Top 5 SUPER FIGHTS: the biggest disappointments of 2014

Former PRIDE and UFC champion, Shogun was the biggest disappointment of the year. Photo: Josh Hedges/UFC

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Top 5 SUPER FIGHTS: the best fighters of 2014

Top 5: The best fights of 2014

After listing the best knockouts, submissions, fights, fighters and big surprises of 2014, we reached the final part of the year-end lists of SUPER FIGHTS to top-5 that no one wants to be part of: the biggest disappointments of the year.

From the high expectations that never materialized to the athletes who always had a brilliant career but lost their way throughout the year, this ranking lists the season's biggest frustrations.

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Without further ado, let’s get to the “Disappointments of the Year” from SUPER FIGHTS:

1. Shogun's precipitous fall

M. Shogun lies in the Octagon in Uberlândia (MG) after his second defeat in 2014. Photo: Josh Hedges/UFC

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Mauritius Shogun He is undoubtedly one of the most beloved fighters among the Brazilian public. Owner of an aggressive and showy style, charismatic and with a successful history, Shogun always raises expectations about his return to the golden age. However, 2014 seems to have buried fans' hopes.

After starting the year with a good impression after the knockout over James Te Huna at the end of 2013, Shogun suffered a somewhat surprising knockout for Dan Henderson in Natal (RN). However, as his performance against Hendo had been good, the flame remained burning until UFC Uberlândia, when the cold water came. Maurício had his opponent changed at the last minute and ended up being knocked out in 34 seconds by Ovince St Preux, adding his fourth defeat in five fights.

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2. The Wanderlei Silva-Chael Sonnen imbroglio

Sonnen (left) and Wand (right) promoted, but the duel never took place. Photo: Josh Hedges/UFC

Not only because of the fight televised on TUF Brasil 3, but the public wanted to see Chael Sonnen e Wanderlei Silva. Obviously, not having the duel frustrated the fans a lot. But it didn't stop there and the series of events that followed the three postponements/cancellations of the fight between the rivals was one of the most disappointing moments of the year.

Sonnen and Silva were originally going to face each other at UFC 173 in May. Probably realizing the mistake it had made with such an announcement, Ultimate postponed the duel to TUF Brasil 3 Final, in São Paulo (SP), a week later. However, a broken hand suffered by Wand in the fateful fight in the studios delayed the duel again and he ended up at UFC 175.

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These events alone would be enough to leave the fan disappointed, but Wanderlei refused to undergo a surprise anti-doping test, which culminated in the definitive cancellation of the fight, and he ended up banned from MMA forever in Las Vegas. Sonnen was not far behind and was caught twice (!) in anti-doping tests, he also suffered harsh sanctions, lost his job in the official UFC newspaper on North American TV and hung up his gloves. A true collection of messes.

3. Failure to perform by Vitor Belfort and Chris Weidman twice

Weidman (left) and Belfort (right) will finally face each other, but only in 2015. Photo: Josh Hedges/UFC

Since when Chris Weidman won Anderson Silva for the second time, on December 28, 2013, it was decided that the champion would face Vitor belfort in 2014. The duel would take place in May, on Memorial Day weekend, but Vitor was unable to fight due to problems with the Nevada Athletic Commission due to anti-doping tests and the change in TRT regulations.

Replaced for Lyoto Machida, in a fight that was only held in July, Vitor would get his chance again in December, at UFC 181, but now it was Weidman's turn to leave the fight due to an injury and the fight was postponed for good in 2015. As a result, the “ Phenomenon” didn’t even step foot in the Octagon in 2014.

4. The loss of the belt by Renan Barão

Barão (left) was dominated by Dillashaw (right) at UFC 173. Photo: Josh Hedges/UFC

Undefeated for almost ten years and with an impressive sequence of defeats of the main names in the bantamweight category, Renan Barao became a safe name for Brazil to keep its belt. However, all that changed on the night of May 24, 2014.

Shortly after his first linear belt defense, won after the dismissal of the inactive former champion Dominick Cruz, Barão was confirmed against TJ Dillashaw at UFC 173 less than a month before the event, due to yet another injury problem that changed the Ultimate cards.

In the octagon set up at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, for many, what was seen was one of the biggest upsets of all time in MMA. Baron was not only defeated by TJ Dillashaw how he was completely dominated in five rounds by the North American, until, in an unrecognizable way, he was knocked out just a few minutes before the end of the fight.

The Brazilian won the right to an immediate title rematch, but he experienced serious problems with his weight cut, passed out hours before the official weigh-in and had to be rushed to the hospital. To close the year, Renan even recovered with a victory over Mitch Gagnon at UFC Barueri, but had difficulties against the Canadian, only 14th in the official rankings.

5. Velasquez injury and frustration in the first time in Mexico

The weather at the Velasquez shipyard (photo) hampered the UFC's plans for Mexico. Photo: Reproduction

Dana White never tired of repeating: “Going to Mexico only makes sense if we do it with Cain Velazquez”. And that's why when Fabricio Werdum, also recognized by the Latin public for participating in the Ultimate broadcasts in Spanish, became the number one challenger for the heavyweight belt, the leader had no doubt that the time had come to finally land on Mexican lands.

However, another injury Cain Velazquez just a few weeks before the long-awaited fight took place, the organization's plans changed and Mark Hunt was selected at the last minute to fight for the interim belt against Werdum. The Mexican card was interesting, it had good fights, the local TUF finals, but it didn't have Velasquez, so it didn't fulfill the organization's original proposition. For this reason, a return to Mexico City with the unification of the interim and linear belts between Fabrício and Cain is confirmed by White for 2015.