Alexander Volkanovski and four other company men of the UFC
MMA is an individualistic sport. Naturally, the UFC consists of men who are driven by their own personal goals. Some are in the sport to enrich themselves in order to take better care of their families and improve their own economic status. Others are driven by competitive ambition.
They want to prove themselves the best fighters in the world, which often goes hand in hand with becoming their division's champion. Thus, MMA is a selfish sport, and mixed martial artists tend to focus on themselves. But this isn't true for all fighters. Some want nothing more than to please the UFC and its management.
These are the fighters who bend over backward for the promotion, at times even risking their health if it means improving their standing in the eyes of Dana White and co. They are the promotion's ultimate company men.
#5. Donald Cerrone, former UFC welterweight/lightweight
Dana White loves nothing more than exciting fighters who want to fight frequently and make quick turnarounds. There was a time when that description fit Donald Cerrone to a t. 'Cowboy' rarely ever pulled out of matchups and fought as often as he could, perhaps even too often.
In 2019, he fought four times, which he also did in 2016, 2015, 2014 and 2013. In 2011, however, he fought a whopping five times. Not only did he fight frequently, he never demanded anything of the UFC. He was easy to negotiate with, stepped in on short notice when called upon, and fought short-notice foes without incident.
On top of that, Cerrone has been listed as a witness on the promotion's behalf in the ongoing anti-trust lawsuit filed against it by disgruntled ex-fighters. There is nothing 'Cowboy' won't do if asked.
#4. Chael Sonnen, former UFC middleweight/light heavyweight
One of the all-time great trash-talkers, Chael Sonnen has made the UFC a tremendous amount of money with his gift of gab and promotional eye. In particular, his rivalry with Anderson Silva, which he promoted to highly lucrative heights, is among the greatest in history.
However, Sonnen did more than generate pay-per-view buys for the promotion. He also stepped in on short notice whenever necessary and never turned down an opponent, even those coming in as late replacements for someone he had spent months preparing for.
After retiring from MMA, Sonnen became an analyst. When his YouTube podcast experienced a surge in popularity, he was even accused of being a shill due to the sheer volume of takes he has that are incredibly favorable and complimentary to the promotion and their chosen stars.
#3. Michael Chandler, UFC lightweight
Despite only signing with the UFC in 2021, Michael Chandler has put in a tremendous amount of work in terms of endearing himself to his new bosses. First, he was quick to declare the promotion the home of the world's best fighters, in contrast to Bellator, where he had spent most of his career as a champion.
Second, he deliberately fights in a reckless manner in an effort to enthrone himself as the most entertaining fighter on the planet, all for the benefit of the promotion. Then, there are the promos, which he even cut on WWE television when he recently appeared on 'Monday Night RAW.'
The promo was a simple rehash of earlier ones, but it was clearly Chandler trying to coax Conor McGregor back into the octagon per the UFC's instruction. If that's not enough, he welcomed a coaching position on 'The Ultimate Fighter' and, like Cerrone, has also been named a witness for the promotion in its anti-trust lawsuit.
#2. Daniel Cormier, former UFC double champion
During Daniel Cormier's days as an active fighter, he was a consummate professional. He was a legendary fighter who achieved simultaneous two-division championship status and never caused any controversy for the promotion. He merely did what was expected of him.
If his original opponent was replaced, he wouldn't throw a tantrum. When Jon Jones tested positive for PEDs, 'DC' went as far as asking Dana White if there was a waiver he could sign to still fight him. In a world where fighters opt against facing opponents who miss weight, Cormier was something else.
However, it was upon becoming an analyst that his status as a company man truly hit its stride. Cormier never says a bad word about the UFC and even defends the promotion's most controversial positions. Furthermore, he hopes to one day replace White as its CEO (formerly president), and he is working toward it.
#1. Alexander Volkanovski, former UFC featherweight champion
Alexander Volkanovski is one of the greatest fighters of all time and is loved by both fans and the promotion for a reason. Fighters often become less active once they win the title and adopt safer, less exciting fighting styles. This couldn't be further from the truth when it comes to Volkanovski.
The moment he became a champion, he became more active and more exciting. Last year, he fought three times and did a massive favor for the company by stepping in on just 10 days' notice to face Islam Makhachev in a rematch. Allegedly, the entire agreement was made via a simple phone call.
Despite getting knocked out, he was willing to return to the octagon as early as UFC 297, just three months later. Instead, his return date was pushed back by a month to UFC 298, where he was again knocked out. However, his willingness to fight under such circumstances, even to the detriment of his own health, is unmatched.