5 UFC title fights that failed to inspire the interest of the fans

#4. Holly Holm vs. Germaine de Randamie – UFC 208

Nobody was really that interested in a featherweight title bout between Holly Holm and Germaine de Randamie

When rumors began to abound in late 2016 that the UFC was about to create a women’s featherweight division, it seemed certain that one fighter would be involved in the inaugural title bout.

Cris Cyborg had not only been regarded as the top female fighter at 145lbs for the best part of a decade, but she was also part of the promotion’s roster. She had taken part in a handful of fights at 140lbs at that point.

Incredibly, though, the promotion failed to come to terms with Cyborg for the inaugural title bout. They instead pitted Holly Holm and Germaine de Randamie – two fighters who’d never fought in the octagon at 145lbs – against each other to decide who would be the first champion.

Sure, Holm was still seen as a big star thanks to her win over Ronda Rousey, but she’d also lost a lot of her luster thanks to losses to Miesha Tate and Valentina Shevchenko. Meanwhile, de Randamie was basically an unknown.

By the time UFC 208 came around, it was hard to say whether the fans cared at all about the new title or the title bout itself. The fight turned out to be less-than-inspiring, with de Randamie winning a controversial decision. When she then vacated the title rather than face Cyborg, it was clear that the division had gotten off to the worst possible start.

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#3. Benson Henderson vs. Frankie Edgar – UFC 150

By 2012, fans were uninterested in another lightweight title rematch involving Frankie Edgar

A decade on, it’s probably safe to say that few title reigns in UFC history have divided the fanbase quite like Frankie Edgar’s run as lightweight champion.

‘The Answer’ surprised everyone by dethroning BJ Penn, who was seen as unbeatable at the time, in April 2010 to take the gold. He went onto defend it on four occasions, putting on some legendary fights in the process.

However, his reign also seemed to be a never-ending run of rematches. So when Benson Henderson dethroned him in early 2012, it felt like the fresh start that the 155lbs division needed.

Much to the chagrin of those fans, though, the promotion decided to book an immediate rematch between Henderson and Edgar just six months later. This came despite the presence of streaking contenders like Nate Diaz and Anthony Pettis.

It was hard to dispute the idea that Edgar deserved a rematch – after all, his loss to Henderson had been a razor-close one – but it was also safe to say that the majority of the fanbase dreaded him regaining the title.

Henderson duly edged Edgar out in the rematch, providing some fans with a semblance of relief. The lack of interest was seen in the event’s low buyrate, as UFC 150 became one of the lowest-selling pay-per-views of the modern era.