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The Top 20 greatest fighter quotes
Before, after and even sometimes during a fight, the competitors squaring off against one another have a few choice words to say. Sometimes it happens in a pre-fight interview or it could be when a color commentator like Joe Rogan pops into the Octagon and asks a fighter their thoughts on what just unfolded or what they are hoping to do next in the UFC.
Since the inception of the UFC 20 years ago, the fighters have always talked the talk and walked the walk, and in that time there have been more than a few memorable quotes along the way. From some outrageous confrontations at press conferences to internet radio shows, fighters have had plenty of forums to speak their minds and as coverage got bigger and broader sometimes the verbal sparring got even more heated than in the bouts themselves.
Today, we take a look at the UFC fighter quotes that have filled the airwaves including the best trash talk, rebuttals, interviews and sometimes just flat out hilarious commentary. Take a look at our list and see the top 20 in UFC history.
#20: Matt Hughes - "When you lose, say little. When you win, say less."
Matt Hughes was never big on trash talk but he was definitely a smart fighter that understood what it meant to be humble. He quotes this phrase on his personal website, and there may not be wiser words to live by in the UFC than these few from a Hall of Famer like Hughes. He was never a fighter that boasted how great he was inside the Octagon. Hughes just went to work, won fights and walked out with the title. He was never one to beat an opponent and then laud his accomplishments over their heads. Hughes just smiled, patted his belt and moved onto the next one.
#19: Mirko Cro Cop - "He said in case of winning, he will spend two years staring through the window, but he must also have one thing on his mind in case he lost the fight — if I'm going to be lucky and throw a high kick he might stare through the windows for two years, too with a nurse on his left side."
Former Pride legend Mirko Cro Cop never tasted the same level of success in the UFC that he once had while competing in Japan, but despite his stoic nature before and after a fight he did manage this line just before facing Pat Barry at UFC 115. For weeks leading up to the fight, Barry had spoken about how he idolized Cro Cop and if he actually won the fight he would stare out of a window weeks in disbelief of what just happened. The Croatian answered back by telling Barry that he most certainly might end up staring out of a window, but it wouldn't be by awe. He'd be stuck staring out of a window because that's where the hospital would put his wheelchair during his time of recovery.
#18: Josh Koscheck - "You're a male nurse bro. I'm gonna f—k you up in about two minutes."
Josh Koscheck has been around the UFC ever since the first season of The Ultimate Fighter and while you might think his best quote came from that series when he regularly tormented housemate Chris Leben, his most memorable line actually came five years later when he was coaching the reality show opposite welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre. At one point, Koscheck got entangled in a verbal battle with St-Pierre's cornerman Brad Tate. When Koscheck finally had enough, he came after Tate with this one that lives in Ultimate Fighter infamy forever. Just after saying this, Koscheck decided to physically go after Tate before the other competitors finally broke them up.
#17: Nick Diaz - "I hope so motherf—ker if I had that much money I'd be f—king pampering myself the f—k up. I'd be having motherf—kers pampering my s—t left and f—king right. There would be motherf—kers every hour on the hour showing up to pamper me out"
(Nick Diaz's tirade begins at 1:39)
No one will ever accuse perennial UFC bad boy Nick Diaz of quoting Shakespeare during his pre-fight interviews, but at the same time there's a kind of brutal honesty and unapologetic fervor that you get during one of his tirades that can't be replaced by anyone else. During the UFC 158 pre-fight media conference call, Diaz was made aware that his opponent Georges St-Pierre had not only never been on Twitter but the messages released in his name were done by an assistant. Add to that, St-Pierre's face on magazines and ads for products like Under Armour and it led Diaz to stomping all over the Canadian's gold plated lifestyle. Here's hoping someone has pampered Diaz by now.
#16: Frank Mir - "You know what the true definition of hell is? It's when you die, you get to meet the person you could have been."
Sometimes fighter quotes don't really relate back to a certain time or place, and this is one of those moments. Former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir could or should write a book one day with all of the great phrases he's invented over the years, and this one stands out above them all. Mir was speaking to the cameras during the UFC on Fox: Henderson vs. Melendez Countdown show when he began referencing his long road to find answers of consistency in his career. At 33 years of age (at the time), Mir knew that the time he had left in the sport was dwindling and the last thing he wanted to do was walk away with regret. This phrase summed that up perfectly.
#15: Matt Serra - "You're not even training are you Frenchy? You know what I mean. Drink your red wine, go to your hockey game and shut the f—k up."
(Click for Serra's quote on the MMAWeekly Radio Show)
When Matt Serra knocked out Georges St-Pierre at UFC 69 in 2007 it was undoubtedly one of the biggest upsets in MMA history, but it certainly took a lot of skill to finish the fight the way the New York native did in the first round. Just weeks after the fight was over, St-Pierre decided to tell the world that he admitted took Serra lightly and didn't train or prepare the way he should have for the fight. The result was Serra unloading on the French Canadian with this line from MMAWeekly Radio in 2007. He was no fan of St-Pierre's excuses and he let him know it while taking a shot at the former champion's French heritage and if there's one thing you don't do in Canada is take a shot at hockey. It certainly didn't do Serra any favors when it came to the rematch — which happened to take place in Montreal in 2008.
#14: Quinton "Rampage" Jackson - "You can make a mistake and get caught in a submission, but Chuck made a mistake and he got caught in an ass whoopin'."
Alongside Sonnen and Bisping, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson had more than his fair share of famous and funny lines over the years while he was in the UFC and this one was truly his best. Jackson defeated UFC icon Chuck Liddell for the second time at UFC 71 by knockout in less than two minutes into the first round. Never one to mince words, Jackson had no problem letting Liddell know what he did wrong and in this case it was walking into the cage with 'Rampage' and expecting anything different than to wake up staring at the lights on the ceiling.
#13: Harold Howard - "We have a saying back home that if you're coming on — come on!"
There's something to be said for the early days of the UFC when rules were at a minimum and fighters like Chael Sonnen and Michael Bisping weren't around yet to help out with some good old fashioned pre-fight trash talk. What we were left with at the time was Canadian martial artist Harold Howard, who brandished a rather intimidating mullet and sunglasses when he was doing his pre-fight interview before UFC 3 began. Apparently in Canada, this is a famous phrase although Howard may have been the first and the last one to utter these words. Let's not forget Howard also managed to call the organization he was fighting in 'The Ultimate Fighting Challenge'. Getting names right may not be common where Howard is from apparently.
#12: Michael Bisping - "This is a press conference, Jorge. I know it's your first time involved in something like this. Welcome to the big leagues. After this, you'll be back to the undercard believe me."
If there is one fighter on the entire UFC roster that could go toe-to-toe with Sonnen in a verbal battle it's middleweight contender Michael Bisping. The brash Brit routinely slams his upcoming opponents with a venomous tirade that could rage from lacking standup skills to poor cardio, and over the course of six or eight weeks leading up to the fight, Bisping is relentless. Prior to UFC 127, however, Bisping was met with a barrage of videos launched at him from opponent Jorge Rivera. Up to that point in his career, Rivera was known mostly as a quiet, respectful fighter from Massachusetts, but when he got word that Bisping was his next opponent he joined up with his sponsor to put together a huge array of videos aimed at the former Ultimate Fighter winner. The problem is it's never smart to tug on Superman's cape and when there were no more pre-taped segments to back up Rivera on stage, Bisping finally went after him with this line, and while some may have chuckled, in reality it just had to sting Rivera, who tried to joust with the king and ended up getting smacked hard in the face with a giant thud.
#11: Chael Sonnen - “You tell Anderson Silva I’m coming over. I’m kicking in his back door and I’m pattin’ his old lady on the ass and I’m telling her to make me a steak, medium rare just how I like it.”
In a greatest quotes of all time list that goes to No. 20, it could easily be filled to the brim by quotes only by Sonnen. This gem was Sonnen's jab at then middleweight champion Anderson Silva when he was still trying to land a rematch from the first fight at UFC 117 in 2010. Sonnen hit Silva at every angle from insulting his country to his own skills inside the cage. Nothing seemed to get Silva fired up enough to respond, but Sonnen's jab as worded above certainly did the job. The keep the fire burning, Sonnen would routinely wear a shirt at UFC events that read in bold white letters 'Medium Rare', obviously paying homage to one of his most famous sayings to date. Funny enough after Sonnen fell to Silva for a second time in the UFC, the Brazilian actually invited him over to his house for a barbecue, although there's never been any evidence to prove it ever actually happened.
#10: BJ Penn - "I only want to be known as the best ever. Is that too much to ask?"
If you ask Anderson Silva or any other number of fighters in the UFC who is the greatest of all time, they will answer BJ Penn without a single stutter or fumbling of their words. Since 2001, Penn has been holding shop in the UFC while competing between the lightweight and welterweight divisions. When he wasn't competing in the Octagon, Penn even managed to take fights in the light heavyweight division. He remains one of the most fearless fighters to ever strap on a pair of gloves and step inside the cage, and this phrase he uttered several years ago pretty much epitomizes exactly who Penn is as a competitor and fighter.
#9: Carlos Condit - "I threw a spinning back fist or something and he'd tell me 'so we're throwing spinning s—t now?"
(Quote begins at 3:18)
At UFC 143, Carlos Condit battled Nick Diaz for the interim welterweight title while current champion Georges St-Pierre recovered from knee surgery. It was clear during the five round fight that Diaz was yelling at Condit several times over the course of 25 minutes, but without microphones set up close to the action there was no telling what was actually being said. Condit won the fight and at the post fight press conference a reporter asked him what was Diaz saying to him in the cage. Condit — who threw a number of spinning back fists and other flashy strikes at Diaz — uncorked this quote that continues to gain attention virtually any time a fighter decides to toss a spinning maneuver into their repertoire during a bout. If you venture to Twitter on fight night and anyone throws a spinning kick, punch, elbow or anything else, it's pretty much a guarantee that this quote will pop up.
#8: Diego Sanchez - "Yes!!"
Okay so technically this isn't a phrase so much as a word, but it's become quite iconic thanks to Diego Sanchez as well as popular WWE wrestler Daniel Bryan, who borrowed the gimmick for his character on television. "I love Diego Sanchez! That's where it came from," Bryan said in an interview in 2012. Sanchez can routinely be spotted pumping his fist, furrowing his brown and chanting "yes' along with the crowd in whatever arena he's visiting that day. It's somehow become Sanchez's battle cry and you're never going to watch a weigh-in or a fight where the crowd won't inevitably begin screaming the single word anytime Sanchez is around.
#7: Matt Hughes - "If you haven't lost in this sport, you haven't fought the right guys yet."
One of the greatest champions in UFC history, former welterweight king Matt Hughes was a master of saying very smart things when it came to advice for other fighters and this one was his greatest gem. Competing in mixed martial arts is a tough job, and as anyone who has ever fought in the UFC can attest, there's no easy road to take towards victory. At any time a fighter could land a haymaker and with only four ounce gloves to cushion the blow, a knockout will most certainly follow. Hughes' point with these words was to prove that no one is invincible in MMA, especially in the UFC. An undefeated fighter won't stay undefeated forever, and if they do, they just aren't fighting the best of the best because even the greatest have a mark or two on their records.
#6: Anderson Silva - "I'm not the best. I just believe I can do things other people think are impossible."
A seven year reign atop the UFC's middleweight division wasn't enough for Anderson Silva so he decided to venture into the light heavyweight division every now and again looking for a new challenge. When a slew of fighters fell out injured leaving UFC 153 without a main event, Silva offered to step in and face Stephan Bonnar in the main event. Silva literally toyed with Bonnar during the fight, and at one point dropped his hands, stood against the cage and invited the former Ultimate Fighter finalist to try and hit him. When Silva finally attacked, the fight was over in mere seconds. At the post fight press conference the entire press corps (and the world watching at home for that matter) were trying to figure out why and how Silva could do the things he did. Silva just believes in himself and the rest just becomes magical.
#5: Brock Lesnar - "Ladies and gentlemen, I stand before you a humble champion and still the toughest SOB around baby."
When Brock Lesnar came to the UFC by way of professional wrestling, no one was quite sure what this behemoth of a man would actually be able to accomplish inside the Octagon. Just a few fights later he was the heavyweight champion of the world and had everyone convinced that he could almost move mountains with his power and athleticism. Unfortunately, Lesnar's career was almost cut short when he fell ill dealing with a crippling case of diverticulitis. The disease forced Lesnar into the hospital on numerous occasions, and if things didn't improve quickly, the former NCAA champion from Minnesota would see his MMA career come to an end. Luckily, Lesnar did recover and he got back into the cage at UFC 116 where he took on interim champion Shane Carwin. The fight almost ended after one round with Carwin battering Lesnar on the feet and on the ground. Miraculously, just like his comeback from the disease, Lesnar found a new will in the second round where he took Carwin down and submitted him with a head and arm choke. Following the incredible victory, Lesnar game an impassioned speech with a huge grin on his face while he grasped the UFC heavyweight title one more time.
#4: Chael Sonnen - "Anderson Silva — you absolutely suck!"
Over the past few years, middleweight contender turned light heavyweight Chael Sonnen has become the master of the verbal beat down. There are very few fighters who can go verb for verb, noun for noun against the quick witted silver tongue from West Linn, Oregon but for all of his funny phrases and rhyming retorts, his most memorable moment happened by saying only five words. After beating Brian Stann at UFC 136, which at the time seemed to secure Sonnen's place in a rematch with champion Anderson Silva, he grabbed the microphone and unleashed venom on the Brazilian, who just happened to be sitting cage side. Sonnen followed up with a challenge to the champion if they fought again, but that can't compare to the kind of strong language he blasted without one rhyming syllable or actual quip trying to be funny. This was just Sonnen being brutally honest and it worked flawlessly.
#3: Randy Couture - "Not bad for an old man.”
When Randy Couture decided to come out of a year long retirement in 2007 while moving back to heavyweight to face champion Tim Sylvia he was met with some serious skepticism whether or not he had made a wise choice. Couture retired after two losses to Chuck Liddell while fighting at 205 pounds, and a move back to heavyweight seemed crazy especially when facing a 6'8", 265 pound monster like Sylvia. As they say, however, age ain't nothing but a number and Couture came out and absolutely dominated Sylvia over the course of five rounds, besting the giant champion with superior standup and slick wrestling. When it was over, Couture was champion once again and when Joe Rogan stuck the microphone to his face, the words he uttered would live in UFC history forever
#2: Ken Shamrock: "I hope to God you come ready, because if you don't I'm going to beat you into a living death.”
The feud between "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" Tito Ortiz and the Lion's Den fight camp had been going on for years, but the battle finally came to a head when the UFC's reigning light heavyweight champion finally met Ken Shamrock at UFC 40: Vendetta. Prior to the fight, Ortiz and Shamrock met during a very poorly lit press conference headed up by UFC president Dana White. Shamrock took the microphone while standing at the podium when he unleashed this now very famous phrase. The result was Ortiz bursting out in laughter and Shamrock kicking a chair in the air, caught perfectly by White actually. Shamrock never actually beat Ortiz into living death — in fact he lost in three separate fights against the UFC Hall of Famer but he kept trying and that's what matters most.
#1: Georges St-Pierre - "I'm very glad you won that fight Matt, but I'm not impressed by your performance."
Following Matt Hughes' win at UFC 63 over BJ Penn, top rated welterweight contender Georges St-Pierre entered the Octagon to officially offer a challenge to the champion. St-Pierre first met Hughes two years earlier in a fight that ended with the Canadian losing by armbar to the veteran champion. Now with a lot more experience under his belt including several UFC victories, St-Pierre was back and his challenge to Hughes ended with these famous words. Ironically enough in the history of UFC trash talk, St-Pierre is one of the least inflammatory fighters so maybe that's one reason why this statement still stands out above all the rest. There was even a song put together based on St-Pierre's words to Hughes that night in 2006. To this day that famous phrase continues to swirl around St-Pierre seven years after he first said them.
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