Trash talking is a common occurrence in sports in general. The art of trash-talking may not be for everyone, but it gets the job done. If youβre not good at it, you may lose your audience and confidence. In the UFC, trash-talking is one of the most anticipated parts of the fight.
Winning the fight may make you a winner or champion, but to become a superstar, you need to be able to sell arenas, which can be done if you have a gift of gab. And only these fighters can bring more punters to sportsbooks. You can read more here about online sports betting.
Trash talking is generally good-natured, but there have been some instances where trash talk has crossed the line, but like McGregor says βitβs all business.β If you want to become a trash talk pro, here are the four best trash talkers in UFC history that you can learn from.
Conor McGregor
Even before he made a name for himself in the UFC, Conor McGregor never shied away from a verbal altercation. A trash talker at heart, McGregor is always quick to let anyone in his path know what heβs thinking. Whether itβs a fellow fighter or a journalist, McGregor has no problem stepping outside the Octagon and throwing down with anyone.
The Irish fighter has a knack for engaging in verbal warfare, which makes for some great entertainment. The double champ is known for his witty remarks, which have earned him a reputation as the organizationβs best trash talker.
Chael Sonnen
Chael Sonnen is one of the best trash talkers in MMA history, and thatβs saying something. Sonnen has a unique gift when it comes to talking trash. Itβs not just what he says, but the way that he says it. The way that he says it gets under the skin of his opponents. He can get into the head of his opponents, so they make bad decisions in the cage while theyβre fighting.
His taunting of Anderson Silva and his trash talk-filled season of βThe Ultimate Fighterβ was a highlight for UFC fans, who loved to see a fighter as entertaining as Sonnen. Sonnen is a big personality, and he is sure to keep talking trash until he gets another shot at Silva.
Tito Ortiz
While he later became a fan favorite because of his entertaining style and willingness to fight anyone, back in the early 2000s, Tito Ortiz was one of the most hated fighters in the UFC. He had the perfect style for trash-talking, often calling out opponents for being βquittersβ and βchicken *****β who were too scared to fight him.
He often insulted his opponents by calling them βsissyβ and was usually on a mission to prove he was the toughest fighter. Ortiz was often criticized for his trash talk as some accused him of disrespecting the sport, but it was all part of his strategy to get his opponents off their game and make them mentally weaker.
Dominick Cruz
If you have ever listened to Cruz in press conferences or in commentary, you might have discovered that he has a sharp tongue and a sharper mind. Dominick is excellent at trash-talking because he chooses to focus on his opponentsβ weaknesses, and he mocks them for what they have to say.
Cruz is a specialist in mind games, and heβs used it to great effect in the ring. He loves to talk trash, and his opponents know it, which is why they often get drawn into the war of words. If thereβs anything more satisfying than watching Dominick Cruz punching his opponents, itβs seeing him verbally dismantle them before the fight.