5 fights that ended up being missed opportunities for the UFC

#2. Fedor Emelianenko vs. Former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar

To this day, MMA fans wonder what would have happened if Fedor Emelianenko had accepted the UFC’s offer. 'The Last Emperor' would not have had just any ordinary fight in his debut. Instead, Emelianenko was offered an immediate title shot against then-UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar.

'The Last Emperor' defeated many former UFC heavyweight champions during his career including Mark Coleman, Tim Sylvia, and Andrei Arlovski. Emelianenko also has victories over top UFC contenders like Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Mirko Cro Cop.

It would have been interesting to see whether Lesnar could take down Emelianenko and control him like he did against Frank Mir. Lesnar was much bigger than Emelianenko and possessed incredible athleticism for his size. On the other hand, Emelianenko possessed a great deal of experience and adaptability.

Emelianenko-Lesnar was a massive opportunity that the UFC missed out on. Emelianenko’s legacy and Lesnar’s popularity would have made for a spectacle for the sport. It is a shame that Dana White and Emelianenko’s management could not find common ground on a deal.

White has said in interviews that Lesnar vs. Emelianenko was the only fight he regretted not being able to book. White confirmed AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas would have been the venue, making it potentially one of the most profitable fights in UFC history.

---

#1. Anderson Silva vs. Georges St-Pierre

Georges St-Pierre and Anderson Silva (Credit: Sport Bible)

Topping this list of biggest missed opportunities is Anderson 'The Spider' Silva vs. Georges 'Rush' St-Pierre. For years, many wondered if the UFC would book a super fight between two of the greatest of all-time. What made the fight appealing was that both were the best in the world and in their prime.

At the time, Silva was the reigning UFC middleweight champion and St-Pierre was the reigning UFC welterweight champion. Both fighters had cleaned out their respective divisions. Based on their dominance, the natural assumption was that it was only a matter of time before they would fight.

Dana White was asked on a frequent basis whether both would agree to a catchweight fight. White usually replied that the fight was realistic provided they each get through the next contender in their respective divisions.

Prior to Silva’s title defense against Demian Maia at UFC 112, it seemed like the fight with St-Pierre was in the works. Instead of GSP moving up to challenge Silva for his title, Silva was reportedly willing to cut down to 170lbs.

Silva did not even break a sweat against Maia and cruised to a unanimous decision victory. White was so furious with Silva’s antics that he gave the title to Silva’s manager to put around his waist. White made it clear that Silva did not deserve to fight GSP and pretty much nixed whatever plans they had.

In 2013, rumors began to swirl that Silva-GSP could become a reality if both successfully retained their titles. However, those plans did not end up coming to fruition. St-Pierre took a break from MMA after retaining against Johny Hendricks, while Silva lost his title to Chris Weidman.

'The Spider' eventually sustained a devastating leg injury and was not the same dominant fighter as he got older. Silva vs. St-Pierre remains a fantasy fight and arguably the UFC’s biggest missed opportunity.