15 of MMA's Biggest Cult Heroes

A cult hero is generally defined as a person who engenders a passionate following from a relatively small but dedicated fan base. Think about that quirky indie rock band. That underground movie. Pabst Blue Ribbon. The McRib sandwich.

In a lot of ways, MMA, despite its burgeoning popularity, is still very much a cult sport when compared to the Cowboys and Yankees and Crimson Tides of the world. Because of all the, how should I put this, blood, it will probably never fully ingratiate itself to Main Street USA. That doesn't mean it can't be tremendously successful. It's just never going to be everything to everyone.

That simple reality—that you'll never appeal to all demographics and, come to think of it, probably don't want to anyway—is part of what makes a great cult hero. And it's part of what makes MMA fans among the pound-for-pound most knowledgeable and passionate on the planet. They don't just love their sport. They protect it. They preach it.

That cult mentality probably explains why those fans so greatly value and enjoy the cult heroes who color the history of their favorite cult sport. 

So these are the cult heroes within the cult hero.

These 15 guys represent old school and new, good guy and bad, great fighters and, eh, less great. They're all here. Although I did restrict this to actual fighters, with the goal of keeping the list manageable and at least something of an apples-to-apples proposition.

Also keep in mind that, while many of these fighters are popular, this is not strictly a popularity contest. Most of these fighters won't appear on a cereal box any time soon.

But don't tell their fans that. You might be standing in that corner for a looooong time.

15. Frank Shamrock

The rugged submission grappler and lightning-rod commentator engenders strong feelings among proponents and detractors. But he's a cult hero, all right, as evidenced by the vocal minority who feel he is one of the very best of all time.

14. Dan Severn

The accomplished wrestler and barbaric ground-and-pound progenitor proudly rocked a 'stache long after Magnum P.I. went off the air.

These days, the UFC Hall of Famer and UFC 5 tournament winner looks more like a juice-machine salesman than a fighter. But he's still at it. In fact, he reached a near-incomprehensible mark back in April when he won his 100th pro contest.

13. Clay Guida

Who wouldn't want to hang out with Clay Guida?

Sometimes his level of activity in the cage can be a bit overstated (maybe his hair covers up all that lay-and-pray). But his intensity inside the Octagon and Dudical persona outside make him one of MMA history's most beloved figures.

12. Kazuyuki Fujita

Fujita was built like a cinderblock, and had a head to match. If you thought "Cabbage" had a tough chin, YouTube Fujita sometime.

Or, just watch that episode of The Simpsons where Homer tries to be a boxer. His strategy was to stand around and let opponents beat on his preternaturally thick cranium until they keeled over from exhaustion. That's Fujita in a nutshell.

11. Marco Ruas

This pioneer of Vale Tudo (a Brazilian fighting style blending strikes and submissions generally regarded as a precursor to MMA) won the UFC 7 tournament. He still had devotees today, who note that "The King of the Streets" may have been history's first great mixed martial artist.

10. Bas Rutten

Years after leaving the cage for the broadcasting table, this Pancrase champion and bar fight legend remains one of the most charismatic figures in all of MMA.

9. Chuck Liddell

Liddell is universally popular within MMA circles. So how does he qualify for this list?  He's so iconic in MMA, for his fighting style and his "Iceman" persona, that he is now a cult hero in mainstream society.

In other words, he's MMA's first crossover cult hero.

8. Cael Sanderson

True, Sanderson has never fought MMA. But it's a testament to his greatness—and to his unassailable cult hero status—that a dedicated group of people think Sanderson would have been (and maybe still could be) the best wrestler in MMA history the very instant he pulled on the gloves.

Sanderson never lost in four years of wrestling at Iowa State, on the way to four national titles. He followed that up with a gold medal at the 2004 Olympics. Wrestling at or around 184 pounds, he's a natural middleweight. And at age 32, he's still a relatively young man.

Even if he never sets foot in the cage (and it does seem unlikely), Sanderson will always be a cult hero in MMA for his unparalleled potential. 

7. Wanderlei Silva, the Pride Version

You don't know just how vicious vintage Wanderlei was unless you saw him drop those foot stomps. The guy just embodied savagery.

Since moving to the UFC, he has maintained popularity and had some success despite being in the twilight of his career. The genuine gratitude he shows fans will never be forgotten.

But the Pride version...that was just something else.

(Photo credit: MMA Fix)

6. Ikuhisa Minowa

Minowaman!

One of the more eccentric of an already eccentric crop of Japanese fighters, Minowaman is known for embracing open-weight contests and training in unusual methods and fighting styles. Despite fighting guys way out of his weight class (Bob Sapp, anyone?), Minowaman has a record of 51-32-8. And counting. 

5. Rickson Gracie

Generally regarded as the greatest Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighter ever, Rickson Gracie is always spoken about in whispers. So many sentences about him start with phrases like "It has been said that..."

Mention his name, and silence engulfs the room. Forks clank down against plates. 

Maybe it's not as serious as that. But it's pretty serious. The eighth-degree black-and-red belt never lost in MMA, and can count his career losses in combat sports on one hand. 

4. Tank Abbott

Sometimes, a picture really is worth a thousand words.

My favorite part is the bearded guy in the background. He's disgusted!

3. Fedor Emelianenko

Fedor Emelianenko doesn't do push-ups. He pushes down the Earth.

Now that Fedor and his giant blue ox have gone into a late-career tailspin, discussion-board toughs are backing away from all those old claims of infallibility. But there was a time when you couldn't say a bad word about Fedor Emelianenko without being berated back inot the stone age. And he deserved that—his career is among the five or 10 best ever, in my opinion.

But now, following his inevitable return to Earth, at least I don't have to hear anymore that rumors of his status as a homo sapien are just the latest round of transparent discharges from the Dana White propaganda machine. 

(Photo credit: Cameldog.net)

2. Don Frye

The former UFC champion, former hilarious color commentator and current all-round fun mustachioed guy is a virtual cottage industry of cult heroism.

I'd like to get a caption contest going for this one. "I need you to take about half the ice out of that glass, honey! Go ahead and use your fingers...I promise you I don't mind."

1. Kazushi Sakuraba

In his heyday, he ate Gracies for breakfast. He wore Mario masks on his walkouts. He smoked cigarettes during press conferences. He gave—and received—some of the most famous beatdowns in the annals of MMA lore.

Sakuraba the Gracie Hunter is a household name among hardcore MMA devotees. Those outside that circle (especially outside Japan) probably never have heard or never will hear of this great competitor. But something tells me that's perfectly OK with Sakuraba.

Just never tell him he has to stop fighting.

(Photo credit: Squabbles.com)