Trash talk is a huge part of modern MMA. Press confernces are held before all major events, like with boxing, and this offers promoters an opportunity to build up suspense for a fight. It also offers fighters a chance to talk to each other.
As we’re in the business of fights, this chat is, unsurprisingly, not always very friendly. Promoters love a bit of back-and-forth between their fighters, as no-one wants to watch a fight between 2 friends who are only fighting because they have to, people want to see real beef and that is what sells a lot of tickets to casual fans.
Through chatshows, press confernences, interviews, podcasts, fighters get a lot of time on the mic, and this has lead to a lot of memorable one-liners and quotes from MMA fighters.
We’ve put together a list of funny quotes & motivational quotes that pro MMA fighters have said in the past!
Table of Contents
Funny MMA Quotes
After winning the UFC Lightweight Championship Belt, and becoming the 1st ever simultaneous 2 division champion in the UFC, Conor McGregor took the mic from Joe Rogan in his post-fight speech and said:
I’d like to take this chance to apologise… to absolutely nobody! The double champ does what the f*ck he wants!
Conor McGregor
At a pre-fight press conference, before his fight with Tito Ortiz, Ken took to the mic and belted out this classic:
I’m going to beat you into a living death!
Ken Shamrock
A reporter asked Nick Diaz, Nate’s older brother, how his love for marijuana affected his career in MMA, to which Nick responded:
Actually on the contrary, my MMA career has gotten in the way of my weed smoking.
Nick Diaz
When he was on the MMA Hour show, Georges St-Pierre said:
There’s 3 things in life that excite me. A woman, of course. Dinosaurs, and the violence of the Octagon
GSP
Mid-fight against Carlos Condit, Nick Diaz said out loud:
So we’re throwing spinning sh*t now?
Nick Diaz
In the pre-fight presser for his 1st title defense against Michael Bisping, Luke Rockhold started telling an inspirational story about achieving your dreams through the power of self-belief, until Bisping interrupted him with:
Conveice, believe, achieve. Sounds like the worst self-help book i’ve ever read. Shut the f*ck up!
Michael Bisping
Chael Sonnen shared this hilarious anecdote about Antonio Nogueira:
I was in Las Vegas when the Nogueira brothers first touched down in America. There was a bus, this is a true story. There was a bus that pulled up to a red light, and Little Nog tried to feed it a carrot, while Big Nog was petting it. He thought it was a horse. This really happened. He tried to feed a bus a carrot, and now you’re telling me this country has computers?
Chael Sonnen
In the immense build-up to McGregor v Diaz 1, Nate was criticising Conor’s team and his training, and came out with:
You’re playing touch butt in the park with some dork with a ponytail
Nate Diaz
In Rousey v Holm, Ronda was getting outclassed on the feet by a very sharp Holly Holm, and Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan had this exchange on the matter:
It takes a lot of energy to be a rockstar
She’s getting punched in the face, it has nothing to do with being a rockstar
Goldberg (1st line) & Rogan (2nd line)
90% of the game is half mental
Tim Sylvia quoting Yogi Berra
Wanderlei Silva had this.. interesting.. callout for Chuck Liddell
I want to f*ck.. I want to fight with Chuck.. F*ck Chuck!
Wanderlei Silva
After pulling off one of the biggest upsets in UFC history, Nate Diaz takes to the mic after his victory over Conor McGregor and casually says:
Ay I’m not surprised motherf*ckers
Nate Diaz
After beating Miesha Tate, Raquel Pennington felt the need to tell the world about her skills:
I have a full toolbox full of tools
Raquel Pennington
Conor McGregor came out with this timeless classic at a UFC press conference:
I can make you rich. I’ll change your bum life. When you sign to fight me, it’s a celebration. You ring back home, you ring your wife – baby, we’ve done it. We’re rich, baby. Conor McGregor made us rich. Break out the red panties
Conor McGregor
Tito Ortiz made this statement ahead of his rematch with Tito Ortiz, who has a signature mohawk haircut:
He will be the last of the Mohicans
Tito Ortiz
I used to f*ck guys like you in high school
Joseph Benavidez
Motivational MMA Quotes
We fail but we get up, because the ground is no place for a Champ
Dustin Poirier
I am not the best, but I have the potential to be something great
Anderson Silva
There’s no talent here, this is hard work. This is an obsession. Talent does not exist, we are all equal as human beings. You could be anyone if you put in the time. You will reach the top and that’s that. I am not talented, I am obsessed.
Conor McGregor
It is never too late to change yourself. You can do great things regardless of your circumstances
Matt Brown
It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog
Forrest Griffin
Infuse heart, soul, spirit and passion, because talent is not enough
Dominick Cruz
We define ourselves far too often by our past failures. That’s not you, you are this person right now. You’re the person who has learned from those failures. Build confidence and momentum with each good decision you make from here on out and choose to be inspired.
Joe Rogan
Win or lose, I believe in giving my best and that is what I do
Khabib Nurmagomedov
Pain is weakness leaving the body
GSP
Years ago we hardly had anything to eat. Now i earn more money and I see every opponent as a man that tries to put me back to that poorer period. That man must be eliminated.
Fedor Emelianenko
A fight is a fight. And life is a fight. No matter how many fights you have under your belt, it will continue to be a learning experience. And you can never prepare yourself for every scenario. Awkward, odd and difficult situations will always present themselves. You just have to stay cool and work through them.
Erik Apple
I’m scared of failure all the time. But i’m not afraid enough to stop trying.
Ronda Rousey
Nothing is given to you in this life. So you have to work hard.
Cain Velasquez
When my body says ‘stop, you’re tired, you should quit’ it makes me almost want to do it more because normal people can’t do that.
Dominick Cruz
The more you seek the uncomfortable, the more you will be comfortable
Conor McGregor
When you work hard to the point where you truly believe that no one is working harder than you, there’s no need to fear.
Jon Jones
It all comes down to confidence. Your body can do great things only if it believes it can accomplish them. The only way i’ve ever made that happen is by preparing my mind for the worst conditions possible in training, and then surpassing them. This is why I always say that fights aren’t won in the Octagon, they’re won in the months leading up to them, in a near-empty gym, in the lost hours of a day, whether i feel like it or not.
GSP
Be motivated. Don’t be a thermometer… be a thermostat, set your own temperature. You can do whatever you want, just make sure it’s good and it’s right. Put your mind into it, you can do it.
Vitor Belfort
At the end of the day, you have to feel some way. So why not feel unbeatable? Why not feel untouchable? Why not feel like the best to ever do it?
Conor McGregor
You need to have goals in life. My father always says that when you have no goals in life, you have no reason to live.
Lyoto Machida
Don’t be that guy in the hospital bed saying “I wonder what would have happened if I tried it” The worst thing that can happen is that it doesn’t work.
Dana White
I am white belt minded, you can always get better. Once you think you’re good, you’re in for a rude awakening.
Max Holloway
Dream big, stay positive, work hard and enjoy the journey.
Urijah Faber
You got to love it, so you want it so bad that you’re pushing yourself to those limits that you hate it.
Nick Diaz
A fighter with heart will almost always win out against a fighter with skill but no will.
Chuck Liddell
Love to see this every day !