8/14/26
Nicknames play a big role in the branding of a fighter and add to their overall image. For some fighters, they are exclusively referred to by their nicknames, like Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, for example. All great fighters, for the most part, have had nicknames that have personified who they were as a person and athlete. Here are ESN’s top 10 nicknames in UFC history.
10. Anthony “Rumble” Johnson
The late Anthony “Rumble” Johnson is an iconic figure in UFC history. From welterweight to heavyweight, he was one of the scariest fighters in the company and had power in his hands that not many other fighters could rival. From fights with Daniel Cormier to Alexander Gustafsson to Glover Texiera, he was among the elite for most of his career before his retirement. His nickname is a part of him. No one refers to him as just Anthony Johnson; it is as Rumble or as Anthony “Rumble” Johnson. No matter what, his nickname will be a symbol of who he was as a fighter and as a person.
9. Charles “Do Bronx” Oliveira
Charles Oliveira is one of the best finishers and submission artists in the sport and one of the biggest fan favorites in the UFC. A former champion who is the true embodiment of a fighter at the highest level. He is often referred to as “Do Bronx” when he fights, and it has become a part of who he is as a fighter. It is a nickname that is especially relatable to his hometown in Brazil, so the name carries a lot of cultural significance for him and his country as well.
8. Jon “Bones” Jones
There is no denying that Jon Jones is likely the undisputed greatest of all time. His dominance is something that might never be seen again, and along with all his accolades and success, he has a great nickname as well. The name “Bones” is synonymous with who he is as a fighter because Jones is violent when he steps into the octagon. Once that cage shuts, he is not just looking to win a fight but to harm his opponent which he has done so many times throughout his career. His nickname coincides with his violence perfectly, and when you think of Jon Jones, the name Bones will always appear.
7. Cris Cyborg
Cris Cyborg is among the greatest female fighters to ever live. With a record of 29-2, with one of those losses being to the women’s GOAT Amanda Nunes, Cyborg is a dominant force unlike almost anything that women’s MMA has seen. Her nickname is her name to the world and has been since the start of her career. Most fans couldn’t even begin to guess her real name because, to the MMA universe, her name is Cyborg. No one really refers to her by her first name; it is just Cyborg, which is one of the coolest names in the sport.
6. Conor “The Notorious” McGregor
Every sports fan knows Conor McGregor, whether you watch MMA or not. He has transcended the game like no other and it is because he lives up to his nickname. McGregor is notorious for many different reasons, whether that be his rivalries, trash talk, or even past controversies. He embraces that notorious role, and it is a massive reason why he is the star he is. There aren’t too many fighters who embody their nickname more than Conor McGregor, and there couldn’t be a better name to describe him.
5. Israel “The Last Stylebender” Adesanya
Israel Adesanya is one of the greatest fighters of all time with one of the coolest names of all time. When he burst onto the MMA scene after his great kickboxing career, what stuck with a lot of fans was his nicknames along with his antics. It has cultural pull too, as it is an adaptation of the iconic Avatar: The Last Airbender. One of the hardest things to do is to have a cool nickname like this and live up to the hype. The nickname was a signal that he couldn’t adapt his fighting style to whoever he was facing, and he did just that and went down as possibly the greatest middleweight fighter ever.
4. Tony “El Cucuy” Ferguson
El Cucuy, which means “the Boogeyman,” is a perfect description of who Tony Ferguson was in his prime. He was the boogeyman of the lightweight division for many years. He was a warrior with a knack for violence that nobody else had. Fighters were mentally drained after fighting him because he was so skilled and put pressure on his opponents that they couldn’t handle. It was hard to matchmake for him because no one wanted to be across the octagon from Ferguson. “El Cucuy” became one of the most iconic nicknames in the sport and for good reason.
3. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson
Rampage is no longer a nickname; it has replaced the name of Quinton in his name. When talking about nicknames that become who a person is, there isn’t much other than Rampage Jackson. It is his name in the MMA world. Anyone who knows him refers to him as Rampage, which is the greatest achievement a nickname can achieve. Rampage also fits who Jackson is as a person because he is a scary and violent fighter. One of the only people who has scared Jon Jones in his career. Rampage is more than a nickname and will be forever in the career and life of Quinton Jackson.
2. Chuck “Iceman” Liddell
Chuck Liddell was one of the first cool nicknames that stuck in the UFC, and for good reason. Liddell is as much responsible for the success of the company as anyone else. A pure brawler who delivered highlight KO after highlight KO like it was nothing in his prime. He had ice in his veins, hence the name, and it became a part of his brand. He would fight in shorts that said “Iceman”, sell Iceman merch, and it would eventually become the name that all fans knew him by. When most people hear the name Iceman, they think of Chuck Liddell.
1. The Korean Zombie
If you were to ask some fans what the real name of the Korean Zombie is, they probably don’t know. It is Chan Sung Jung, but the name Korean Zombie has become his real name in the minds of all MMA fans. It is to the point that when he fights, they don’t put his real name on the scorebug; they just put Zombie. It helps that he is an icon in the sport with one of the greatest retirements ever. A nickname rarely takes on a persona and mind of its own, but for the Korean Zombie it did. It transcended him as a fighter and became something bigger than life for Sung Jung in his career. It will go down as the greatest nickname in sports, and for good reason.
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