5 intriguing UFC title fights that the fans never got to see
Dana White often prides himself on the fact that, for the most part, the UFC always manages to put together title fights that fans want to see. However, that hasn’t always been the case.
Over the years we’ve seen a number of potential UFC title bouts that sounded hugely intriguing never happen due to a variety of different reasons. Often, these fights fell apart due to injuries, suspensions and contract disputes. Unfortunately, the promotion was never able to put them back together.
Khabib vs Ferguson is officially canceled, per UFC.
It’s unlikely that we’ll see any of these fights at some point in the future meaning that, for the fans, they’ll always stand as classic 'What if?' questions.
Here are five intriguing UFC title bouts that the fans never got to see.
#5. Cain Velasquez vs. Alistair Overeem – UFC heavyweight title
The UFC heavyweight division has struggled for traction on numerous occasions over the years. For the most part, however, the promotion has always been able to put on the best title fights possible at the time.
That being said, one huge title fight that they missed out on was a clash between Cain Velasquez and Alistair Overeem. The bout could’ve taken place at some point during 2011 had things gone slightly differently.
At the time, it was easy to suggest that the two men were the best heavyweights on the planet. Velasquez had captured the UFC heavyweight title from Brock Lesnar in late 2010. Overeem, meanwhile, was the titleholder in Strikeforce, the world’s second-biggest promotion.
When Strikeforce was bought out by its larger competitor in early 2011, fans were desperate to see a clash of heavyweight champions. This would’ve been a phenomenally intriguing bout, as it was hard to tell how Velasquez’s wrestling and ability to push the pace would combat Overeem’s stellar striking skills.
However, as Junior dos Santos was on a tremendous streak of his own at the time, it was decided that he’d face Velasquez for the title instead. Overeem was left to debut in the octagon against Lesnar instead.
#tbt December 30, 2011, UFC 141 vs. Brock Lesnar. That night I made my @ufc debut eager and… instagram.com/p/BeY9bUmjbcS/
JDS duly upset Velasquez with a knockout to claim the title. While Overeem defeated Lesnar impressively, a positive drug test in mid-2012 put an end to his hopes of facing the new champion.
By the time ‘The Reem’ returned in 2013, Velasquez had regained the title from dos Santos. Instead of giving the Dutchman an instant shot at the gold, he instead suffered a knockout loss to Antonio Silva that sent him tumbling down the ranks.
The outcome was that fans never got to see a Velasquez vs. Overeem title bout. Somehow, they missed out on it as a non-title bout too, a huge disappointment to fans who had dreamt of it for so long.