8 Most Shocking UFC Plans That Almost Happened

8. UFC 249

The most recent example on this list comes from the debacle surrounding the UFC 249 card, originally set to be headlined by the long-awaited clash between Tony Ferguson and Khabib Nurmagomedov for the UFC Lightweight Championship.

However, the current global situation threw one almighty spanner in the works, and after travelling to Russia, Nurmagomedov became subject to the current travel restrictions affecting many countries worldwide and forcing the fight to be cancelled for a heartbreaking fifth time.

So, one would assume that without its marquee attraction that UFC 249 would just not go ahead, or at least be rescheduled for some time in the future, right?

Wrong.

Dana White announced that lightweight contender Justin Gaethje would step in, in place of Nurmagomedov, and the fight would be contested for the Interim UFC Lightweight Championship, at an undisclosed location that was later revealed to be the Tachi Palace Casino Resort.

Ultimately Disney and ESPN would ask the UFC not to go ahead with the event after mounting concerns in the media about the potential risks to the fighters involved.

The fact that the UFC was prepared to go ahead with an event featuring fighters from all over the world given the current ongoing situation is insane, and more than deserving of a place on this list.