5 Blockbuster Fights UFC Should Make (And 5 They Never Did)
The UFC is in the era of money fights, but which should they make and which did they miss out on?
The UFC has officially entered the money fights era. The promotion's trademark meritocracy is all but dead and has been replaced by a system where sometimes the worthy fighter gets the big fight, unless there's a bigger, more marketable fight to be made.
For many hardcore MMA fans, this transition has been especially frustrating. Legitimate contenders are being overlooked so that fighters like Georges St-Pierre, who's been on hiatus since 2013, can step in and receive an immediate middleweight title fight, despite never competing at 185 lbs. before.
However, the UFC obviously hasn't taken this direction to appeal to hardcore fans. They know that more likely than not, those fans will always come back, so their patronage is taken for granted. These super fights are angled at the fickle casual fans who normally only tune in to see the likes of Conor McGregor or Ronda Rousey. It's a pretty easy formula: big fights means more eyes on the product, which in turn means more money for UFC executives to spend on bedazzled t-shirts and not promote the flyweight division. And if big money blockbuster fights are the flavor of the week, the least we can do is have some fun with them.
10. Never Did - (Re-Booking) Jon Jones Vs. Dan Henderson
In 2012, then (and now) UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones was set to defend his belt against Pride FC legend Dan Henderson at UFC 151. Jones was at the apex of his popularity and Henderson, despite being 42 at the time, was facing a career resurgence after his epic Fight of the Year slug fest against Shogun Rua at UFC 139. The match-up of Jones' perceived invincibility against Hendo's all time great punching power made for an unpredictable battle.
Unfortunately, "unpredictable" was exactly what fans got. Eight days before the fight, Henderson was forced to pull out with a torn MCL and Jones refused to fight any last second replacements, particularly Chael Sonnen. As a result, the card was scraped altogether and the UFC 151 debacle stands as one of the promotion's most embarrassing incidents.
When everything was said and done, the UFC made a huge mistake by never re-booking the Jones - Henderson title bout. The company could have made beaucoup bucks by cashing in on the fans' love of Henderson and their newfound hatred for Jones, which was spearheaded by the UFC itself. Resurrecting the foul spirit of 151 would have and should have made serious cash.