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#4. Israel Adesanya
Current middleweight kingpin Israel Adesanya is one of the most outspoken personalities in the UFC. As a fighter, he's equally as expressive, fighting with an evident desire to prove his superiority to his foes. While 'The Last Stylebender' is supremely confident, he does not hide behind a wall of false self-certainty.
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The Nigerian is an advocate for mental health progression in MMA. In the past, he has praised divisional rival Robert Whittaker for the Australian's willingness to open up about his mental health struggles. In a self-admission of his own, Adesanya stated his own willingness to express his emotions, doing so on and off camera. Furthermore, Adesanya has his own therapist, something he believes is essential.
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By the Nigerian's own account, he has witnessed many fighters who perform well in gym environments during sparring yet crumble under pressure when they fight under the bright lights of televised bouts. Lastly, he stressed the importance of having sports psychologists to help fighters prepare for the fame and pressure of being in the UFC.
#3. Georges St-Pierre
With one of the strongest claims to being the greatest fighter of all time, Georges St-Pierre is a former UFC welterweight champion and former UFC middleweight champion. The Canadian legend is known for being one of the sport's most empathetic fighters, and it is evident by how seriously he takes mental health.
In 2013, St-Pierre walked away from the UFC and MMA as a whole in a move that stunned the combat sports world, causing Dana White to demand that he retract his statements. However, after being burned out following his controversial win over Johny Hendricks, GSP made the decision to embark on a much-needed hiatus.
Throughout his career, St-Pierre has dealt with pre-fight anxiety, however, his hiatus was caused by a depression he has since revealed he was ashamed to admit to. St-Pierre expressed his reservations about how he'd have been perceived at the time as a wealthy fighter in good physical health, walking away from the sport due to depression.
Nevertheless, GSP took a well-deserved break, prioritizing the well-being of his mental health before returning in 2017 to capture the middleweight championship from Michael Bisping at UFC 217.
