UFC 137: Nick Diaz, Chael Sonnen and 5 Other Fighters We Love to Hate

Mixed martial arts is unlike any other sport in that the fans get to see their least favorite fighters get punched, kicked and kneed in the face. Arms get broken, and people get choked unconscious.

For many fans, seeing Dan Henderson drop a flying elbow on Michael Bisping's face was one of the greatest moments in the sport, while others love watching Chael Sonnen tap out to Anderson Silva's triangle.

Let's take a look at seven of the most hated fighters in the UFC.

Anderson Silva

Just about the entire planet can appreciate Anderson Silva's abilities. He's probably the greatest mixed martial artist the world has ever known.

Still, he is not without his critics, particularly due to some of the strange performances he has put on in the past.

Fans disliked how he lacked aggression in his UFC 90 bout with Patrick Cote. His decision win over Thales Leites was also not in typical "Spider" fashion, as he seemed content to just cruise to a decision.

His worst offense probably came against Demian Maia at UFC 112. After clearly displaying his dominance early in the fight, Silva spent the second half of the fight backpedaling and avoiding action. He also danced around and mocked Maia, asking him to engage and then running away when he did.

Silva's offenses have long been forgotten due to his more memorable performances against Forrest Griffin, Chael Sonnen, Vitor Belfort and Yushin Okami.

Josh Koscheck

One of the most important aspects of being a hated fighter is being successful in the UFC and Koscheck's recent championship fight proves that.

His critics got to see an entire season of Koscheck taunting Georges St-Pierre on The Ultimate Fighter preceding their bout at UFC 124. Whether it was the silly pranks he played on GSP or his mocking of male nurses everywhere, watching him get pummelled for five rounds was extremely satisfying for them.

Koscheck originally made a name for himself on the first season of The Ultimate Fighter, where his antics made him universally hated. He has played the role of the heel ever since. 

Brock Lesnar

Brock Lesnar has an extremely large following and his role in helping take the UFC "mainstream" is undeniable, but he is still largely hated throughout the mixed martial arts community.

Perhaps it's his unwarranted title shot against Randy Couture, the disrespectful manner in which he treated Frank Mir after their second bout or his phallic tattoo, but Lesnar getting finished by Cain Velasquez was a joyous experience for many fans.

It proved that size isn't everything and sometimes it's better to be the quiet, humble fighter.

He seems to have changed considerably following the loss to Velasquez, but there are still many people out there waiting for Alistair Overeem to put another beating on him.

Chael Sonnen

Some people hate him and others find him hilarious. Either way, Sonnen has put on some of the most entertaining speeches and interviews we've seen in recent years.

He remained relatively quiet in the time leading up to his fight with Brian Stann, but at soon as his hand was raised, he was back to his old ways. Maybe it's disrespectful or maybe it's just really good hype.

I don't think Sonnen really cares as long as people are watching him.

Jon Jones

Being one of the most gifted athletes in the sport will make anyone get their fair share of haters, but Jones has quite a lot of controversy surrounding him, mostly due to his issues with Rashad Evans.

Jones appears to carry himself in a calm and collected manner, yet people close to him constantly speak of how "fake" he is. He has also gotten a reputation as a dirty fighter.

Jones is clearly one of the most dominant fighters that the UFC has ever seen, but many fans are hoping Lyoto Machida can be the one to end his run.

Nick Diaz

While Nick Diaz is clearly an extremely talented fighter, many people find it hard to get behind him due to the controversy constantly surrounding him.

Diaz got into a fight with Joe Riggs in the hospital following their bout at UFC 57. He also had his win over Takanori Gomi overturned by the Nevada State Athletic Commission for testing positive for marijuana.

He would later participate in a brawl following Jake Shields' victory over Dan Henderson, where he and several other Gracie Fight Team members attacked Jason "Mayhem" Miller.

Diaz has threatened to slap broadcaster Ariel Helwani and constantly claims that fighters are ducking him and that he's being underpaid.

Most recently, he blew an opportunity to fight Georges St-Pierre for the UFC Welterweight Championship for not showing up to any of his scheduled press conferences.

In addition, he has a career-long reputation for disrespecting his opponents in and out of the cage.

Still, Diaz will get the opportunity to fight GSP on Super Bowl weekend.

Michael Bisping

If the first two seasons of The Ultimate Fighter in which Michael Bisping was featured didn't make the entire world hate him, this current one will.

Bisping claims that people need to "carry themselves like men," despite his own taunting and hypocritical behavior every time one of his fighters wins a bout.

In his bout with Jorge Rivera at UFC 127, he landed a blatant illegal knee to his opponent who was down. Following the fight, he spat at Rivera's corner and aggressively scolded his opponent for his pre-fight antics.

Several fighters asked to fight Bisping following the incident, including Chael Sonnen, Demian Maia, Alan Belcher, Vitor Belfort and Nate Marquardt.

While watching Dan Henderson knock Michael Bisping out at UFC 100 is still a part of my daily routine, most UFC fans hope that Jason Miller can create another highlight-reel knockout.