10 Legendary MMA Fighters You've Probably Never Heard Of

Help Wanted: What Was Your Most Memorable Run-In With an MMA Fighter?


(Gina agreed to sign his neck, but turned down his request for a contribution to his skin suit.)

Once again, we’re going to hand our CagePotato Roundtable column over to the unwashed masses. Next Friday’s topic is: “What was your most memorable run-in with an MMA fighter?” And you bastards are going to write it for us.

Did a chance encounter with a UFC fighter in a bar turn into an all-night bender? Did a request for an autograph at a Fan Expo leave you with much more than you were looking for? Did the anxiety from meeting your hero cause you to say something really freakin’ stupid? Have you ever been on a date with a well-known MMA fighter? And did he/she turn out to be a kind, patient lover? As long as your story is entertaining (and true), we’d love to hear it.

Send your stories to tips@cagepotato.com by next Wednesday (7/25) at midnight ET. We’ll pick a handful of the best ones and run ‘em on Friday. And as before, please let us know if you don’t want us to print your names. Thanks guys!

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geohutch88- July 21, 2012 at 12:35 am
This is a fighter "not run in" story. So spring of 2008 my two older brothers and I are at the Arnold classics the day before Anderson vs Hendo. Sokoudjou, who is still riding high on his pride exploits even though he is 1-1 in ufc, is there signing autographs and taking pics. So my oldest bro and I get in line, but my other brother refuses. He says soko aint nothing special and he isn't going anywhere so why take a picture with a guy thats gonna be a loser.We tell him he is crazy get the pic with autograph and here we are years later Soko's record is getting close to being under .500 and he's off the radar. I guess he was right. I still got the autographed pic tho anybody want to trade it for a nickle and a pack of bubble gum?
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Mofo- July 20, 2012 at 8:50 pm
I bumped into Matt Serra at a kickboxing event in the Bowery a few years ago. He was very short. And very nice. My old teacher Mark Dellagrotte was his striking coach on his season 4 of TUF, so we bonded over that. Also did I mention he's very small. He's playing Ant Man in that movie coming up. He's very nice but I accidentally stepped on him and he got squished like grape.
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Xanderschultz- July 20, 2012 at 7:28 pm
A couple other quick ones.

I was in Vegas at Trist nightclub and ran into Shawn Tompkins after Coleman's fight w/ Couture. I know Mark (who wasn't there), but not Shawn. Shawn still greeted me like I was family. He ended up giving me and my boys the whole VIP table, w/ like 5 bottles included. He seemed like a really cool, genuine guy.

Also, I met Genki Sudo (personal fav) in Colorado Springs and didn't recognize him right away. I told him he looked familiar, but I was at a wrestling tournament and I definitely didn't remember him from wrestling. He asked if I watched MMA and it instantly clicked, but for some reason, instead of shaking his hand, I started doing the robot, half in celebration, half in homage too him. He jumped right in and we spent 5-10 seconds doing the robot together. That was an AWESOME moment.
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Xanderschultz- July 20, 2012 at 7:21 pm
I was in Tokyo w/ Henderson and Page in 04 (weekend Page ended up getting suspended on the ropes by Wandy). I was 18 and kind of vulgar at the time and kept talking about how I wanted to get some action from a japanese girl.

Page was going through some sort of religious stage and had a monogamous relationship w/ a japanese chick (i think) at the time and was telling me that I need to calm down and get w/ god and pretty much all the things you wouldn't expect to hear from a guy like him.

As he's saying this, there happens to be a priest in our lobby, so he actually brings me over to talk to the priest. While we're talking to the priest, a japanese guy the size of 12 year old tries to pick pocket him!!!! Why would you target Rampage Jackson???? I slapped the guys hands away and pleaded w/ my eyes for him to run before Jackson noticed. Well, Jackson noticed, but he was really chill and just kind of gave the guy a 'c'mon brah' look. Thank god.
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salem123- July 20, 2012 at 6:20 pm
like Arthur replied I am shocked that a student able to earn $9035 in four weeks on the internet. have you seen this web link NuttyRich.com
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munche- July 19, 2012 at 3:23 pm
I was at an MMA expo thing in SoCal one time, and generally having a good time and fanboying out meeting lots of different fighters, most of whom were really awesome and friendly (Notably awesome: Mayhem and Martin Kampmann)

So over near the booze area, we see Tank Abbott walking out (because of course he's in that area). I decide it'd be cool to get a pic to show some of my buddies, so I walk up and ask him if I can get a photo.

Tank gives me a pissy look, growls "In a minute!", pulls his phone out of his pocket, dials, puts it to his ear and turns around and just walks off.

You kind of expect Tank to be a drunken asshole based on his persona, so in that respect, Tank delivered. Keep doing what you do, Tank.
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RSparrow- July 19, 2012 at 4:05 am
First, I'd never throw someone under the bus. For what its worth, the best time I've ever had has got to be with Pulver. Me and him got shit-canned together, and had a crazy deep talk about life. This man is so down to earth.. I've never met a more honest, and determined individual. He only knows one thing, and thats fighting. It really hurt when he was struggling after his cut and string of losses. He's a great fighter with a big heart, and was very positive in his outlook on life. After 6 jager bombs and plenty of guinness, I had to drop the poor guy off with his wife, 3 hours later then scheduled. We still talk, and I really would like everyones support for his next fight. Unlike a lot UFC fighters that get big heads and think their shit doesnt stink, this is one to really get behind and support. Let's do this guys, WAR lil evil
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stephenmonroe- July 19, 2012 at 1:38 am
I was training at Rick Vail's studio back in 96 with Brain Ebersole who's record now is 50-14 with 4 straight wins in the UFC and a fight on the 21st for the UFC. He was doing a move where a guy gets you in a bear hug and you step off to the side and behind him and grab his legs and lift him up, I said, "I don't think that move would work in a actual fight" He said 'well put me in a bear hug and lets see if i can do it' so i grab him, he goes one way than the other then the other until he's able to grab my legs and he lifts me up, well he had a bum knee at the time and while im up in the air his knee gives out and drops me flat on my back with his body weight on me, it felt like my body stop and all my internal organs keep moving when i hit, ive never in my life had the wind knock out of me that bad ever, i couldn't breath, couldn't move and couldn't talk,, and i never said i thought a move was unpractical to him after that. Atleast it was a future UFC fighter that fucked up my world that day.
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stephenmonroe- July 19, 2012 at 1:07 am
In 1998 i was training at a Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Association and my instructor Dave Gomez was putting on fights at Crystal Gardens in Southgate Mi. I went to the bathroom and Mark Coleman was in there taking a piss, and a guy asked him how he got started in mma, Coleman said, ' I was a bad motherfucker and the word got out' Thats back when he was a bad motherfucker, great guy to take time out for a fan in the middle of a piss.
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stephenmonroe- July 19, 2012 at 12:54 am
Back in 1996 i was at a Headshop looking at bongs when i saw a poster for a Renzo Gracie seminar at Rick Vail's Jeet Kune Do studio, i was in love with mma but never had the chance to train until i saw that poster. Renzo was great but he would excuse himself in the middle of a move or conversation and go to the back and disappear , after the 3rd or 4th time i ask Rick why he was doing that, he said' Joe Gotia took him out last night and got him liquid up on Tequila hoping to do better against him the next day when they sparred,and he had to excuse himself to go throw-up... Renzo also stop talking in the middle of a move to asked a guy,who obviously never grappled before if he had to be somewhere at a certain time, the guy was dumbfounded until Renzo got up and walked over with a big smile on his face and said, 'well remove your watch then' the guy was rolling while wearing a wristwatch, How funny , but we were all new to the game back than.
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Mr_Misanthropy- July 19, 2012 at 12:24 am
Met Chael Sonnen here in PDX back in the day as friends of his are friends with friends of mine. That was around the first time Chael fought in the UFC, I used to go to the Rumble at the Roseland (amateur fights) that he organized. I also believe that I worked out at the same gym as Ed Herman in Milwaukie (OR (Nelson's Nautilus)) for a couple of years before he was in the UFC but I never talked to him because I'm an anti-social dick head.
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thepeeler- July 18, 2012 at 8:19 pm
i met jon fitch before the bj penn fight. really nice guy. he was nice enough to chat and take a photo even though he was having lunch with his wife and i was even wearing a bj penn shirt. he told me bj was down the road (both were in town to promote their fight)...i didn't ever find bj but i did find matt mitrione (also a cool guy) and ariel helwani having ice cream together.
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PHISTAKUPHS- July 18, 2012 at 6:00 pm
I met wanderlei in Odessa tx. Very cool. He was supposed to host a ppv screening at a sports bar but got a late start because he refused to enter the bar until he finished signing autographs outside. Nice guy.
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DonGino- July 18, 2012 at 5:50 pm
I met Mark Coleman at an amateur mma festival in Cols. OH. I thought it was cool the way he took time out to talk to my kids (by the way i have 6) and listened to them. We met forrest during a meet-n-greet i dont even think he looked up once. Randy and the muscle shark were really nice too.
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Fried Taco- July 18, 2012 at 1:34 pm
Sorry, my mouse has a problem, it keeps double-clicking.
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Fried Taco- July 18, 2012 at 1:34 pm
Trained with Andrei Arlovski shortly before his fight with Fedor. I showed him how to do the perfect flying knee.
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Fried Taco- July 18, 2012 at 1:34 pm
Trained with Andrei Arlovski shortly before his fight with Fedor. I showed him how to do the perfect flying knee.
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mcw89138- July 18, 2012 at 1:30 pm
Living in Vegas, I've had a lot of encounters with fighters. Forrest Griffin lives in my neighborhood, and he's a complete dickhole. I've tried saying hi when he's going into his house and have waived a few times when he's driving his Scion, and each time he's given me a cold stare. Others have had the same experience with him. I've run into Frank Mir multiple times, and he's a great guy. Once in 2007, I sat down with him at Jimmy John's and talked for a while about BJJ and his career comeback. I once saw Gray Maynard at Chipotle, and he was very friendly. Wanderlei used to jog the scenic loop at Red Rock, and he would always return waives as fans drove by and stop to talk with fans during breaks. Sean Tompkins used to train with some of my friends at the now defunct Xyience center, and everybody loved him and has nothing but great things to say about him. All of the local fighters are pretty cool and fan-friendly except for Griffin, my experience.
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FightZen- July 18, 2012 at 1:18 pm
One time I saw Michael Bisping sleeping comfortably on his own pillow soft fists. I can not confirm my suspicion that douche water, not drool, was dripping out of his mouth, but I'm feeling pretty confident.
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rickdickulous- July 18, 2012 at 1:00 pm
He isn't a fighter, but at an M1show in Kansas City I told Jerry Millen to suck my balls. He followed me and asked me what my problem was and I told him he was bad for the sport and doesn't serve a purpose. Then he went on a rant about Dana White banging the ring girls and being a coke head and asked me why I even showed up. I told him it was to meet Fedor, because he is a legend. Then he told me Fedor would be in the UFC if Dana White would pay him. Eventually my friends came over and smoothed things over but 2 things were clear. Jerry Millen is unbelievably jealous of DW and that man was on something. His pupils were HUGE and he was acting twitchy and weird. I have pics, they are awesome.
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XENOPHON- July 18, 2012 at 12:50 pm
I was at a Vegas convention, and walked passed Matt Hughes. He didn't look like a bad guy, but was stuck taking photographs with a bunch posers wearing MMA t-shirts. Felt sorry for the guy, that he was once a great fighter - but his employer pimped him out.
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XENOPHON- July 18, 2012 at 12:30 pm
beef_kurtains - Slater is by far the BEST. From that I know, he can't throw down too.
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Carlitos Colon- July 18, 2012 at 12:25 pm
Saw Rashad Evans in SOBE walking with a friend, I ask him for a photo and he said "My friend is a fighter also, you want a picture with him?" I answered "Sure" It was some guy named Nathan Marquardt!
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DuderMcBadass- July 18, 2012 at 10:49 am
Met Don Fry at the Houston Fan Expo. Best quote: "Dana wouldn't cross the street and piss on me if I was on fire, fuck him."
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beef_kurtains- July 18, 2012 at 9:42 am
Met Jason Von Flue, Gan McGee, Mike Whitehead, and Chuck all on separate occasions in SLO, and all at bars. Bought every one of them a beer and shared a brief convo. But the highlight of celebrity meetings was with Kelly Slater at McCarthy's (the old one). Only time I ever asked for a picture with someone.
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