Chael Sonnen

Chael 'The American Gangster' Sonnen is the greatest trash-talker the sport has ever produced - a strong NCAA wrestler who turned a gift for the microphone into genuine superstardom. His defining night came in 2010, when he dominated pound-for-pound king Anderson Silva for more than four rounds in a middleweight title fight before getting caught in a late submission, one of the most famous near-upsets in MMA history.

He parlayed that performance and his relentless self-promotion into a rematch and even a light heavyweight title shot against Jon Jones, proving he could talk his way to the front of any line. Always polarizing, he was beloved by some for the showmanship and reviled by others for the brash villain act. In retirement he became one of the sport's most prominent broadcasters, ensuring his outsized personality never left the spotlight.