entertaining fighters to watch, but who else cracks the top 25 in the sport?

I am not talking about all time, but right now.

The top 25 most entertaining fighters as they stand right now are as follows.

Special Acknowledgement: Matt Mitrione/Travis Browne

Are these fighters really different people?

Both are UFC heavyweights with devastating finishing power in their fists, but they strive to hop around the ring like bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz.

25. Stefan Struve

Struve has a bad habit of blocking punches with his face, but it usually leads to one of two possible endings.

He gets finished in exciting fashion or he storms back for a dramatic finish of his own.

In both cases, Struve proves to be a highly entertaining heavyweight.

24. Rick Story

Rick "the Horror" Story is the closest thing the welterweight division has to a Clay Guida.

The dude is relentless and has an indominatable spirit.

He even slugged it out with Thiago Alves and came out on top.

I can't wait to see more of him.

23. Robbie Lawler

"Ruthless" Robbie Lawler has some of the best hands the middleweight division has ever seen, and he never really can get held down for extended periods of time.

Win, lose or draw, Lawler comes to fight and he brings the goods.

22. Joe Lauzon

The lanky lightweight fights his heart out every time.

Only 27 years old and he already has six fight night bonuses, including three "submission of night" awards and three "fight of the night" awards.

21. Jason Miller

Just because Miller has to "fight" does not mean he stops being bat-crap crazy.

As an additional bonus to our entertainment, he also happens to be an amazingly talented fighter.

Standing or on the ground, Miller is a handful for anyone in this sport.

20. Rashad Evans

Former champion "Sugar" Rashad Evans has had a couple of boring fights, but he also has a propensity towards showboating and knocking people unconscious.

Many people will argue that Evans does not belong here, but to the contrary, Evans is a world class fighter and natural entertainer.

19. Eddie Alvarez

Bellator lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez has 24 professional fights and has only been to a decision three times.

He can knock you out or submit you, and he is only getting more and more comfortable inside the cage.

18. Miguel Torres

Even in defeat against Demetrious Johnson, Miguel Torres showed why he is one of the most entertaining fighters in the sport with some nifty sweeps and slick submission attempts.

Do not expect the recent loss to slow him down, as Torres will undoubtedly keep coming with guns a blazing.

17. Charles Oliveira

Only 21 years old, Charles Oliveira is one of the most dangerous lightweights competing in the UFC.

Exceptionally talented but still learning, he simply has no restrictor when it comes to attempting creative or difficult maneuvers.

16. Chan Sung Jung

Chan Sung Jung, "The Korean Zombie," has maybe the greatest nickname in all of MMA, but also one of the most entertaining styles.

In his last fight, he was the first fighter to ever pull off a "twister" submission in UFC competition.

15. Hector Lombard

Bellator's middleweight champion was an Olympian in Judo and has brutal knockout power.

He is currently riding an incredible 23 fight unbeaten streak.

Lombard has never been finished and has 18 career first round finishes. 

14. Urijah Faber

How entertaining is Urijah Faber?

Sure, he has creative transitions and unorthodox maneuvers, but the best example might be in his rematch against Mike Brown.

Early in the fight, Faber broke both his hands, yet he continued on for the full five rounds mixing in just about every imaginable kind of elbow for a thoroughly competitive fight.

A fan favorite indeed. 

13. Carlos Condit

In 26 career wins, Carlos Condit has 13 via submission and 12 via knockout.

The "natural born killer" is a natural born thriller, and at 27 years old, he is just now starting to fully hone the fecundity of his skill set.

12. Chris Lytle

Chris Lytle is one of the most entertaining fighters in the sport, and the UFC rewards him for it.

Since 2007, Lytle has earned "fight of the night" five times, "submission of the night" twice and "knockout of the night" once.

11. Shinya Aoki

When he is not being shut down and stifled by Gilbert Melendez, Shinya Aoki is arguably the most entertaining grappler in the sport.

He probably has the most robust submission résumé in MMA history, and he is only 28 years old.

Scary good. 

10. Alistair Overeem

The highest ranking reigning kickboxing champion in the world is also a fully dedicated and well rounded mixed martial artist.

Alistair Overeem has been absolutely destroying his competition, and that is why he is called the "Demolition Man."

9. BJ Penn

The legendary "Prodigy" BJ Penn is a fearsome competitor and master combatant.

Each and every time he steps into an MMA fight, people watch, because he is one of the most talented and entertaining fighters in history.

At 32 years old, Penn's body is still performing up to the highest standards of the UFC.

8. Clay Guida

Clay Guida moves very fast and he moves constantly.

He sets the bar for energy expenditure.

When he faces Anthony Pettis, it will actually be the third time that he has headlined an Ultimate Fighter Finale.

Guaranteed entertainment.

7. Anthony Pettis

Anthony Pettis might have the best 2010 out of anybody, as he finished three opponents before defeating Ben Henderson for the WEC lightweight championship.

And who could forget his incredible "showtime kick" in the Henderson fight?

Nobody.

6. Nick Diaz

This spot also pays homage to Nick Diaz's brother Nate, who has a very style similar to that of Nick's.

Nick is the Strikeforce welterweight champion, and he has seen just about everything the sport has to offer.

Unimpressed, he trashes everything he can, including his opponents.

5. Diego Sanchez

Perhaps there is no fighter that wears their heart on their sleeve as much as Diego Sanchez.

Emotional and intense, Sanchez puts on legendary scraps with alarming frequency.

4. Mauricio Rua

Mauricio "Shogun" Rua has the finishing power of a heavyweight, the speed of a welterweight and the heart and instincts of a champion.

Whenever he steps into a fight, you know you are watching one of the world's best fighters.

3. Jose Aldo

Since 2009, Jose Aldo has won "knockout of the night" three times and "fight of the night" once.

He is as agile and cunning as any featherweight, but he seems to have the knockout abilities of a man twice his size. 

2. Jon Jones

Practically anything you can imagine being done in the octagon Jon Jones can do or has already done.

It is one thing to talk about the limitless potential of an up and comer; it is a completely different thing to watch him fulfilling all of that potential right before your eyes.

1. Anderson Silva

Unpredictable. Enigmatic. Devastating. Genius.

When Anderson Silva performs, he sets the bar for things that can be accomplished in the cage.

Most consider Silva the best fighter on the planet. It is not easy to disagree.

Honorable Mention

From Akiyama to Fedor and Cruz to Carwin, there are just too many honorable mentions to list.