Which current UFC champion are you, based on your MBTI (Personality test)?

Francis Ngannou (top), Jiří Procházka (left), and Israel Adesanya (right)
Francis Ngannou (top), Jiří Procházka (left), and Israel Adesanya (right)

[This is not a clinical diagnosis and merely a fan's opinion.]

UFC champions make up a rare breed of mixed martial artists. They set themselves apart from other UFC fighters in not only athleticism and skill but also their mentalities. This enables them to achieve what most MMA fighters only fantasize about. Those who capture UFC gold and reign over their divisions as undisputed champions possess minds different to their peers.

The MBTI - Myers–Briggs Type Indicator - report, an ever-popular report founded by Isabel Briggs Myers and Katharine Cooks Briggs, aims to categorize people into sixteen distinct psychological profiles.

That's what we're going for here, but with UFC champions! We'll try and use our best judgment to relate certain personality types to a UFC champion so you can see who you're closest to. From female champions to male ones, this list will leave no stone unturned.

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Do UFC champions have personality types in common? Are they all different? Perhaps so, perhaps not. Regardless, which UFC champions do your MBTI test results best match? This list will help you answer that question.


Based on your MBTI, which UFC champion are you?

Carla Esparza: ESTP

Carla Esparza at UFC 274: Oliveira v Gaethje
Carla Esparza at UFC 274: Oliveira v Gaethje

Not long after capturing the UFC strawweight championship for the second time in her career, Carla Esparza immediately shut down rumors of facing former champion Zhang Weili for her title so soon after winning it. Esparza said the turnaround was too quick. She would not fight on the challenger's terms. Instead, the challenger would fight on her terms.

'The Cookie Monster' seems like a classic ESTP, exhibiting the fierce independent streak they are known for. By denying both Zhang Weili and the UFC's timeline for the matchup, she showcased a known ESTP desire to exert control over her own life. She also shares the ESTP weaknesses of being stubborn and insensitive to the feelings of others. Not only did she push back against the UFC's wishes, but she infamously bullied Randa Markos in The Ultimate Fighter.


Valentina Shevchenko: ISTP

No one would mistake current UFC women's flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko for anything but an ISTP. The women's flyweight queen is a private, enigmatic presence. While friendly and polite, she shares little to nothing about her personal life, except for openly showcasing her close relationship with her younger sister, Antonina Shevchenko.

As with most ISTPs, Shevchenko is poised under pressure while also exhibiting trademark stubbornness. In the octagon, she uses her distance management to frustrate her foes into coming forward, so she can lean back and counter them with check hooks and pull her leg away and throw non-committal low kicks, body kicks, and back-kicks.

After conditioning her foes to these counters, which frustrate her opponents even more, she ducks under their reckless punches with a body lock and inside-trip. This is Shevchenko's game plan, and she never deviates from it, even when it doesn't work, such as when it led to her being outwrestled by Holly Holm. This is an element of her ISTP stubbornness.


Julianna Peña: ENFP

Julianna Peña is the UFC women's bantamweight champion, which very few people had given her a chance of becoming due to the seemingly insurmountable challenge that stood in her way at the time: defeating Amanda Nunes, arguably the greatest women’s fighter in history.

Like an ENFP, Peña trusts her intuition without fail, something she has displayed repeatedly, even in her fight with Nunes when she chose to stand and trade blows with 'The Lioness'. The reigning champion is outgoing and enthusiastic. Like the classic ENFP, Peña is prone to venturing beyond her comfort zone and exploring new avenues of life, as expressed by her desire to one day pursue standup comedy.


Amanda Nunes: ISTP

Former women's bantamweight champion and current women's featherweight champion Amanda Nunes is widely regarded as the greatest female fighter in MMA history.

She has defeated other legends of the sport, such as Holly Holm, Ronda Rousey, Valentina Shevchenko, Meisha Tate, and Cris Cyborg, most of whom were once world champions and one of whom is currently a world champion.

Much like her longtime rival Valentina Shevchenko, Nunes seems like an ISTP. While she is calm, she is prone to spontaneous bursts of energy. She also operates with more freedom, being one of the first openly gay fighters on the UFC roster.


Deiveson Figueiredo: ISTP

Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC Fight Night: Figueredo v Benavidez 2
Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC Fight Night: Figueredo v Benavidez 2

Current flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo is one of the scariest fighters in his division. He possesses fearsome knockout power and a deadly submission game with airtight chokes.

Figueiredo is likely an ISTP, having indulged in his creative exploration of different ideas and projects, which is best illustrated by the various jobs he's had throughout his life. To date, the reigning flyweight champion has been a sushi chef, hairdresser, and bricklayer, in addition to being a mixed martial artist. This is due to the ISTP's tendency to give in to their impulsive energy and commit to sudden changes in direction and ambition.


Aljamain Sterling: ESFP

Aljamain Sterling at UFC 273: Volkanovski v The Korean Zombie Zombie
Aljamain Sterling at UFC 273: Volkanovski v The Korean Zombie Zombie

Aljamain Sterling is the current bantamweight champion. Inside the octagon, he is known for his wrestling acumen and Brazilian jiu-jitsu skills, which he often uses to secure quick back takes en route to his patented rear naked choke.

Outside the cage, Sterling is best identified by his flashy fashion sense. He puts enormous importance on his aesthetic, from his distinct hairstyles to the large signature gold chain he wears outside the octagon. This trait is common among ESFPs who pride themselves on their fashion choices.

The world champion is also as generous as most ESFPS, even offering to move to the featherweight division to give his teammate Merab Dvalishvili an opportunity to capture bantamweight gold.


Alexander Volkanovski: ISTP

Alexander Volkanovsi at the UFC 276 Press Conference
Alexander Volkanovsi at the UFC 276 Press Conference

The reigning featherweight kingpin is a well-rounded fighter who uses his multi-faceted skill-set to cause his foes to undergo a decision-overload. This is in line with the behavior of the ISTP.

To cause an overload of decisions in his foes, Volkanovski achieved significant skill in every facet of mixed martial arts, operating with a degree of freedom that rendered him just as likely to pursue striking as much as he did wrestling. The unpredictability of his approach matches the unpredictable nature of the ISTP.

Volkanovski further exhibited this trait when he, for his own reasons, directed trash talk at three-time opponent Max Holloway when the latter was forced to withdraw from a bout due to injury. Until then, the Australian had never been known to engage in such behavior.


Charles Oliveira: ESFP

Charles Oliveira at UFC 269: Oliveira v Poirier
Charles Oliveira at UFC 269: Oliveira v Poirier

Unofficially, Charles Oliveira is the lightweight champion. He never lost the championship in the octagon, instead relinquishing it due to a mishap at the weigh-ins before defeating title challenger Justin Gaethje in a definitive fashion.

Oliveira seems like an ESFP; an entertainer, if there ever was one. In the cage, he is an exciting action fighter who, like the ESFP, enjoys putting on a show. He is also willing to step outside his comfort zone, as evidenced by his adoption of Muay Thai over simply clinging to his comfort zone of Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

Furthermore, Oliveira also possesses the bold nature of the ESFP, even going so far as to claim he'd face Islam Makhachev and then challenge Khabib Nurmagomedov to abandon his retirement. Lastly, the Brazilian exhibits a distinct aesthetic with his dyed blonde hair, indoor sunglasses, and vibrant suits.


Kamaru Usman: ISFP

Kamaru Usman at the UFC 278 Press Conference
Kamaru Usman at the UFC 278 Press Conference

The only MMA fighter who currently poses a challenge to Alexander Volkanovski as the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world, Kamaru Usman is one of the most dominant fighters in the sport today. The welterweight champion exhibits the traits of an ISFP.

While naturally introverted, he is eager to expand his boundaries and try his hand at new projects. This is best seen in his growing passion for boxing. Usman, a lifelong wrestler, developed a sharp jab under the tutelage of Trevor Wittman. Yet, even the octagon couldn't contain his desire to expand. He repeatedly challenged Canelo Alvarez to a boxing match before recently swearing to jump up to the light heavyweight division.

This is not only in line with the adventuristic traits of the ISFP but also their independent streaks. Furthermore, Usman is overly competitive and is often bothered by minor slights that he perceives as a challenge.


Israel Adesanya: ESFP

Israel Adesanya at UFC 276: Adesanya v Cannonier
Israel Adesanya at UFC 276: Adesanya v Cannonier

Much of the reigning middleweight champion's character revolves around his aesthetic. From his showy walkouts to the cage to his fashion sense, Israel Adesanya is the consummate ESFP. In fact, his nickname 'The Last Stylebender' is a descriptor for the value he puts on entertainment.

This typically manifests in his streetwear and instinct for dancing. Prior to his recent performances in the cage, Adesanya was also known for being a creative showman as a fighter. It's arguable that, like the ESFP, Adesanya is fairly sensitive, often responding strongly to harsh criticism.


Jiří Procházka: INFJ

Jiří Procházka at UFC 275: Teixeira v Prochazka
Jiří Procházka at UFC 275: Teixeira v Prochazka

The current champion of the UFC's light heavyweight division, Jiří Procházka, is an enigmatic character who gives enormous credence to the moral and ethical values of the warrior lifestyle. This is most clearly seen in his adoption of the Bushido moral code from Japanese culture.

The Czech's interest in other cultures is yet another bit of evidence of his INFJ tendencies, as the INFJ is often found in fields related to cultural studies. Furthermore, Procházka is a perfectionist like the INFJ, disparaging his own performance against Glover Teixeira despite successfully capturing UFC gold against the Brazilian veteran. Finally, the Czech phenom also exhibits a fascination with profound philosophical truths, a common interest of the INFJ.


Francis Ngannou: ISFP

Francis Ngannou at UFC 270: Ngannou v Gane
Francis Ngannou at UFC 270: Ngannou v Gane

The most powerful puncher in UFC history is the reigning heavyweight champion and most likely an ISFP. Francis Ngannou is a hulking but soft-spoken specimen who radiates the warmhearted, approachable personality of ISFPs.

Despite his relatively quiet demeanor, Ngannou has strong ambitions and yearns to explore his passions. Mixed martial arts is not enough, as the Cameroonian intends to box as well, actively seeking a matchup with heavyweight legend Tyson Fury. He also appears to minimize conflict, having never feuded with any of his opponents, not even Ciryl Gane, whose coach has a contentious, personal history with Ngannou.

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Edited by Avinash Tewari
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