When you're competing in the high-stakes world of MMA, one wrong move could lead to your head getting taken off. That means making the most of your camera time while your face is still intact.
Here are five UFC athletes who care as much about their follicles as they do their fighting:
Elias Theodorou
No list of finely coiffed fighters would be complete without the self-proclaimed "Mane Event," Elias Theodorou.
The Canadian middleweight owns a 5-1 record in the UFC, but his flowing locks have arguably led to greater success outside the cage - he's managed to land the covers of Harlequin romance novels and shampoo sponsorships.
Rick Glenn
Look at this magnificent specimen.
Rick Glenn joined the UFC with a World Series of Fighting featherweight championship on his resume, but a loss to Evan Dunham in his debut knocked some of the wind out of his sails.
He bounced back in spectacular fashion in his second booking, topping Phillipe Nover; more importantly, he did so with a thick head of hair complemented by a wicked mustache.
Nover actually retired following this encounter with Glenn's 'stache, which may or may not have been a coincidence.
Bec Rawlings
Bec Rawling's bobbing purple top knot is a dangerous distraction for any foe going face to face with her.
It isn't just for show, either. The hypnotic hairdo appears to take on a life of its own when the strawweight gets agitated, perhaps indicating she's ready to power up like a "Dragon Ball Z" character:
Sage Northcutt
It's hard to say what's most striking about Sage Northcutt: His incredible feats of strength or his hair, which is straight out of an early 2000s boy band poster.
The 20-year-old lightweight almost had to shave his head after losing to Mickey Gall this past December, but luckily he never officially agreed to the challenger's "hair versus hair" stipulation.
Clay Guida
Simply put, Clay Guida is the godfather of slick fighter hair.
Guida is a ball of energy when he competes, a style that is accentuated perfectly by his curly mop whipping around in every direction. The 49-fight veteran is so committed to his look that he refused to change it when developers of a UFC video game were having problems rendering his glorious mane.
UFC president Dana White offered him $10,000 to cut his hair so that they could include him in the game. The suggestion was shear insanity to Guida, who declined.
(Photos courtesy: Action Images)
