5 of the most FEARLESS fighters in MMA
You don’t normally associate fear with men and women who have the ability to step within the cold confines of the steel cage and face each other in battle. But the stark reality is, fighting is a scary concept.
Testing your skills in the field of combat is a nerve-wracking idea. It takes special human beings, cut from warrior ilk to be able to fight — in front of a large, passionate crowd no less.
Yet there are those who shun fear whenever they step onto the canvas. These fighters enter a zone where their minds are ready for engagement. In the fight, they throw every bit of caution out the window. To them, the only thing that matters is victory. They turn fear into motivation and drive to succeed.
It’s all or nothing, and they either bring home the bacon or go out on their shield. Let’s take a look at a handful of fighters who have all exhibited fearlessness in the cage.
Today, Evolve Daily shares five of the most fearless fighters in mixed martial arts today.
1) Carlos Condit
Nicknamed “The Natural Born Killer”, it’s easy to see why former top UFC welterweight Carlos Condit is one of the most fearless fighters to ever step foot in the cage. The veteran from Albuquerque, New Mexico has the mean mug of an athlete looking to throw down and can transform himself into a rabid beast on the night of his fights.
Many training partners and coaches have whispered that Condit is such an intense individual, even in training. He features a relentless offensive attack and a sick ground game that allows him to do what he does. It’s always exciting to watch.
Condit doesn’t mind standing in the pocket and trading shots. In fact, he revels in it and appears to get stronger the longer the fight goes on.
2) Christian Lee
At 20 years of age, he may be the youngest on this list. But ONE Lightweight World Champion Christian Lee from the Evolve Fight Team is no less the fearless warrior that he absolutely is inside the cage.
Last month, Lee became the youngest male mixed martial arts world champion in history, capturing the ONE Lightweight World Title.
Due to his youth, you would think Lee would fight in a manner that would preserve his longevity as a fighter. He certainly has his whole career ahead of him. But the man they call “The Warrior” knows not how to back down from any fight, and loves to employ a furious and relentless attack regardless of who he’s in the cage with.
This quality makes Lee special. And coupled with his physical gifts, God-given talent, and supreme understanding of combat, Lee is one dangerous individual who is as much feared as he is fearless.
3) Anthony Pettis
Former UFC and WEC lightweight champion Anthony “Showtime” Pettis has a penchant for exciting moves in the cage. And it seems, there isn’t any technique he wouldn’t try at least once.
Famous for his kick off the cage roundhouse, cartwheel kicks, and other flashy striking techniques, Pettis is all about the action and all about playing to the crowd.
One of the biggest reasons Pettis is able to do what he does is because he is extremely well rounded. Yes, he has the striking skills to stand and trade with virtually anybody, but if the action does hit the ground, Pettis is well-equipped to handle any situation.
4) Nick Diaz
You don’t ever associate fear with the name Nick Diaz. The Stockton, CA bad boy is scared of very few things, and fighting in the cage is certainly not one of them. He’s seen it all in a lengthy and incredible career. He’s competed all over the world for many promotions and has fought the best of them.
In his mind, Diaz’ experience is his greatest asset and it allows him to step in the cage with any man with a clear mind.
Diaz loves to attack his opponents’ strengths and first take them out of the fight mentally. He and his brother Nate use a little move called the “Stockton Slap” to demoralize their opponents and defeat them mentally before overwhelming them with their high-level skills.
However, one place Diaz is incredibly dangerous is the mat. The man has eight submissions to go along with his 13 knockouts. So opponents neither want to stand up with him or take him down.
5) Wanderlei Silva
What nickname is more fearsome than The Axe Murderer? Brazilian legend Wanderlei Silva is one of the scariest dudes in all of mixed martial arts. With 27 knockout finishes to his name out of 35 victories, Silva is a bonafide action star and an absolute beast in the cage.
The way he fights, he’s just absolutely fearless. The mental state he puts himself in when he fights, it’s like he was born to scrap.
Silva employs an overwhelming, brawling style and has many memorable battles with MMA elite throughout his glorious career. The majority of his fights feature epic striking battles with some of the most dangerous men in the history of the sport.
And he was always willing to stand and trade with the best of them. For that, you can never question Silva’s fearlessness and mental strength.
