There really isn’t much motivation not to cheat in a mixed martial arts bout. Some of the unwritten rules of MMA refereeing include that you can’t take a point away from a fighter unless they have received a warning for having done the same thing previously.
What that essentially means is that you can grab the shorts, grab the cage and kick your opponent square in the nuts at least once without seeing any repercussions.
While taking a point away for a foul without first giving a warning has occurred before (see Brock vs. Mir 1), it is the exception and not the rule.
The fact that there isn’t more blatant cheating in MMA is actually a testament to the level of sportsmanship that exists in the sport. Most fighters won’t cheat not because they are worried about losing a point, rather they won’t cheat just because you’re not supposed to cheat.
Some fighters aren’t like that though, some fighters will cheat. This article celebrates the cheaters.
For the purposes of this list a dirty fighter is defined as one who takes cheap shots and cheats during the course of a bout, not one who cheats by taking PEDs (though some fighters would appear on that list as well).
Here are the top 6 dirty fighters all time in MMA…
