5 times UFC fighters used their rage to fuel spectacular performances
To make it in the UFC, one needs to have ruthless aggression. Fighting without fear requires a certain level of inner-fire that most people simply do not possess. With months of prepping both body and mind, many fighters come into the octagon with tunnel-vision focus and bad intentions.
Of course, there are other times when things are simply taken too far in the build-up to a fight. In turn, the aggression displayed in the ring is far more than a psychological commitment to the craft. A personal anger has taken root and, most of the time, it can only be quashed by a dominant win over the offender.
For the many times a furious fighter has come undone, there are those whose anger drove them to new peaks in performance.
Here are five UFC fighters who channeled their rage successfully in the octagon:
#5. Ronda Rousey at UFC 190
Heading into UFC 190, ‘Rowdy’ Ronda Rousey was nothing short of furious. The then-UFC women’s bantamweight champ had been on the receiving end of Bethe Correia’s brand of trash talk. Almost everyone watching at the time condemned Correia for her comments.
At just eight years old, Rousey lost her father after he tragically decided to take his own life. Looking to get under the champ’s skin, Correia buried Rousey in interviews, questioning her work ethic, commitment and psychological strength ahead of their bout.
During one such rant, Correia even signed off with:
“She is not mentally healthy, she needs to take care of herself. She is winning, so everybody is around her cheering her up, but when she realizes she is not everything that she believes she is, I don't know what might happen. I hope she does not kill herself later on.”
Correia found herself on the receiving end of a knockout punch 34 seconds into round one. It’s safe to say her psychological warfare had the polar opposite of its desired effect.