The UFC boasts some of the most passionate fans of any sport. Similar to the nature of the game, UFC fans are hardcore, unfiltered, and raw, often brutally. With a plethora of superstars to choose from, fans are often spoiled for choice. Fighters like Conor McGregor and Jon Jones have a lot of fans, but they also get equal, if not more, hate.
On the other hand, the likes of Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier are very respected, even by fans of other fighters. So, it’s a tricky thing to pull off. However, the fighters who manage to strike out a true relationship with their fanbase, win them for life.
The nature of the business is such that one can’t enjoy absolute immunity and can’t be hated on at all. However, there are always exceptions to every case, and the UFC is no different. There are several stars who face little to no brunt from fans.
Recently, a question was asked on the UFC subreddit, “Which UFC fighters genuinely have almost zero haters?”
It’s an interesting discussion to have, especially considering the raging fandom culture in UFC. And the subreddit didn’t disappoint with the responses. Some of the responses were unanimously accepted, while others received little to no pushback. There were also some hilarious responses posted by UFC fans. Let’s take a look at the list of UFC fighters who aren’t hated nearly as much as some of their peers.
UFC fans discuss the most beloved, least hated fighters
The name that received the most likes was Max Holloway. The 33-year-old has been entertaining fight fans since 2012. Widely regarded as one of the greatest featherweights of all time, it’s not surprising to see Holloway being the popular choice. The former Featherweight Champion is one of the best in the business, but it’s his personality that makes him so likable.
While he can terrorize any opponent inside the cage, Holloway leads a peaceful life outside of it. His daily routine revolves around his family, and The Pride of Hawaii likes to stay out of any controversy.
The Korean Zombie secured the second spot in the thread behind Holloway. He first became a fan favorite because of his style of fighting, which also gave him the moniker ‘The Korean Zombie.’ Chan Sung Jung’s ability to keep fighting despite taking several heavy blows made him a hero in the eyes of fight fans.
They admired his dedication to the game and, in the process, became fans for life. He last fought in the UFC in 2023, interestingly, against Holloway. Jung lost the fight via knockout and later retired from the game.
One fan hilariously wrote “Jake Gyllenhaal” in response to the question. The actor recently starred in the movie Road House, where he played a former UFC fighter. UFC legend Conor McGregor played the antagonist in the movie. A portion of the movie was shot during the ceremonial weigh-ins for UFC 285 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
On the night of the fight, Gyllenhaal and crew shot his character’s walkout sequence.
Prateek is a seasoned content writer with over 2500 published articles and two+ years of experience. His passion for UFC was ignited during Conor McGregor’s meteoric rise, and closely following McGregor’s journey inspired him to bring a sharp, fan-driven perspective to his UFC coverage, blending detailed analysis with compelling storytelling.
