8 Most Shocking UFC Plans That Almost Happened

When Gina Carano made her way up the ranks as an MMA fighter in the late 2000s, she emerged as the first female star of a sport that had historically not been hospitable to women in the west. Carano compiled an undefeated record across her first seven fights before losing to Cris Cyborg in 2009.

After Carano made a successful transition to a career in film, Olympic medalist Ronda Rousey picked up where she left off in changing societal perceptions of women fighting inside the cage.

Rousey's fighting skills combined with her unquestionable marketability led Dana White to reconsider his stance that women would never be allowed to fight in the UFC, crowning Rousey the inaugural Women's Bantamweight Champion after Zuffa's purchase of Strikeforce.

As Rousey's dominance continued into the Octagon, the judoka had practically run through all available contenders at 135lbs. Rumours then began to emerge that the UFC was attempting to coax Carano out of retirement after five years of inactivity to fight for the title in late 2014.

However, the bout just wasn't to be. Carano revealed last year that she had met Dana White and Lorenzo Fertitta to discuss the possibility of her return, only to later receive a disparaging text message from White questioning her willingness to compete, that turned the actress off the idea.