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5 of the best booked fights we never got to see

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5 of the best booked fights we never got to see

As a long-time MMA fan and follower of the sport’s most intriguing storylines, I can’t help but feel a deep sense of disappointment when reflecting upon the cancelled bouts that never came to fruition. Among these missed opportunities, there are three fights in particular that stand out for their potential to produce electric moments and leave an indelible mark on MMA history.

In the harsh world of fighting, every victory is fleetingly met with a setback. These challenges can present themselves as humbling defeats or unexpected withdrawals from opponents. It may seem paradoxical, but having an opponent back out of a fight is more disheartening than losing in the ring. You’ve invested significant time and effort – often several weeks to months – mastering strategies tailored to your adversary’s style and tactics.

Imagining an alternate reality as a passionate MMA gamer, I ponder over what if certain iconic fights had unfolded differently? These encounters would have left indelible marks on the martial arts landscape, drastically reshaping its future. However, fate had other plans.

Despite being unable to rewind time, fans regretfully looked back on the missed opportunity to witness five exhilarating matches that could have become legendary and iconic in the annals of mixed martial arts.

1. Brock Lesnar vs. Junior Dos Santos

During the last part of the 2000s and into the beginning of the 2010s, the UFC’s heavyweight division was marked by confusion and instability. Brock Lesnar, a former WWE star, played a role in this chaos, bringing in substantial revenue for the UFC with debatable title fights, such as against Randy Couture, which he went on to win. Lesnar proved his critics wrong through gritty battles against Frank Mir and Shane Carwin. However, Lesnar’s time in the UFC heavyweight division was not without challenges. He fought a tough battle with diverticulitis, a digestive condition affecting the large intestine.

An unexpected turn of events made it essential for Lesnar’s life to be preserved, instead of trying to get him back into the Octagon for UFC. Despite the lengthy hiatus affecting his career, Lesnar managed a comeback and defended his title against a promising newcomer, Cain Velasquez. In their UFC Heavyweight championship bout at UFC 121, Velasquez proved too formidable for Lesnar, ending the encounter with a TKO finish.

In an attempt to get back on track with a victory, Lesnar was assigned as a coach against rising heavyweight star Junior Dos Santos for The Ultimate Fighter season 13. Their much-anticipated matchup was scheduled as the main event at UFC 131. However, Lesnar’s persistent diverticulitis caused him to withdraw from the fight just a month before the PPV, leading to Shane Carwin stepping in instead. Unfortunately for Carwin, he lost against Dos Santos via unanimous decision.

At the heavyweight division in UFC, the clash between Lesnar and Dos Santos was an extremely captivating contrast of techniques. Dos Santos was a formidable striker, known for his exceptional boxing skills. In comparison, Lesnar brought to the table his wrestling prowess from his collegiate background and powerful ground-and-pound attacks. However, Lesnar went on to face Alistair Overeem at UFC 141 instead, who swiftly defeated him with a brutal body kick, leading Lesnar to leave the UFC and rejoin WWE. Despite Lesnar’s health issues being a contributing factor to his decline in MMA, it’s intriguing to ponder over how a match between Dos Santos and Lesnar would have unfolded.

2. Leon Edwards vs. Khamzat Chimaev

In many UFC fights, the fighters follow different routes in their careers. For instance, Leon “Rocky” Edwards from Birmingham rose through the welterweight division with an impressive record of eight consecutive wins. He was considered the next contender for champion Kamaru Usman. However, before facing Usman, the UFC asked Edwards to first defeat a promising Swedish fighter as a challenge.

Khamzat Chimaev made a stunning debut in the UFC during the pandemic-era “Fight Island” events. In just ten days, he achieved two victories, an impressive feat that set a modern record for the quickest turnaround wins in UFC history. His dominating performance against Gerald Meerschaert further solidified his position as a formidable contender. Initially, Chimaev aimed to rule both the welterweight and middleweight divisions. However, his upcoming bout was scheduled against Leon Edwards at welterweight, presenting an excellent opportunity for him to bypass several competitors and defeat one of the top-ranked welterweights in Edwards, who is known as “Rocky.”

Leon could stick it to the UFC, who didn’t seem keen on granting him a title opportunity, and make a name off their handpicked, seemingly unstoppable star in Chimaev. The two were set to main event a UFC Fight Night card in December 2020, but both Chimaev and Edwards came down with COVID-19, which cancelled the bout. The UFC were set on running the scheduled matchup back for a Fight Night card in March 2021, but once again Chimaev fell ill to COVID-19 and Leon instead fought Belal Muhammad to a no-contest. 

In the current scenario, I find myself reflecting on what could have been if Khamzat Chimaev and Leon Edwards had crossed paths earlier in their UFC journeys. With constant setbacks preventing “The Wolf” from advancing at 170 pounds, he’s now targeting the middleweight title picture. Unfortunately, his past struggles with making weight for scheduled bouts have been a recurring theme.

3. Jon Jones vs. Dan Henderson

At UFC 151, which was scheduled to feature a highly anticipated bout between Jon Jones and Dan Henderson, a matchup falling through led to the entire event being canceled.

In an unexpectedly powerful debut, Jonny “Bones” Jones, the light heavyweight champion, outshone all young contenders with his commanding performance. Replacing the injured Rashad Evans on short notice, Jones easily defeated Mauricio “Shogun” Rua to claim the UFC title and set the record as the youngest champion in the organization’s history. Jones continued his winning streak by submitting former champions Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Lyoto Machida in impressive displays of skill. For his third title defense, Jones was set to face Dan “Hendo” Henderson, a longtime MMA veteran and renowned champion from other organizations, who had recently won the 2011 Fight of the Year against Shogun Rua.

As an old-timer in the fight game, I, Dan Henderson, proved my opponents wrong by demonstrating that I still had what it takes to compete at the highest level. In March 2011, I claimed the Strikeforce light heavyweight title, an unexpected turn of events as Jon Jones secured his UFC title in the same month. Our bout was scheduled to headline UFC 151, and fans were eagerly anticipating a stylistic clash between us.

Despite being older and having less reach than Jon Jones, seasoned veteran Hendo couldn’t be underestimated as a formidable opponent in their UFC matchup. Regrettably, Hendo withdrew from the competition due to a knee injury. The UFC then had to find a replacement for the main event at UFC 151’s PPV on short notice. They turned to middleweight contender Chael Sonnen as an alternative option, but Jones refused to fight him, suspecting foul play and believing Sonnen wasn’t deserving of a title shot.

As a longtime fan of mixed martial arts and a regular follower of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), I’ve seen my fair share of last-minute changes and unexpected outcomes in the sport. But among all the twists and turns, few have been as impactful as the events leading up to UFC 151 and 152.

2. Dustin Poirier vs. Nate Diaz

In the autumn of 2018, two formidable MMA fighters, Dustin Poirier and Nate Diaz, were set to face off in a highly anticipated match. Known for their contentious past rivalries with the controversial superstar Conor McGregor, these men had built impressive careers through their heated encounters. However, at the time of the planned fight, their paths had diverged significantly.

Nate Diaz had been out of action for more than two years, last competing against Conor McGregor in UFC 202’s highly anticipated rematch. At UFC 230, Diaz was given a chance to challenge leading contenders in the lightweight division’s co-main event. With the title fight between Khabib and McGregor at UFC 229, the victor of Poirier versus Diaz could potentially have been next in line for the subsequent title opportunity.

I was really looking forward to seeing Poirier and Diaz go at it in the Octagon. But unfortunately, Poirier’s hip injury forced him out of the matchup, leading to Diaz being removed from the card altogether. It’s too bad, because both men have a knack for standing and trading blows, and they each bring impressive jiu-jitsu skills to the table. I can only imagine what an electric atmosphere their fight would have created. Instead, Poirier got an interim title shot against Max Holloway, which he won. And Diaz returned to action over a year later at UFC 241, defeating Anthony Pettis. It’s a shame we missed out on that potential classic encounter between Poirier and Diaz.

The opportunity for the bout to be rescheduled never materialized, and instead, the two fighters followed separate career paths. In retrospect, it’s disappointing to think about the potential “BMF” (Big Money Fighter) caliber matchup that fans could have witnessed before the term even became popular.

1. Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson

In intriguing MMA history, Khabib Nurmagomedov versus Tony Ferguson stands out as the elusive, cancelled match-up par excellence in the lightweight division. These two formidable opponents had the opportunity to clash no less than five times.

In April 2015, April 2016, March 2017, and April 2018, fight fans came close to witnessing a highly anticipated matchup between two top fighters in the Lightweight division. Among all the scheduled bouts that got cancelled, it appeared that their UFC 249 main event clash in April 2020 would finally take place. It’s uncommon for two athletes in the same division to boast impressive 12-fight win streaks. The likelihood of any unexpected injuries looming seemed slim, and the MMA community eagerly awaited the confirmed date for Khabib vs. Tony.

After that, the world as we knew it changed drastically. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Khabib was unable to travel and instead, Tony Ferguson faced off against Justin Gaethje in an interim title bout. Surprisingly, Ferguson lost via a stoppage that seemed almost like mercy. When Khabib came back, he claimed the undisputed lightweight championship by defeating Gaethje. Unfortunately, Ferguson has since struggled and is now on a seven-fight losing streak.

At the pinnacle of their careers, these two formidable fighters stood unchallenged as the best in the UFC’s 155-pound division. They were not only top-ranked within their weight class but also among the elite pound-for-pound fighters in the UFC. Regrettably, fight enthusiasts never got to witness a successful matchup between these two titans. Although some may argue that Ferguson would have ultimately succumbed to Khabib’s dominance, it’s essential to remember the exceptional skills and determination of prime “El Cucuy.” In their prime, both fighters were unstoppable forces; Tony was a relentless warrior who thrived under pressure, while Khabib exuded an enigmatic presence that left opponents baffled. It’s a tremendous loss for MMA fans that we never got to see this highly anticipated bout unfold.

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2024-07-16 22:14

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