People can point out the differences between mixed martial arts and professional wrestling all they want, but at the end of the day, they really aren't all that different.
They use championship belts in the same manner, they market themselves in a similar fashion and their fighters create larger than life personas in order to sell their fights to the general public.
There's nothing wrong with it and if anything, it's an ideology that should be embraced. The influence that the two spectacles have on each other is all too apparent.
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Members of the MMA world can claim that they can live without an event on the scale of WrestleMania, but once again we all know that they'd jump at the opportunity if it was presented to them.
So why not embrace the fact that there are clear babyfaces and heels within the promotion? After all, it's not like you can ignore the boos and cheers that differentiate between fighters.
Some are more hated than others and some are loved beyond belief, but everyone has a dark side and these guys, in particular, have had a blemish or two on their record. With that in mind, let's take a look at the five biggest UFC babyfaces in history and their biggest heel moments.
#1 Georges St-Pierre
Georges St-Pierre was the UFC's ultimate golden boy. His clean-cut look mixed with his phenomenal ability inside the octagon made him a household name, leading to numerous big money fights in addition to World Championship reigns.
It seemed as if nobody could touch GSP, but in just a few rounds, all of that changed during his final appearance with the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Also read: 5 Real life heels in UFC
GSP walked away with a decision victory over Johny Hendricks at UFC 167, despite the fact that the majority of people felt that Hendricks was the clear winner of the bout. As opposed to facing the issue head on, GSP announced an extended hiatus from the sport and scurried off into the shadows like a true cowardly heel.
Obviously there was more to it than that in terms of personal issues, but to this day there is still an ongoing situation between him and Dana White.
Onto a man who was rumoured to fight the Canadian for quite some time.
#2 Anderson Silva
Anderson Silva is probably the greatest mixed martial artist the world has ever seen.
It's a brave statement, but the Brazilian truly is one of a kind and the things that he could do in the octagon during his prime seemed unreal. Silva defended his championship on numerous occasions, however, his status as a fan favourite began to change starting in 2010.
During a fight with Demian Maia, Anderson spent the majority of the contest mocking Maia and pretty much making a fool out of everyone in attendance.
It was supposedly done because Maia had shown him a great lack of respect, but Anderson clearly wasn't thinking about the overall impact of his actions on the night.
Dana White was understandably furious, and Anderson continued down his heel path through a failed drugs test and with another show of over-confidence against Chris Weidman.
Back into the past now to another candidate for the title of "best ever".
#3 Chuck Liddell
In terms of popularity, you won't find too many fighters that top Chuck Liddell. The guy is an absolute legend and helped to build the UFC into what it is today.
Some may feel as if that's an overstatement, but the former World Champion had some of the greatest feuds and moments that the promotion has ever seen. It's a shame, then, that his convincing loss against Rampage Jackson was clouded in controversy.
The reason behind this is that Liddell was seen partying at a nightclub in preparation for the fight, which angered fans who felt he wasn't at 100%.
Liddell probably didn't help matters by unintentionally going full heel and revealing that his behaviour wasn’t dissimilar to any of his other top fights within the world of MMA. That may not have been the best move, Iceman.
Onto a man who is still fighting to the present day.
#4 Jose Aldo
Jose Aldo was one of the most respected fighters in the world for many years.
He was the UFC Featherweight Champion and was undefeated for over a decade back in 2015, it even looked as if he would go on to be known as one of the greatest champions in the history of the sport.
Unfortunately, that's where Conor McGregor stepped in and turned his world upside down.
Aldo's heel turn was more forced upon him than anything else, as he seemed to completely lose his morals following the 13-second knockout at the hands of the Irishman. Aldo was complaining left right and centre about both Conor and the UFC as a company, threatening to walk out and even refused to fight on a number of occasions.
Then, he was unfairly promoted to the position of Undisputed Champion once again. That's not particularly professional, Jose.
We conclude with the most tragic story of all.
#5 Jon Jones
Jon Jones had the world at his feet. He was the youngest champion in UFC history, had a number of impressive wins under his belt and looked set to carve out a legacy for himself as one of the greatest men to ever step inside the octagon.
Unfortunately, that's not quite how things worked out, and nowadays Jones is slowly attempting to repair and rebuild his crumbling legacy.
Why? Because his extreme partying, drug usage and reckless ways left him a shadow of the man he once was. After butchering a number of UFC events including UFC 151 and UFC 200, Jones was suspended on two different occasions for taking banned substances.
Somehow he is once again back in contention for a title, but many fans will feel like that shouldn't be the case.
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