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Cage fighter named 'coolest man of year'

Vicky Shaw,Pa
Friday 19 December 2008 11:45 GMT
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A champion cage fighter has crushed rivals such as Daniel Craig, David Beckham and Lewis Hamilton to be named Coolest Man of the Year.

Michael Bisping, an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighter, came out top in a poll of the 100 Coolest British Men of the Year by Zoo magazine.

Around 50,000 Zoo magazine readers and web users voted in the online survey.

While he is not exactly a household name, Bisping, 29, from Clitheroe in Lancashire, won two huge bouts this year in Birmingham and has featured in the magazine.

Bisping is a former light heavyweight champion and has only been defeated once in his career.

He said of his award: "I am totally shocked, but honoured to be voted the coolest man in the UK by Zoo readers."

Paddy Power bookie's favourite Hamilton finished just behind Bisping in second place.

Last year's winner, Noel Gallagher, is still a massive favourite among young men as he finished third ahead of big screen action heroes Jason Statham, who came fourth, and Bond actor Craig, who was fifth.

This year's top 10 is filled by Britain's so-called hard men with undefeated world champion boxer Joe Calzaghe in sixth place, adventurer Bear Grylls seventh and Noel's younger brother, Liam Gallagher, at number eight.

At number nine, Liverpool's Steven Gerrard was deemed football's coolest bloke ahead of Arsenal's wonder kid Theo Walcott, Beckham and Wayne Rooney.

England captain John Terry dropped 61 places from last year to 75.

Harry Redknapp was voted Britain's coolest manager at number 44.

Editor of Zoo magazine Ben Todd said: "Although most people will be surprised at this year's winner, the result reveals the growing influence that UFC is having on young men in Britain - with the sport now seriously rivalling boxing in the popularity stakes.

"Intriguingly, the poll also suggests a resurgence in respect for hard men, perhaps due to the harsher economic times, and the death of the metrosexual with Bisping, Calzaghe and Bear Grylls all featuring in the Top 10."

Following the recent BBC prank calls row, Russell Brand was named Britain's coolest comedian at number 10, ahead of James Corden, Russell Howard and Ricky Gervais.

Jonathan Ross, who was also involved in the furore after he and Brand made lewd calls to Andrew Sachs, was at number 57 in the poll.

The only politician deemed cool was London Mayor Boris Johnson at 47.

At number 78, the Governor of the Bank of England, Mervyn King, was voted in for keeping a cool head during the global financial crisis.

It was a very un-cool year for Borat star Sacha Baron Cohen at 86, who fell 75 places from last year, and Top Gear's Jeremy Clarkson at 63, who has become less cool than his co-presenter James May at 21 and The Stig at 28.

Here is the complete list of Zoo's 100 Coolest British Men 2008:

1. Michael Bisping

2. Lewis Hamilton

3. Noel Gallagher

4. Jason Statham

5. Daniel Craig

6. Joe Calzaghe

7. Bear Grylls

8. Liam Gallagher

9. Steven Gerrard

10. Russell Brand

11. Theo Walcott

12. Christian Bale

13. Ricky Hatton

14. Paul Weller

15. Jeff Stelling

16. Alex Turner

17. David Beckham

18. James Corden

19. Chris Ryan

20. Russell Howard

21. James May

22. Thom Yorke

23. Clive Owen

24. Ricky Gervais

25. Paul Taylor

26. Harry Hill

27. David Tennant

28. The Stig

29. Andy McNab

30. Hugh Laurie

31. Christopher Nolan

32. John Barrowman

33. Simon Cowell

34. Gerard Butler

35. Simon Pegg

36. Morrissey

37. James Caan

38. Karl Pilkington

39. Frankie Boyle

40. Wayne Rooney

41. Chris Hoy

42. Dan Hardy

43. Peter Kay

44. Harry Redknapp

45. Ian Poulter

46. Mike Skinner

47. Boris Johnson

48. Danny Cipriani

49. Guy Ritchie

50. Ross Kemp

51. Simon Amstell

52. Jamie Carragher

53. Dizzee Rascal

54. Sir Alan Sugar

55. Sir Alex Ferguson

56. Adrian Chiles

57. Jonathan Ross

58. Vinnie Jones

59. Andy Murray

60. Paul McCartney

61. Tubes

62. David Mitchell

63. Jeremy Clarkson

64. Damon Albarn

65. Ryan Giggs

66. Chris Moyles

67. James Toseland

68. Jamie Cullum

69. Ally McCoist

70. Daniel Radcliffe

71. Enzo Maccarinelli

72. Chris Tarrant

73. David Haye

74. Jimmy Bullard

75. John Terry

76. Ray Winstone

77. Bruce Forsyth

78. Mervyn King

79. Michael McIntyre

80. Ronnie O'Sullivan

81. Carl Froch

82. Frank Lampard

83. Gordon Ramsay

84. Jimmy Carr

85. Al Murray

86. Sacha Baron Cohen

87. Paul Scholes

88. James DeGale

89. Danny Dyer

90. Louis Smith

91. Steve Coogan

92. Jamie Redknapp

93. Lee Evans

94. Kevin Pietersen

95. Richard Hammond

96. Sir Richard Branson

97. Justin Lee Collins

98. Ian Wright

99. Johnny Vegas

100. Monty Panesar

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