For those who wonder whether such a thing actually exists, Jake Rossen identifies it:
Bizarrely, it’s this kind of collective public coma that makes me want to root for the guy. Jardine puts in his hours at Greg Jackson’s gym in Albuquerque, sweats and bleeds in just as much volume as anyone in the sport and enjoys few of the fringe benefits. I’ve yet to see him endorse a corporate giant (Rashad Evans and Microsoft), bag the ring card girl (do your own research) or throw an after-party (everyone else).
Maybe his lack of a niche is his niche: the blue-collar guy who doesn’t feel the need to invent a persona or take big risks in order to rally a following. He goes to the gym and does his job: no fanfare, no fireworks, little attention. That’s 95 percent of the working population.
...
...We’re too quick to assume that everyone in the sport clamors for the accompanying attention and ego inflation. In some cases, athletes enjoy the competition -- and the relative anonymity of flying under the radar.
One advantage to being the invisible man: no one sees you coming
