UFC 244: 4 historic UFC fights that could've been for a 'BMF Title'
This weekend will see MMA bad boys Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal face off in a Welterweight fight in the main event of UFC 244 – with the UFC’s inaugural ‘BMF’ title on the line. And of course, if you know anything about the personalities of Diaz and Masvidal, you don’t need me to tell you what those three letters stand for.
The fight will be the first time that the UFC has awarded a title outside of their usual World titles in each different weight class, and while detractors will probably claim that the whole thing is a gimmick, the idea that Masvidal or Diaz – neither of whom is recognised as the best 170lber in the world right now – could be considered the UFC’s ‘BMF’ is certainly understandable.
Diaz vs. Masvidal isn’t the only fight that could’ve been considered for this kind of title, though. Rewind a few years and you’ll find plenty of historic UFC fights that could well have seen this title decided. Here are 4 of the best.
#1 Brock Lesnar vs. Alistair Overeem – UFC 141, 30th December 2011
The UFC Heavyweight title had actually been on the line in a fight between champion Cain Velasquez and challenger Junior Dos Santos a few weeks before fellow Heavyweights Brock Lesnar and Alistair Overeem faced off inside the Octagon, but had the UFC put a ‘BMF’ title on the line for this clash of the titans, few could’ve argued.
Lesnar might’ve suffered a major beatdown at the hands of Velasquez a year prior, but he was still at his intimidating best in 2011 and after time off due to a diverticulitis issue, was looking to prove he was still “the baddest man on the planet”.
Overeem meanwhile was the UFC’s latest big acquisition; the Dutchman hadn’t lost in years, had steamrolled everyone he’d faced in StrikeForce, DREAM and K-1 and had been nicknamed ‘Ubereem’ for his insanely muscular physique.
Essentially, these two behemoths facing off inside the Octagon looked more like a fight from a movie or a video game than real life. The UFC bought into it too, displaying the height and weight of the fighters on the event poster rather than the usual numbers of wins or knockouts.
In the end, Overeem came out on top in the battle of the giants; his striking was too powerful for Lesnar to handle, and he kneed and kicked the former Heavyweight champion in his most vulnerable area – the body – until he couldn’t take any more. While the Dutchman didn’t become the world’s best Heavyweight with the win, for a time at least he was certainly the most feared.