Top 10 Most Confrontational UFC Weigh-Ins

These fights started BEFORE the match. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 10 Most Controversial UFC Weigh-Ins and Press Conferences. For this list, we’ll be looking at moments outside of the octagon where tensions were high and tempers flared between MMA’s top fighters.

UFC 148 Anderson Silva pulled off a come-from-behind victory over Chael Sonnen in their first encounter at UFC 117, submitting him with a triangle choke in the 5th round after being dominated for most of the fight. As one of the most reviled trash talkers in the UFC at the time, Sonnen did nothing but disrespect Silva leading up to their rematch at UFC 148. Not being one to mince words, Silva let his shoulder do the talking during their faceoff following the weigh-ins. He drove his shoulder into Sonnen’s mouth, sending the message that he’d heard all the smack talk and was going to put an end to it. Silva sealed the deal with a TKO victory over Sonnen, effectively ending their bitter rivalry.

UFC 137 Nick Diaz was making his second return to the UFC after a prolonged absence fighting for other promotions and was supposed to take on Georges St-Pierre for the Welterweight Championship at UFC 137. After missing press events, he was removed from that fight and scheduled to instead face BJ Penn on the same card. This clearly rubbed Diaz the wrong way and he showed visible frustration and aggression at the weigh-in, jamming his forehead into Penn’s during their faceoff. The ensuing scuffle was broken up quickly and without much incident, but the stage was set for a brutal 3-round fight in which Diaz took a unanimous decision.

#8: Conor McGregor vs. Jose Aldo

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UFC 189 You had to know Conor would show up on this list at some point. McGregor was set to face off against Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo at UFC 189 and the last stop on the press tour was Conor’s hometown of Dublin, Ireland. During the press event, Aldo made the mistake of claiming to be the real King of Dublin. Conor responded by reaching over and snagging Aldo’s Featherweight Belt right off the table to the delight of the Irish crowd. Ultimately, their fight was delayed because of injury until UFC 194, where Conor knocked out Aldo in 13 seconds to claim the Featherweight belt - and set a record for the quickest finish in a UFC title fight.

UFC 205 Conor wasn’t finished taking names and stealing belts. He did it again, this time to Eddie Alvarez, at the press conference leading up to UFC 205. McGregor showed up fashionably late to the event and snatched the Lightweight belt off the table, laying it next to his Featherweight title. Alvarez, who had left the stage in frustration, came storming back to confront McGregor. Poor Dana White had to get between them to keep the peace. Things continued to escalate, with Conor taking a page from the WWE and threatening Eddie with a steel chair. McGregor ended up delivering on the hype, stopping Alvarez in round 2 and making history as the first fighter to become UFC champion at two weight classes simultaneously.

#6: Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier

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UFC Summer Kickoff Jones and Cormier stole the spotlight at this 2017 press event, bringing their at this point 2-year rivalry to the next level. The two fighters had no shortage of nasty things to say to each other. Jon pointed out to DC that he’d never beaten him and that his Light Heavyweight title was an “imaginary belt.” DC responded by commenting on Jon’s choice of weekend activities and hypothesizing about what he would do to get suspended by the UFC next. The event was capped off by a fist fight that broke out between Michael Chiesa and Kevin Lee. Just another day at the office for the UFC.

UFC 196 The first clash between Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz happened on short notice at UFC 196. Conor was supposed to be fighting Rafael Dos Anjos for the Lightweight title. When Dos Anjos had to pull out due to injury, in stepped Nate Diaz on only twelve days notice. Twelve days was more than enough time for a fire to start burning between the two fighters. During the impromptu octagon-side press conference, Diaz and Conor exchanged verbal blows relentlessly, neither man backing down. On the day of the weigh-in, Diaz got a rare upper hand on McGregor, making him flinch during their staredown. The fight that followed was one for the books, with Nate submitting Conor in round 2 - sparking one of the most entertaining rivalries in the UFC.

UFC 193 Remember when Ronda Rousey was the woman to beat in the UFC? Before Holly delivered Ronda her first career loss, she showed an incredible amount of composure leading up to UFC 193. Ronda was a heavy favorite and her attitude was getting increasingly aggressive as their fight approached. During weigh-ins the intensity was palpable, and both fighters clashed during their staredown, having to be broken up and held back. Holly seemed unshakable, and that was getting under Ronda’s skin. Holm exposed her for the first time in her career during the fight and knocked her out in the second round with a head kick that shocked the entire MMA world.

UFC 202 During the lead-up to UFC 202, McGregor and Diaz’s rivalry was one of the hottest in the UFC. At the fight-week press conference, McGregor and his team showed up a half an hour late, as they’d been known to do. This upset Diaz, who decided that if Conor could decide when he wanted to show up, he could decide when he wanted to leave. Nate picked up and started heading out of the arena with his crew, flipping Conor off along the way. Diaz threw a water bottle, and before you knew it Conor was launching cans of Monster energy drink. The bad blood translated into the octagon, where after 5 rounds Conor won by decision.

#2: Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier

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UFC 178 This is the moment where it became clear to the world just now much Jones and Cormier hated each other. When Jones leaned into the face-off, DC retaliated with a shove. The whole thing quickly degenerated into an all-out brawl. Both men had to be dragged away by security and Jones ended up back on stage yelling into the audience before leaving. He was later fined $50,000 and sentenced to 40 hours of community service. This is one of very few instances of fights breaking out at UFC press events, and it did nothing but fuel the bitter rivalry between Jones and DC. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Anderson Silva & Vitor Belfort’s Intense Staredown UFC 126 Luke Rockhold Shares His Opinions About Michael Bisping UFC 199 Ronda Rousey Flips Off Miesha Tate UFC 168 Jessica Eye Tries to Start a Shoving Match with Bethe Correia UFC 203

UFC 229 The build-up to Conor vs Khabib was unlike anything the UFC had seen before. At the fight-week weigh-in, months of bad blood bubbled to the surface and both fighters looked like they were ready to go to war right then and there. Nobody had forgotten Conor’s crazy attack on Khabib’s team bus earlier that year and the stage was packed with security for their faceoff. Still, Conor lashed out at Khabib and even threw a kick as he was being pulled back. The craziness didn’t stop there. After their fight, in which Khabib submitted Conor in the fourth round, a brawl broke out between the two teams, showing that this rivalry is far from over.