Conor McGregor e Michael chandler under discussion at TUF 31 (Photo: Instagram/UFC)
On April 1st, while the world plays with lies, we're going to delve into a lesser-known chapter in UFC history: the fights that never happened.
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Amid injuries, failed negotiations and dramatic twists and turns, some of MMA's biggest superfights never saw the light of day and were forever left in the 'what if' debate.
O SUPER FIGHTS explores some of the most iconic ones, which left fans and experts wondering what could have been.
Michael Chandler vs Conor McGregor – the war of coaches
The flame between Conor McGregor e Michael chandler sparked during the 31st season of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF), during May and August 2023. As coaches of rival teams, the two starred in tensions that culminated in a shove from the Irishman after his team's defeat on the reality show.
The rivalry intensified with the confirmation that both would face each other in UFC 303, scheduled for June 29, 2024, in Las Vegas. However, the fight was canceled due to an injury to McGregor, which disappointed Chandler, who had been waiting for this opportunity for over a year.
Even with the cancellation, 'Iron' still maintains hopes of facing 'The Notorious' in the octagon. The possibility of Conor McGregor return to the UFC, however, remains uncertain. While Dana White has previously suggested a return could take place in late 2025, he recently expressed uncertainty about the star's future with the organization.
McGregor, for his part, has mentioned other interests, such as a possible candidacy for the presidency of Ireland, and does not appear to be in a rush to return to the octagon.
Khabib Nurmagomedov vs Tony Ferguson: The Curse of Five Cancellations
K. Nurmagomedov (left) and T. Ferguson (right) had five fights canceled in the UFC. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram @ufc
Five times scheduled, five times cancelled. The rivalry between Khabib Nurmagomedov e Tony Ferguson is one of the biggest 'what ifs' of UFC. Fractures, failed weight cuts and even a loose cable on the studio floor prevented the showdown.
The first attempt to make the fight took place during the TUF 22 finale in December 2015 in Las Vegas. Khabib pulled out due to a broken rib less than two weeks before the event. In March 2016, the second attempt saw Ferguson pull out with lung problems 11 days before the fight.
Just when it seemed like everything was going to go well at UFC 209, Nurmagomedov had trouble cutting weight. He was taken to the hospital, where he was given an IV that was not allowed by USADA – the company's anti-doping agency at the time.
Even a simple wire prevented the fight from happening. At UFC 223 in April 2018, 'El Cucuy' suffered a ruptured lateral collateral ligament in his knee after tripping over a cable while doing interviews to promote the fight and was unable to fight.
COVID-19 also prevented, this time in April 2020. For the UFC 249, Khabib was unable to leave Russia due to pandemic restrictions, and Justin gaethje was called in as a replacement. Tony was severely defeated and lost the chance to hold the interim belt. Nurmagomedov then faced Gaethje and announced his retirement.
Rafael dos Anjos vs. Conor McGregor – the belt that got away
R. Dos Anjos (left) facing C. McGregor. Photo: Reproduction / Twitter
The rivalry between Rafael dos Anjos e Conor McGregor began in 2016, when a fight between the two was made official for UFC 196. It was a champion vs. champion clash and the Irishman's move up to lightweight. However, the Brazilian had to withdraw due to an injury, which canceled the duel and promoted the star to face Nate diaz, who 'shocked the world' and finished him in the second round.
Since then, both fighters have maintained a tense relationship, with provocations and comments on social media. Rafael dos Anjos, for example, has mocked McGregor for not knowing how to tie his belt and the two fighters even argued backstage at an event. The fight, however, was never rescheduled by the organization.
Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brock Lesnar – The 'Emperor' Who Didn't Reign in the UFC
F. Emelianenko (left) and J. Jones (right) 'face each other' in Russia. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram
Fedor Emelianenko, PRIDE legend, almost faced Brock Lesnar in the UFC in a fight that Dana White dreamed of holding in a stadium. The impasse? Fedor's demand for a partnership between the UFC and his organization, M-1 Global.
Dana White revealed that this fight was one of his biggest desires and even planned the confrontation in a soccer stadium in the United States. The UFC offered Fedor a multi-million dollar contract, with around 2 million dollars per fight, in addition to financial incentives linked to pay-per-view sales.
Negotiations failed mainly because the Russian's team insisted on a co-production between the UFC and his organization, M-1 Global, something that Dana White considered unacceptable.
Fedor stated that the meetings were conducted with a lack of humanity and boldness on Dana's part, which made the deal difficult. He also stressed that he did not ask for anything out of the ordinary during the negotiations. The fact is that fate reserved seven fights for the 'Last Emperor' in Bellator, including names such as Chael Sonnen, Frankie Mir and Quinton Rampage.
Jon Jones vs Anthony Johnson – the accident that changed everything
J. Jones (left) and A. Johnson (right) simulate a fight and drive Dana White to despair. Photo: Reproduction/Twitter
the fight between Jon Jones e Anthony Johnson in the UFC almost happened, but was canceled due to a series of events involving 'Bones'. Here's what happened. The fight was scheduled for UFC 187 on May 23, 2015.
However, Jon Jones was involved in a car accident on April 26, 2015, when he was drunk and hit another vehicle, fleeing the scene without providing assistance to the victim, a pregnant woman. This led to his suspension by the UFC and the loss of his light heavyweight belt.
After the incident, 'Bones' was replaced by Daniel Cormier in the fight against Anthony Johnson at UFC 187. 'DC' won the fight and became the new light heavyweight champion. In addition, there was another opportunity for the fight to take place, but it suffered a new problem.
At UFC 197, the fight was again scheduled, but Anthony Johnson declined due to mouth surgery, and the event was reorganized with Jon Jones x Ovince St-Preux.
The late Anthony Johnson, later left the UFC and moved to Bellator, where he had only one more fight. The 'Rumble', as he was known, passed away at the age of 38 on November 13, 2022. The cause of death was due to multiple organ failure, related to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and a hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, a rare immune system disorder.
Honorable mentions: Henry Cejudo x José Aldo (cancelled due to Brazilian visa problem) and Vitor belfort x Wanderlei Silva (Wanderlei's injury after 'The Ultimate Fighter Brazil')
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