10 UFC Fighters That Fans Loved (But Then Hated)

There is a strange phenomenon that seems to occur in the world of combat sports. One day, fans will hold a beloved fighter in high regard either due to their spirit or their impressive skills. The next day, fans may completely turn on that fighter for a wide variety of possible reasons. The UFC has seen plenty of fighters that fans have loved for long periods, only to eventually grow to hate them over time.Related: UFC Fighters Who Had Jobs Outside Of FightingSomething that may surprise the average UFC fan is that many of those fighters are often included in the conversation of the greatest of all time. There seems to be something strange about fighters who are held in such high regard. To some fans, all it takes is one screw-up, sometimes even just a minor screw-up, to completely change their perspective on a fighter.

10 Frank Mir

The accomplishments of Frank Mir are something that many fighters can only dream of achieving. The man dominated the UFCs heavyweight division for over a decade to the delight of MMA fans around the world.

Most fans seemed to really turn on Mir when he set his sights on Brock Lesnar. Their rivalry was heated both in the Octagon and outside of it, and it featured some seriously negative words from Mir. Some of the things Mir said were so bad that he actually apologized for saying them.

9 Brock Lesnar

Pretty much every MMA fan was surprised yet excited to see someone as huge as Brock Lesnar taking steps into the world of legitimate fighting. The hype surrounding The Beast Incarnate has been real each time he’s made his way into the halls of the UFC.

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There are actually quite a few different reasons as to why UFC fans have turned on Lesnar over the years, but many point to either his personal style of trash-talking or how much hype is given to a fighter that lacks as much experience as many others.

8 Quinton Jackson

MMA fans loved how dominant Rampage Jackson could be against the right opponents. His brutal displays of skill and power led him to a lot of success both within the UFC and abroad for other promotions.

While it can be hard to pinpoint single instances that cause fans to turn on their favorite fighters, it’s actually rather easy in Rampage’s case. Many fans hate the way he has carried himself in many different interviews over the years and his various legal issues don’t help him out either.

7 Nick Diaz

Of the two Diaz brothers, Nick seems to be the one that more fans have turned on over the years. While he’s an excellent fighter in his own right with plenty of championship wins outside of the UFC, he’s no stranger to controversy.

Many Nick Diaz fans turned on their favorite fighter after hearing about a violent instance in his personal life. Fans tend to point to the incident that took place at the Strikeforce promotion that saw many fighters getting into a brawl. If that's not enough, his general disrespect for some opponents has turned fans off.

6 Nate Diaz

For many, the hate that Nate Diaz receives from some fans can seem rather strange. It’s clear that he’s one of the most skilled fighters in the UFC today with his countless fight honors, but the fan turn may actually be due to his trash-talk and occasional inability to back it up.

Another significant instance that many fans point to was his situation with GSP which is an incredibly complicated mess that divided many UFC fans. It seems that a surprising number of UFC fans respect fighters more when they keep their rivalries heated but respectful.

5 Anderson Silva

For a long time, it seemed like Anderson Silva was going to go down in history as one of the most untouchable fighters to ever step into the Octagon. The incredible performances that showed him outclassing already world-class opponents won over pretty much everyone at the time.

Fans really turned on Silva when it started to seem like he’d bought into his own hype. He began doing strange things in the middle of his fights, one of which led to a high-profile loss against Chris Weidman.

4 Donald Cerrone

There are many MMA fans that would point to Cerrone as the greatest fighter to not win a championship in the UFC, but these days his fanbase seems to have slimmed down from what it once was.

Someone could probably write a book on all of the controversies Cerrone has faced throughout his career, but with each one, fans seem to turn on him more. While some things have simply been accusations, Cerrone has said some rather disappointing things publicly that many likely won’t forgive him for.

3 Jon Jones

There are a large number of people that call Jon Jones the greatest MMA fighter of all time. Regardless of any individual fan’s opinion on that statement, it was hard to not be wowed by the iconic fighter for many years.

That said, many people have turned on Jones over the years thanks to his many controversies and drug test failures. He’s had a lot of troubles in his personal life that has led to some poor decisions and those poor decisions have led to fans turning their backs on the fighter.

2 Conor McGregor

Conor McGregor had one of the most incredible rises in the history of MMA. The Irish champion had his detractors due to his serious smack talk, but his ability to back his verbal jabs with ease in the Octagon won over fans around the world.

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A lot of his fans seemed to turn on him when he decided to take on Floyd Mayweather in a boxing match. Obviously, it was a great decision financially, but there were a lot of fans who hated that it was nothing but spectacle with a predictable outcome from a fighter they expect better from.

1 Ronda Rousey

So many incredible things can be said about Ronda Rousey. It could be argued that without her contribution to the UFC and the world of sports as a whole, many women still might not be receiving the opportunities they deserve.

Many turned on Rousey even before she lost her title, but most did from her reaction to losing her title. While it can be hard for any fighter to take a significant loss, many fans agree that Rousey took the loss in a childish manner rather than with grace.