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Dream matchups are a common theme in all sports. Boxing fans, for instance, have always wondered how a bout between Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson might've turned out. Outside the world of combat sports, team affairs partake of the same level of intrigue. For Basketball fans, the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls vs. the 2016-17 Golden State Warriors comes to mind.
At times, fans are fortunate enough to witness legendary athletes and teams collide in their primes. Alas! That is not always the case. In MMA, mouth-watering matchups may never see the light of day for a plethora of reasons. This may be due to fighters' unwillingness to battle each other - arising out of fear, weight issues, or simple prudence. It could also be sheer bad luck.
This list details five deeply sought-after bouts that failed to materialize.
#5. Anderson Silva vs. Georges St-Pierre
While both Anderson Silva and Georges St-Pierre were at the peak of their powers, there was enormous intrigue in seeing the two men cross swords inside the octagon. In 2010, the sheer dominance showcased by both fighters led to the topic of a bout between them making the rounds.
Dana White expressed interest in the matchup, as did 'The Spider'. Unfortunately, the Canadian great was not as keen to face the legendary Brazilian striker. According to White, 'GSP' wasn't interested in the bout, with the implication being that he was intimidated by Anderson Silva's greater size.
However, in George St-Pierre's words, the UFC never offered him a contract to sign. Additionally, he stated that he was preoccupied with his division at the time, which is why the matchup never materialized.
#4. Jon Jones vs. Anderson Silva
As with the previous entry, Anderson Silva was the subject of another dream matchup that never took place. While Georges St-Pierre and 'The Spider' ruled the welterweight and middleweight divisions, Jon 'Bones' Jones was the reigning kingpin in the 205 lbs weight class.
The Brazilian legend's previous successes at light heavyweight, coupled with the young Greco-Roman wrestler's dominance in the division, led to significant fan interest in a potential bout involving both men in 2012. Unfortunately, like 'GSP' before him, 'The Spider' didn't exhibit much interest in facing 'Bones'.
The sentiment was reinforced when Dana White claimed that his attempts to book Anderson Silva and Jon Jones to face each other in an MMA bout went up in smoke due to the Brazilian's alleged unwillingness to face the youngest champion in UFC history in what would surely have been an MMA superfight.
#3. Ronda Rousey vs. Cris Cyborg
The rivalry between Ronda Rousey and Cris Cyborg is one of the greatest feuds in the history of women's MMA. The enmity between the two women also has the distinction of being one of the few feuds between active MMA fighters that never resulted in a matchup.
However, both women were linked for most of their careers, dating back to their Strikeforce days. Ronda Rousey's rise coincided with the peak of the Brazilian's dominance. Unfortunately, a positive PED test led to the Muay Thai specialist's suspension from the sport just as 'Rowdy' began rising to the upper echelons of MMA.
Upon the Brazilian's return, she was just as vicious and as dominant as ever en route to recapturing her throne as the greatest women's featherweight in the world. Meanwhile, 'Rowdy' ascended to the top of the MMA mountain. When Rousey became UFC champion, Cyborg captured the Invicta title.
Unfortunately, the vitriolic trash talk between the two and mutual dominance by the two women against the best foes their divisions had to offer never led to a matchup. The UFC came close to realizing a combat sports dream when the Brazilian signed with the UFC in 2015, but it never materialized.
Instead, Ronda Rousey suffered a defeat against Amanda Nunes, and the two legends, who were once separated by weight classes and promotions, never faced one another.
#2. Brock Lesnar vs. Fedor Emelianenko
Dana White claims that the only fight he regrets being unable to book was the long-rumored bout between Brock Lesnar and Fedor Emelianenko. Back in 2009, the Russian legend and his American heavyweight counterpart were linked by overwhelming fan interest.
Brock Lesnar was the UFC heavyweight champion, while Fedor Emelianenko was widely regarded as the world's best heavyweight. Despite the UFC's best attempts, the biggest-ever MMA matchup in the heavyweight division never took place. While Dana White mounted a significant offer for the Russian MMA legend, it failed.
The promise of a $2 million payday and an immediate title fight with the former NCAA Division I wrestling superstar wasn't enough to entice the former PRIDE champion, who found White's attitude during the negotiations offputting. Thus, 'The Last Emperor' never had his chance to slay 'The Beast'.
#1. Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson
While a string of memes compared the recent bout between Islam Makhachev and Charles Oliveira to the failed matchup between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson, nothing will ever capture the essence of a fight involving 'The Eagle' and 'El Cucuy', which was booked countless times from 2015-2020.
Neither man was separated by a different weight class or a promotion. They were polar opposites in many ways. Ferguson exhibited an overstated and even bizarre personality, while Nurmagomedov was an understated character of a few words. But it was their similarities that truly caused fan interest in the bout to peak.
The two lightweights were battling for divisional supremacy, with each one embarking on the two lengthiest win streaks in UFC lightweight history. The pair also defeated mutual foes like Rafael dos Anjos, Edson Barboza, Gleison Tibau and Abel Trujillo.
Who was the best lightweight in the world? Would 'El Cucuy's scrambling prove to be too chaotic for 'The Eagle's relentless wrestling? The UFC tried to answer the MMA world's question five separate times, with each fight being canceled for one reason or another until the Russian retired and his longtime rival started losing.
