The 17 Most Intimidating Athletes of All Time

Height helps, but so does a stare, a reputation and a walk to the ring nobody wants to interrupt.

1. 1
   Mike Tyson

   Opponents in the late 1980s were beaten in the dressing room before the first bell.
   1000pts
2. 2
   Khabib Nurmagomedov

   Smothered every opponent he faced and told them so in advance.
   684pts
3. 3
   Mariusz Pudzianowski

   Five-time World's Strongest Man who then walked into a cage.
   589pts
4. 4
   Ronnie Lott

   Had part of a finger removed rather than miss games.
   548pts
5. 5
   Shaquille O'Neal

   325 pounds who tore down two backboards in one season.
   508pts
6. 6
   Vinnie Jones

   The Wimbledon midfielder whose reputation arrived before the kick-off.
   448pts
7. 7
   Dennis Rodman

   Rebounded and irritated his way into opponents' heads for a decade.
   448pts
8. 8
   Roy Keane

   The Manchester United captain who out-argued referees, teammates and opponents alike.
   388pts
9. 9
   Gordie Howe

   Elbows first, and a hat-trick named after fighting.
   388pts
10. 10
    Sonny Liston

    A stare so heavy that Muhammad Ali had to invent a persona to survive it.
    388pts
11. 11
    The Undertaker

    Six foot ten, never spoke on his way to the ring, and made grown men look genuinely worried.
    320pts
12. 12
    Zdeno Chara

    Six foot nine on skates, with the hardest recorded slapshot in NHL history.
    241pts
13. 13
    Brock Lesnar

    A national champion wrestler at 285 pounds who moved like a heavyweight half his size.
    241pts
14. 14
    Ray Lewis

    Seventeen years leading Baltimore's defence, plus a pre-game dance built to unsettle people.
    241pts
15. 15
    Dick Butkus

    The Chicago linebacker who made hitting people look personal.
    149pts
16. 16
    Bob Gibson

    Threw inside on purpose and refused to speak to opposing hitters.
    149pts
17. 17
    Serena Williams

    A serve and a stare that decided matches before the rallies started.
    41pts