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The UFC has featured several highly intriguing fights over the years -- giving us, the Mixed Martial Arts fans, many great memories including dramatic KOs, creative submissions and masterful decision shut-outs.
However, given that combat sports as a whole is so very unpredictable, there are times when even some of the most anticipated fights turn out to be rather underwhelming.
Today, we take a special look at a few UFC fights that were underwhelming. Now, while most of these fights had been hyped up to astronomical levels, come fight night, none of these bouts delivered!
So, without further ado, let's take a look at these terrible matchups that left both the combat sports fans as well as experts utterly befuddled...
#5 Cheick Kongo vs. Shawn Jordan
Widely regarded as one of the most boring fights in UFC history, Cheick Kongo faced Shawn Jordan in a 3-round Heavyweight bout at UFC 149 back in 2012.
Both fighters were known for their incredible KO power and heading into this fight, the vast majority of the Mixed Martial Arts world expected both combatants to engage in an all-out war which had zero chance of going the distance.
Alas, that wasn't the case! Kongo and Jordan ended up engaging in something that resembled a staring battle, more than it did a professional MMA fight.
While the former did seem to do more in the utterly horrid bout, Jordan wasn't really able to get anything going on the night...In fact, whenever it seemed as though Kongo would initiate a striking or grappling exchange, Jordan would immediately separate or stall the action.
Moreover, although Kongo was awarded the victory by way of Unanimous Decision, it'd be safe to say that none of the two fighters really won that night.
The MMA community had a highly negative reaction to the fight, and rightfully so, considering that there was absolutely nothing noteworthy in the entire bout...
#4 Tim Boetsch vs. Hector Lombard
Yes, UFC 149 truly was a strange night, and will always be remembered as a card that featured a couple of absolutely terrible fights -- the aforementioned Cheick Kongo vs. Shawn Jordan bout, as well as a Middleweight fight between Tim Boetsch and Hector Lombard.
Boetsch ended up winning a 3-round Split Decision, but the fight in and of itself saw both fighters do next to nothing to merit either fighter winning. Nevertheless, I'd like to note something really significant here: that being, Lombard's reputation heading into the fight.
Considering Lombard's decline in recent years, it's easy for most fans to write him off as an overrated fighter, so to speak. However, they couldn't be further from the truth...Lombard was as deadly as they come and had solidified himself as one of the most dangerous KO artists in the world before heading into the Boetsch fight.
Nevertheless, Boetsch and Lombard simply seemed way too hesitant to engage in an actual fight with one another, and the former ended up winning a lackluster decision...
#3 Nate Quarry vs. Kalib Starnes
Ah, this one brings back memories, doesn't it? Nate Quarry's fight against Kalib Starnes is considered by many to be one of the worst Mixed Martial Arts fights of all time. Quarry was a good fighter during his prime, and seemed to have Starnes befuddled with his movement.
However, Starnes, on his part, did nothing but avoid engaging in the fight. To his credit, Quarry legitimately tried his best to get his opponent to engage. Their fight which took place at UFC 83 in 2008, was underway in Starnes' native of Canada -- However, owing to the man's fight-avoiding antics, the Canadian crowd started mercilessly booing their own fighter.
Moreover, what served as somewhat of a dose of comedy relief, is that Quarry began mimicking a track athlete -- acting as though he were running, whilst mocking Starnes' tactics. In the end of the 3-round bout, Quarry was awarded the win via Unanimous Decision, and Starnes ended up being cut from the UFC roster...
#2 Derrick Lewis vs. Francis Ngannou
At UFC 226, in July of 2016, feared Heavyweight KO artists Derrick Lewis and Francis Ngannou took on one another in a 3-round bout -- a bout that the large majority of combat sports fans, as well as experts, expected to be pure fireworks.
Well, Ngannou was coming off a one-sided decision loss in his unsuccessful attempt to win the UFC Heavyweight Title against then-champion Stipe Miocic. And that, in turn, proved to be a huge factor in his bout against Lewis. Ngannou avoided any prolonged exchanges with Lewis in the pocket, and in fact, never really committed to any of his strikes.
On the other hand, as revealed after the fight, Lewis experienced issues with a nagging back injury during the fight, and resultantly was hampered in his movements. He did throw a few decent kicks and punches, but none of them really connected cleanly on Ngannou.
In the end, Lewis was awarded the win by way of Unanimous Decision...
#1 Rory MacDonald vs. Jake Ellenberger
Back in July of 2013, most fans were stoked to see two of the world's top Welterweights fight in a 3-round bout -- with the winner inching one step closer to a shot at the UFC Welterweight Championship. Rory MacDonald took on feared KO artist Jake Ellenberger in the pivotal matchup, which had huge implications for both fighters' respective careers.
Well, in hindsight, that fight seemed to mark the beginning of Ellenberger's decline from an excellent KO artist, to a gun-shy wrestle-boxer. MacDonald ended up controlling the entire fight with his jab and was subsequently awarded the win by way of Unanimous Decision.
Nevertheless, it was quite evident that MacDonald didn't really step into his jabs, and that most of the said jabs were meant to keep Ellenberger at bay, not to finish the latter by setting up follow-up strikes -- because there were no follow-up strikes!
The entire fight was mainly jabs and 1-2's with little to no commitment behind them.
Which UFC fights do you think were the most underwhelming? Sound off in the comments!
