Fighters have nicknames for a reason. It adds an aura of toughness to a fighter’s name that would otherwise be harmless and mundane. It hints at a fighter’s reputation and serves to intimidate opponents even before they step into the cage.
Throughout the history of mixed martial arts, there have been a handful of great fighter nicknames. And when done well, these nicknames offer an unmistakable flair that fans will not forget.
“The Natural Born Killer”, “The Iceman”, “The Last Emperor” — these are just some of the most epic nicknames in all of MMA, and they each exude grit and danger every time their owners take to the cage.
However, not all nicknames are as powerful as the ones mentioned above. There are some that leave you scratching your head. In celebration of these unique monikers, let’s take a look at a handful of examples of strange fighter nicknames.
Today, Evolve Daily shares the 10 weirdest fighter nicknames in mixed martial arts history.
1) Frank “Twinkle Toes” Trigg
Former UFC veteran middleweight Frank Trigg is known for the power behind his fists, but you wouldn’t get that notion if you first found out about him through his nickname. “Twinkle Toes” isn’t exactly the kind of name that would strike fear into the hearts of his opponents. Odd choice for a guy who finished nearly 80% of his foes.
2) Allen “Monstah Lobstah” Berube
Before he dropped Lobstah from his moniker, Allen “Monstah” Berube was once known as “Monstah Lobstah”, most likely an ode to his home state of Maine where lobster fishing is a mainstay of the local economy. While lobsters are indeed delicious food fare, it’s still a pretty weird choice for a nickname in mixed martial arts.
3) Yoshihiro “Sexyama” Akiyama
Former gold medalist judoka Yoshihiro Akiyama of Japan, also a UFC veteran, effected a reign of terror at welterweight during his prime. With 14 total career victories, including 12 inside the distance, Akiyama felt the need to make a play off his own name by calling himself “Sexyama”. Although it’s not the best, it does have a nice ring to it.
4) Ron “H20Man” Waterman
Former Pride veteran Ron Waterman thought he had struck gold when he first introduced himself through his nickname, “H2OMan”, an undeniable play off his last name of Waterman. While indeed clever, it’s also pretty weird.
5) Steve “Red Nose” Berger
Before he changed his nickname to “The Red Nose Pitbull” in hopes of sounding more legit, former UFC welterweight Steve Berger was known simply as “Red Nose”, giving off a more reindeer-like vibe. Honestly, Steve missed the boat on calling himself “Cheese” instead, which would have been more fitting given his last name.
6) Nick “The Ninja of Love” Denis
Former Canadian mixed martial artist and UFC veteran Nick Denis, in all honesty, should be able to get away with his incredibly strange nickname. Calling himself “The Ninja of Love” emits a sense of boldness and bravery. It was an absolute joy to hear cage announcers calling his walk out every time he fought.
7) Ian “Uncle Creepy” McCall
“Uncle Creepy” sounds more like a name given to Ian McCall by one of his nieces, rather than an intentional fighter nickname. Yet McCall, a former UFC flyweight who has competed recently in Rizin, still goes by his weird moniker. It’s undeniably a strange decision on his part to call himself “Uncle Creepy”, but one that he wears well.
8) Ryan “Darth” Bader
American light heavyweight contender Ryan Bader is known for his terrifying knockout power and has found new life in Bellator after a great UFC career. But his nickname of “Darth” is either pure genius or an atrocious ode to a Hollywood classic. Star Wars is a great movie, and Bader has capitalized on its popularity very well.
9) Cuki “The Flying Cockroach” Alvarez
Virtually unknown lightweight from Saipan, Cuki Alvarez never made it big in his mixed martial arts career but will go down in history as having owned one of the most interesting fighter nicknames of all time. Fondly calling himself “The Flying Cockroach”, Alvarez no doubt aimed to strike fear into the hears of his opponents by liking himself to one of these filthy winged beasts that cause grown men to run away screaming.
10) Lyle “Fancy Pants” Beerbohm
American mixed martial arts veteran Lyle Beerbohm experienced solid success in various second-tier promotions but made his presence known every time with his fancy moniker. Nicknamed “Fancy Pants”, Beerbohm certainly had a flair for performing under the lights, as a guy with this outrageous moniker would and should have. For the most part, Beerbohm lived up to his billing.
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