Jose Mourinho in UFC: All Soccer Stars Who Had Cameos in MMA

Sports are all about entertainment, and there is no better entertainment than when we see athletes from different sports showing their appreciation for their colleagues in something that is completely different.

In this case, we have soccer and MMA. Two sports that are worlds apart, but somehow, we can still see soccer fans attending big MMA events.

Somehow, MMA or any other combat sport has always worked well with soccer. Why? We don’t know, but it seems like many soccer stars are fans of this sport. 

This got us thinking, who else has turned up to an MMA event? Let’s find out.

José Mourinho

If you like the sport of soccer or you simply know how to bet on soccer with YouBet, you are aware of the legend that is Jose Mourinho.

Mourinho attended the 2025 UFC in London, but this is not his first appearance. In fact, Mourinho has a well-documented love for combat sports, and we’ve seen him in many other UFC events before.

At the O2, he dodged predictions, which is kind of surprising for him to be honest. He is usually the one who isn’t shy of words, but in this case, when he was asked who the winner would be, he said: “If I speak, I’ll get into trouble,” which is a nod to his infamous press conference in soccer.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Next, we have another soccer legend – Cristiano Ronaldo, who is still breaking records with his National Team appearance. Over his career, he won five Ballon d’Or awards and has a Champions League record of 141 goals.

Since he joined Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia in 2023, he has visited multiple big combat sporting events.

But the biggest one was when he attended the UFC Fight Night 250 in Riyadh’s ANB Arena, supporting his friend Sharaputdin Magomedov, in his co-main event bought against Michael Page.

He even met with Magomedov days earlier at Al-Nassr’s training ground and gifted him a signed jersey and a prediction that he could be a UFC champ.

But this is not his first appearance in UFC events. Not long ago, we’ve seen Cristiano Ronaldo pulling up with Conor McGregor in Anthony Joshua’s fight with Otto Wallin in Saudi Arabia. His interaction with the UFC champ McGregor went viral on social media.

Zlatan Ibrahimović

Next we have Zlatan Ibrahimović, the Swedish soccer star with Bosnian roots that always been tied close to combat sports. After all, he has the build and physique of a fighter, and if the soccer career didn’t go well, he’d definitely be one. 

After all, he is one of the few, if not the only, soccer players who has a black belt in taekwondo since age 17. That’s why he is throwing kicks very high on the soccer pitch. 

So, if we put all soccer stars into the octagon, I’d put my money on Zlatan. He is fearless.

Fortunately, they only appear as cameos at big events, and they don’t participate in big fighting events. The only way to bet on them is in their main sport – soccer, and if you are a fan, we suggest that you learn how to bet on soccer with YouBet.

Throughout his career, he scored close to 600 goals playing for teams like Ajax, Manchester United, and AC Milan.

During his time in the LA Galaxy, he visited the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas and even sparred with fighters posting on social media,” Learning from the best at UFC PI.”

Although we’ve still not seen him at a big UFC event as a spectator, he is definitely watching the event from home.

Wayne Rooney

Wayne Rooney, England’s former captain, swapped the pitch for the cage as a fan. Born October 24, 1985, in Liverpool, he scored 253 goals for Manchester United, winning five Premier League titles and a Champions League. 

After retiring in 2021, Rooney’s love for combat sports shone through. He attended UFC 189 in Las Vegas on July 11, 2015, watching Conor McGregor knock out Chad Mendes, as well as UFC 304.

Photos from the MGM Grand Garden Arena show him cageside with his son Kai, and he later praised McGregor’s “ruthless” style in a 2015 BBC interview. Rooney’s also boxed recreationally, but his MMA link stays spectator-only.

He even showed his support for Molly McCann after she announced her retirement from MMA at UFC London.

Eric Cantona

Eric Cantona, the French forward, didn’t step into the UFC, but his infamous kung fu kick ties him to MMA’s spirit. Born May 24, 1966, in Marseille, he scored 82 goals for Manchester United, clinching four Premier League titles before retiring in 1997. 

On January 25, 1995, at Selhurst Park, he launched a flying kick at a Crystal Palace fan after a red card—a moment replayed endlessly, including in a 2011 Bleacher Report piece on footballers in combat sports. 

While not an Octagon cameo, Cantona’s martial arts flair (he studied judo as a teen) inspired MMA fans, with UFC commentator Joe Rogan calling it “iconic” on a 2016 podcast. Pure soccer chaos, MMA-adjacent.

Neymar Jr.

Neymar Jr., Brazil’s dazzling forward, has a legit MMA connection through Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ). Born February 5, 1992, in Mogi das Cruzes, he’s scored 136 goals for Paris Saint-Germain and won a 2016 Olympic gold with Brazil. 

A BJJ brown belt under Ricardo Marques, Neymar trains at his private dojo in São Paulo, as detailed in a 2022 Globo Esporte feature. 

In 2019, he attended UFC 237 in Rio de Janeiro, cheering Max Holloway’s win over José Aldo, with ESPN Brazil noting his presence among 15,000 fans at Jeunesse Arena. Neymar’s Instagram occasionally shows BJJ rolls—no fights, but a clear nod to MMA’s roots.

Clearly, there are many soccer fans who love combat sports, which is the reason why we see so many cameos.