10. Yoshihiro “Sexyama” Akiyama
Unlike a lot of other fighter’s nicknames, Yoshihiro Akiyama’s won’t make a man quiver and piss his pants. It’ll do quite the opposite… it will swoon your lady and make her faint. There’s no mystery about it, the nickname “Sexyama” was given to Akiyama simply because he’s a damn handsome gentleman. Married to one of Japan’s finest models, Akiyama isn’t just limited to being a talented mixed martial artist. He also graces the stage and sings in front of thousands of his fans, and is also a model (most notably modeling for Nike). While he likely puts on a good show on stage, some of his most exciting performances occurred while he was in the octagon. Only three fights into his UFC career, he has earned “Fight of the Night” awards every single time he stepped out there. Whether he faces technical strikers like Alan Belcher, sluggers like Chris Leben or elite fighters like Michael Bisping, you can always expect an exciting fight out of “Sexyama”.
9. Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic
In boxing, the fighter’s nickname would often mention the origin of the boxer, like “Jersey” Joe Walcott or “The Manassa Mauler” Jack Dempsey. In Mirko Filipovic’s case, it’s more than just an alliterative gimmick. Before becoming a kickboxer, Filipovic spent time as a cop in his hometown home NATION of Croatia and was eventually given the nickname “Cro Cop”. By the time he debuted in PRIDE, he was such an enigmatic force that his legal last name was dropped and fans and media outlets referred to him simply as “Mirko Cro Cop”. “Mirko Filipovic” isn’t the name that instills fear in a fighter, nor is it the name that pops up in a fan’s head whenever they think of PRIDE’s brightest moments. Though he has fallen on quite the losing streak, Mirko Cro Cop will forever be one of the all-time-greats.
8. Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos
Originally hailing from Brazil, Cristiane Santos is one of the scariest women you will ever meet. She currently sports a 10-1 MMA record (undefeated in her last ten fights) and earned the nickname of “Cyborg” because she’s built and fights like a machine. Relentless in her attacks, Santos’ fights are reminiscent of the old Mike Tyson pay-per-views in the 90s. You didn’t drop your money to watch a competitive fight; you paid that money to see Mike Tyson kill his opponent. Watching Cyborg’s fights is like watching live executions, except more moral and fun to watch. What was advertised as her toughest competition to date, her fight with Gina Carano was just another Cyborg fight… dominant. She’s sitting on her throne at the top of the women’s MMA world right now, and she isn’t going anywhere.
7. “The Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko
The origin of Fedor Emelianenko is not that hard to pinpoint, but not many MMA fans know the story. Before ever stepping into a PRIDE ring, Fedor fought for the new defunct Japanese based promotion RINGS. Besides his one farce of a loss, he went undefeated and destroyed any competition that was put in front of him. When the promotion eventually closed their doors Fedor was the last RINGS Open-Weight Champion, literally making him “The Last Emperor” of RINGS. The nickname stuck with him throughout his undefeated PRIDE career, and he proved he deserved the nickname further as he was the last PRIDE Heavyweight Champion before UFC bought them out. Even though the aura surrounding Fedor has faded after his recent losses, he will still go down in MMA history as one of the greatest to don a pair of gloves.
6. “The Prodigy” BJ Penn
“Prodigy (noun): an unusually gifted or intelligent (young) person; someone whose talent excites wonder and admiration.” That definition perfectly explains the beginning of BJ Penn’s venture into combative sports. Young BJ Penn was truly a prodigy, as he tore through the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu ranks, eventually becoming the youngest World Jiu-Jitsu Champion in 2000. As Penn planned his first UFC fight back in 2001, nobody expected this Jiu-Jitsu ace to take a liking to striking so much; BJ Penn knocked out his first three opponents. Penn’s career is among the most celebrated in mixed martial arts today and is still a fan favorite. By taking down collegiate wrestler Jon Fitch multiple times in their fight at UFC 127, BJ Penn proved that he is still a prodigy of the game.
Stay tuned for numbers 1-5 of the “Top 10 Nicknames in MMA”!
