If there’s one factor the UFC can credibly declare, it’s that for the higher a part of the previous 25 years, it’s given its followers nearly each huge battle they may ask for.
Nearly.
No, this isn’t one other article about dream matchups we want Uncle Dana had moved heaven and earth to make occur, these are fights that the group was one step away from making a actuality have been it not for a number of mischievous spoilers.
With UFC 307 on Saturday seemingly designed to arrange Alex Pereira and Kayla Harrison for extra high-profile bouts, we figured now is an efficient time to look again at occasions when the dominoes didn’t fall within the UFC’s favor, and probably nice fights have been misplaced without end within the chaos vortex that’s MMA.
Amanda Nunes vs. Kayla Harrison
What occurred? Julianna Peña def. Amanda Nunes — UFC 269 (Dec. 11, 2021)
OK, technically this one might nonetheless occur, however assuming it doesn’t, our greatest shot at seeing it was a number of years in the past.
Amanda Nunes had run by means of the competitors at 145 and 135 kilos, together with legendary featherweight champion Cris Cyborg. There wasn’t a lot left for her to perform within the UFC, so eyes searched elsewhere for a viable challenger and lo and behold, there was two-time Olympic judo champion Kayla Harrison tearing it up within the PFL SmartCage. Even higher, she was approaching free company on the finish of 2021 and all Nunes needed to do was run by means of Julianna Peña—considered as little greater than a compulsory challenger—to arrange a superfight.
Whoops.
Peña submitted Nunes at UFC 269 to cap off a once-in-a-lifetime efficiency, Harrison reacted to the loss in actual time and re-signed with the PFL, and Nunes went on to stomp Peña within the rematch 9 months later earlier than retiring in 2023.
Possibly Harrison can nonetheless wow us sufficient to convey “The Lioness” out of her den?
Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson
What occurred?: Justin Gaethje def. Tony Ferguson — UFC 249 (Could 9, 2020)
By the point Justin Gaethje and Tony Ferguson squared off for an interim light-weight title in 2020, most followers had most likely given up on the extremely touted Ferguson-Khabib Nurmagomedov battle ever occurring. However it could have if Ferguson beat Gaethje, for reals this time!
Merely put, Nurmagomedov and Ferguson have been the 2 greatest lightweights on this planet for a lot of the 2010s (sorry, Conor), and the UFC tried and tried and tried to get them into the cage, to no avail. A lot misfortune befell this matchup that at one level we needed to write a function known as Timeline of Destruction to recap all of it. Dana White even promised they’d battle at UFC 249, which went about in addition to most of his different guarantees.
Positive sufficient, the COVID-19 pandemic prevented Nurmagomedov from touring, so Gaethje stepped in as his alternative and completely drubbed Ferguson. This wasn’t simply the ultimate nail within the coffin for Tony-Khabib, it was the beginning of Ferguson’s seemingly interminable shedding streak that goes on to today.
Randy Couture vs. Mirko Cro Cop
What occurred?: Gabriel Gonzaga def. Mirko Cro Cop — UFC 70 (April 21, 2007)
The unique heartbreaker.
With every passing day, it turns into tougher to clarify to newer followers simply how tantalizing it was to think about the celebrities of PRIDE crossing over to battle the UFC’s greatest within the 2000s. And one of the crucial intriguing potential matchups was PRIDE’s heavyweight knockout machine Mirko Cro Cop going toe-to-toe with “Captain America” himself, Randy Couture.
Cro Cop’s path to a title shot went by means of Gabriel Gonzaga, a proficient however untested contender in simply his ninth professional bout. Everybody anticipated Cro Cop to kick Gonzaga to the curb and set his sights on the UFC heavyweight title.
Somebody acquired kicked, alright.
In among the finest knockouts ever, Gonzaga head-kicked the bejeezus out of a person identified for head kicks, and staked his personal declare to Couture’s title, albeit an unsuccessful one. Eight years later, Cro Cop earned a measure of revenge over Gonzaga with a third-round TKO of their rematch, however the Couture battle remained the one which acquired away.
Rafael dos Anjos vs. Conor McGregor
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What occurred?: Nate Diaz def. Conor McGregor — UFC 196 (March 5, 2016)
All of us bear in mind the damaged foot that pressured then-lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos out of UFC 196, which arrange the 2016 Conor McGregor-Nate Diaz feud that despatched fight sports activities hurtling uncontrollably into the chortling void that it’s right now. However might the timeline have corrected itself if McGregor had simply crushed Diaz of their first battle?
Bear in mind, dos Anjos was later scheduled to defend his title towards Eddie Alvarez at a UFC Combat Evening on July 7, with McGregor rematching Diaz at UFC 200 on July 9. It’s protected to say that dos Anjos vs. McGregor would have headlined UFC 200 have been it not for McGregor demanding his probability to avenge the Diaz loss (in actuality, McGregor vs. Diaz 2 landed on UFC 202, for causes which might be hardly price rehashing).
What we ended up getting was dos Anjos dropping the belt to Alvarez, Alvarez dropping the belt to McGregor, McGregor reserving a boxing match towards Floyd Mayweather Jr., a bunch extra weirdness after that and now Jake Paul is boxing Mike Tyson subsequent month.
Michael Bisping vs. Yoel Romero
What occurred?: Robert Whittaker def. Yoel Romero — UFC 213 (July 8, 2017) and Georges St-Pierre def. Michael Bisping — UFC 217 (Nov. 4, 2017)
Michael Bisping turned middleweight champion with a stunning first-round knockout of Luke Rockhold (on short-notice, no much less) after which proceeded to defend his title towards a 46-year-old Dan Henderson. The wonky matchmaking could possibly be forgiven as a result of Henderson’s recognition and the historical past between the 2, however after Bisping escaped with a slim choice win, followers have been desirous to see him tackle a hungry challenger like Gegard Mousasi, Robert Whittaker, or Yoel Romero.
It was Romero that whet the urge for food essentially the most because the Cuban juggernaut constructed up a wholesome rivalry with the champ, capped off by this unforgettable second:
Sadly, a lingering knee harm saved Bisping out for months after the Henderson battle, so Whittaker and Romero have been booked to battle for an interim belt at UFC 213. Whittaker beat Romero, after which Bisping misplaced at UFC 217 to a returning Georges St-Pierre, who doubtless had no intention of sticking round after capturing his second UFC belt.
That was the disappointing finish of Bisping vs. Romero, and to today there are nonetheless followers bitter it by no means occurred as a result of they’re satisfied Romero would have mashed Bisping into British pudding.
Wait, I feel I hear a type of followers now.
Jed Meshew: DASTARDLY, SKULLDUGGEROUS, CHICANERY!!!
One of many nice travesties in fashionable MMA is that Yoel Romero won’t ever be acknowledged as even an interim champion. It is a man who, for a minimum of a few years, was one of the best middleweight alive and wasn’t given his probability to show it. When he lastly did, the judges robbed him (I consider Romero beat Whittaker the primary time round in a really shut battle, however there is no such thing as a debate he deserved to win the rematch at UFC 225).
In a world the place MMA was even marginally meritocratic, Bisping wouldn’t have been allowed to do his yard nonsense of calling his personal title challengers, and I really can not think about a worse battle for “The Rely” than Romero would have been. They’d nonetheless be mopping up the items right now.
Aljamain Sterling vs. Jose Aldo
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What occurred?: Merab Dvalishvili def. Jose Aldo — UFC 278 (Aug. 20, 2022)
It’s a stretch to say that Aljamain Sterling and Jose Aldo have been on a collision course, however it’s not a stretch in any respect to say that battle ought to have occurred as an alternative of Sterling defending his bantamweight title towards a one-shouldered T.J. Dillashaw. A one-shouldered T.J. Dillashaw coming off of a knee harm, a controversial choice win over Cory Sandhagen, and a drug suspension.
I’m nonetheless so, so, so indignant about this.
Aldo, one of many 5 biggest fighters of all time, was proper there. The featherweight GOAT was coming off of three straight wins over ranked 135ers and deserved another probability to change into UFC champion. For no matter motive, the matchmakers felt that they simply needed to do Sterling vs. Dillashaw (how’d that one end up, guys?), in order that was booked for UFC 280 and Aldo needed to battle Sterling’s buddy Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 278.
Dvalishvili received a dreary choice, a end result so uninspiring that Aldo stated “f*ck it I’m going to take a few boxing matches” earlier than returning to the UFC earlier this yr.
Jon Jones vs. Alex Pereira or Tom Aspinall
What occurred?: Stipe Miocic def. Jon Jones – UFC 309 (Nov. 16, 2024)
Oops, sorry that one hasn’t occurred but. My dangerous.
Honorable mentions:
Chuck Liddell vs. Wanderlei Silva (in PRIDE)
This one doesn’t depend as a result of we finally acquired to see “The Iceman” and “The Axe Assassin” throw down at UFC 79, and it completely dominated, however there was an insane quantity of buzz when these two first entered one another’s orbits in 2003.
PRIDE arrange an eight-man event to fabricate a Chuck Liddell vs. Wanderlei Silva remaining, however Rampage Jackson had different plans. He knocked Liddell out within the semifinals to arrange an epic rivalry with Silva and in addition scared then-UFC commissioner Dana White from venturing to different promotions together with his fighters.
Frankie Edgar vs. Anthony Pettis
UFC light-weight champion Frankie Edgar vs. WEC light-weight champion Anthony Pettis wasn’t precisely essentially the most hyped matchup of 2010. Nonetheless, it feels bizarre these two lifers by no means fought after it appeared like a assure they’d.
Pettis was sizzling off of a Combat of the 12 months-win over Benson Henderson, capped off by the “Showtime Kick” that had Pettis on the cusp of superstardom. As luck would have it, his shot at UFC gold must wait as Edgar and Grey Maynard fought to a draw at UFC 125 and their rematch didn’t happen till UFC 136. Pettis couldn’t preserve ready, so he booked a battle with veteran Clay Guida.
Guida wrestled Pettis into oblivion, forcing Pettis to battle his method again to competition. Paradoxically, Henderson—the person Pettis beat within the last-ever WEC occasion—went on to defeat Edgar for the title as an alternative. Pettis finally defeated his rival once more to change into UFC champion, however Edgar had dropped to featherweight by then so this intriguing pairing was gone for good.
Ronda Rousey vs. Cris Cyborg
Unquestionably one of the crucial talked-about fights that by no means occurred, Ronda Rousey vs. Cris Cyborg doesn’t make the minimize as a result of the truth that you may’t pin down one end result to alter that might have sealed the deal.
It all the time felt like a lot bluster between these two, with Rousey difficult Cyborg to make an unattainable minimize right down to 135 kilos and Cyborg trying to coax Rousey right into a catchweight bout that Rousey had no incentive to take. Possibly you may blame Holly Holm for derailing Rousey at UFC 193, however Cyborg was but to make her UFC debut and Rousey wasn’t ready for her even when she had escaped Holm.
Jon Jones vs. Anthony Johnson
As soon as upon a time, Jon Jones was presupposed to battle Anthony Johnson at UFC 187. A month earlier than that Could 2015 occasion, the sunshine heavyweight champion was concerned in a hit-and-run the place he crashed right into a automobile containing a pregnant lady, and was subsequently stripped of his title and suspended. That resulted in Johnson combating for a vacant title at UFC 187, the place he got here up brief.
So why doesn’t this make the record? As a result of the fighter Johnson misplaced to was Daniel Cormier.
The Jones-Cormier rivalry was all the time going to outline that period of the 205-pound division, so whereas it’s enjoyable to think about how Jones would have fared towards Johnson’s fearsome punching energy, followers ended up getting the battle they actually wished anyway.