"Being the heavyweight champion has to be the most chest-thumping experience possible for a fighter, if for no other reason than that the title comes with the swaggering nickname "baddest man on the planet." That glorifying designation first surfaced widely in boxing in the late 1980s during the heavyweight championship reign of Mike Tyson. His aggression, punching power and spine-chilling demeanor left opponents defeated by intimidation as much as fisticuffs."
"When an MMA heavyweight gains recognition as the "baddest man on the planet," it's often an outgrowth of the story behind how he won the championship. Francis Ngannou captured the UFC belt in 2021 by knocking out Stipe Miocic, whose three title defenses established a heavyweight record that still stands. Miocic first won the title in 2016 by knocking out Fabricio Werdum, who earlier had secured a place of honor in the sport's annals by finishing two of the greatest ever, Fedor Emelianenko."
Being the heavyweight champion confers the swaggering nickname 'baddest man on the planet.' That label rose in boxing during Mike Tyson's late-1980s reign, driven by aggression, power and intimidation. The moniker has largely shifted to MMA, where championship narratives and dramatic knockouts define perceived supremacy. Francis Ngannou earned the UFC belt in 2021 with a knockout of Stipe Miocic, who had set a heavyweight record with three title defenses after winning the title in 2016 by knocking out Fabricio Werdum. Werdum had earlier finished Fedor Emelianenko in the sport's annals. Cain Velasquez became champion in 2010 by decisively defeating Brock Lesnar. Tom Aspinall rose to the UFC heavyweight belt without dethroning a reigning champion.
Read at ESPN.com
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