As any adult will tell you, slip-ups and mistakes are inevitable in life. Many people see mistakes as a bad thing, and have a tendency to judge those who make them, if only to reassure themselves that they aren’t as much of a screw up as the person they’re criticizing.

This criticism is magnified for those who have slip-ups in the public eye. One’s perception and reputation is important – for Hollywood notables it can mean the difference between landing a leading role in a film and doing an irrelevant TV commercial overseas.

For a professional mixed martial arts fighter, it can mean much more. In a sport where a fighter’s ability to deal with mental hurdles is as important as their ability to stuff a takedown, a perceived fall from grace can have consequences that go beyond drawing power and bank statements.

When failed drug tests and legal troubles are added into the mix, things can get pretty hairy.

Here are a few of the fighters featured in the embedded video:
Jon Jones – Jones became the youngest UFC LHW champion in the organization’s history when he brutalized Maurício Shogun Rua at UFC 128. Widely considered the best P4P fighter on the planet, Jones has had to deal with several legal issues over the years. He is currently scheduled to fight Ovince Saint Preux at UFC 197.

Anderson Silva – Silva is beloved by MMA fans across the globe, but after testing positive for several banned substances before his bout with Nick Diaz at UFC 183, his legacy has been called into question.

Wanderlei Silva – Wanderlei Silva has earned his reputation as one of the scariest men on the planet, but has had to deal with a lawsuit from the UFC (which was dropped) and a lifetime ban by the NAC (which was overturned). Silva recently signed with Bellator MMA and is expected to compete for Rizin MMA on April 17th.

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Ray Higginbotham is a professional writer and an avid enthusiast of MMA. Follow him on Twitter @_MMARAY.