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UFC fighters take on the arduous task of facing highly skilled mixed martial artists in a cage with a loose rule-set that permits elbows, knees, punches, kicks and more than any other form of combat sport allows. Thus, most men and women who step inside the octagon are fearless.
This, however, doesn't mean that fighters will accept any matchup that they're offered. Sometimes, UFC fighters reject certain matchups for one reason or another, whether those reasons are financial or due to scheduling conflicts. This could lead to accusations of ducking.
Throughout UFC history, fighters have accused each other of avoiding certain matchups. Few will ever forget Cris Cyborg accusing former bantamweight queen Ronda Rousey of evading her. With that in mind, this list looks back on five moments when fighters accused others of ducking them.
#5. Michael Chandler and Justin Gaethje
Two years ago, Michael Chandler and Justin Gaethje clashed in 2021's Fight of the Year. However, prior to their matchup, the three-time Bellator lightweight champion launched a hefty accusation in his direction. He initially claimed that Gaethje's management sought to use Islam Makhachev as a distraction.
He then claimed that the former UFC interim lightweight champion had been offered a fight with him three or four times. In Chandler's words, he has mentioned 'The Highlight's' name countless times since signing with Dana White's promotion before accusing Justin Gaethje of declining a proposed matchup four times.
Gaethje, however, refuted Chandler's claims with a fiery response. The two later crossed swords at UFC 268, with 'The Highlight' emerging victorious after a three-round war.
#4. Colby Covington and Dustin Poirier
The enmity between former UFC interim champions Colby Covington and Dustin Poirier is palpable. The pair were once teammates at American Top Team prior to 'Chaos' being booted from the gym. Covington, however, went after Poirier in public, holding nothing back.
His antics prompted Poirier to brand Covington a sellout before claiming that it was on sight if he ever crossed paths with the welterweight contender. Covington took these claims to heart. After defeating former friend Jorge Masvidal, 'Chaos' challenged 'The Diamond' to a fight in his post-fight interview.
For his part, the 155'er declined to face him and sought a bout with Nate Diaz instead, prompting 'Chaos' to accuse him of wanting a more favorable matchup due to fear.
#3. Shavkat Rakhmonov and Li Jingliang
Undefeated welterweight sensation Shavkat Rakhmonov has taken the UFC by storm. He joins Khamzat Chimaev as the latest unbeaten phenom that everyone has high hopes for. The Kazakh contender recently defeated Geoff Neal at UFC 285 after a highly competitive bout.
While he isn't inactive, 'The Nomad' hasn't been able to fight as frequently as he'd like. This has apparently been due to the lack of willing opponents in the welterweight division. Rakhmonov has accused the promotion's top welterweights of avoiding matchups with him.
Although fans are aware that he once tried courting a matchup with Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson, he has also accused Li Jingliang of ducking him. Their matchup never materialized and 'The Nomad' faced Neil Magny instead.
#2. Yoel Romero and Michael Bisping
Back in 2016, Yoel Romero was the most terrifying force in the UFC middleweight division. At the time, the reigning champion at 185 lbs was Michael 'The Count' Bisping, who was widely known for his brand of brash trash talk. The Englishman captured the title in a massive upset after KO'ing Luke Rockhold at UFC 199.
Meanwhile, 'The Soldier of God' nuked Chris Weidman with a flying knee that split the All-American's head open at UFC 205. It put the hulking Cuban at the helm of an eight-fight win streak, with many expecting him to earn a title fight. Despite challenging Bisping to a fight in his post-fight interview, the bout never happened.
That didn't stop 'The Count' from antagonizing his rival by tearing apart a miniature flag of Cuba and enraging Romero. This prompted Romero to aggressively seek a bout with him by filming a video wherein he accused his rival of being scared of him while demanding that Dana White schedule the bout.
The bout, however, never materialized and remains one of the most high-profile moments when one fighter accused another of avoiding them.
#1. Muhammad Mokaev and numerous flyweights
It's not every day that a UFC flyweight accuses a divisional contemporary of avoiding a matchup with them. The division is somewhat thin and was once on the verge of non-existence, according to former titleholder Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson. But things have turned around and there's renewed interest at 125 lbs.
Muhammad Mokaev is one of the most recognizable names in the division. He is a phenomenal grappler and seems intent on working his way towards a title fight with reigning champion Brandon Moreno. Unfortunately, he hasn't had the easiest time securing the necessary matchups to earn a title shot.
The 125'er claims that Matt Schnell, David Dvorak, Tim Elliot and Su Mudaerji were all offered a fight against him. Besides Elliot, who was injured, Mokaev claims that the rest of them turned down a matchup with him, aggravating him as he hopes to remain active.
