In the realm of mixed martial arts, several dream bookings have piqued fans’ interests, and imagination. These matchups have the potential to rake in massive viewerships, shatter all the records of previous UFC gates, and become fights for the history books. However, fate can be really cruel at times. So, despite the hype around these mega-events, some fights fall off for the most random reasons.

Whether it be fighter contracts with other organizations or just plain misfortune, there have been several times that certain fights never saw the light of day. This leaves fans wondering with the big ‘What If.’ So here is a list of some mega fights in the UFC that unfortunately never actually came to fruition.

Jon Jones vs. Francis Ngannou

When Jon Jones made the highly anticipated switch to the heavyweight division of the UFC, fans immediately demanded that head honcho Dana White book a fight with Francis Ngannou. It was the dream fight: ‘Bones,’ widely regarded by many as the MMA GOAT, vs. Ngannou, a knockout artist with strength that seems inhuman. Just the idea of Jon Jones with his technical brilliance going toe-to-toe with the Cameroonian’s sheer strength enthralls the MMA community.

However, the dream saw its early cracks in 2023, when Ngannou’s contract negotiations with the UFC fell through. Ngannou quit the organization to join the Professional Fighters League (PFL), effectively ending all hopes for the fight that MMA fans had. Dana White later claimed that the UFC offered Ngannou a record-breaking contract, but both parties could not reach an agreement.

As the fight got canceled, ‘Bones’ decided to make a powerful statement through his heavyweight debut, winning the title over Ciryl Gane at UFC 285. With Jon Jones hinting at retirement for quite some time now and Ngannou succeeding in the PFL, it seems like the bout will remain a pipe dream. This fight (or lack thereof) is a missed opportunity for Dana White, where ‘The Greatest’ could’ve gone toe-to-toe against ‘The Scariest’.

Brock Lesnar vs. Daniel Cormier

If the matchup between Brock Lesnar and Daniel Cormier at UFC 226 had actually taken place, it would have been one of the biggest heavyweight fights ever, if not the biggest. After Cormier defeated Stipe Miocic to win the heavyweight championship, Lesnar stormed the Octagon in a moment that became one of the most viral clips in UFC history.

The sheer bad blood between the two created a lot of excitement among fans who wanted to see two wrestling powerhouses collide in an adrenaline-fueled fight. However, ‘The Beast Incarnate’ did not return to the Dana White-led promotion as he was asked to re-enter the USADA testing pool and serve a suspension before he could fight again. However, he ultimately decided to with the WWE and took away a dream match that the fans were dying to see.

So, what did Daniel Cormier think about it? As expected, he was frustrated. ‘DC’ expressed his disappointment, describing it as a squandered cash opportunity and a fight that might have solidified his legacy even further. “It was the easiest fight I could have ever asked for, but the biggest at the same time,” he said. Despite people being willing to pay hefty sums just to see the two fight, the biggest MMA promotion in the world was unable to bring the two titans back together.

Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson

The story of Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson is one of the most infamous in UFC history. Both were scary prospects in the lightweight division but in the end, one became a legend, while the other has nearly faded into obscurity. The fight was booked an insane five times between 2015 and 2020, and canceled on practically every occasion. Injuries, weight-loss mistakes, and even a worldwide pandemic conspired to keep these two lightweights apart.

The stylistic clash was what had fans really hyped up. The Dagestani fighter’s wrestling and legendary ground-and-pound were a perfect match for Tony Ferguson’s unconventional striking and grappling techniques, especially fighting off of his back. Both were on career-defining win streaks at the time, so it gave fans the incentive to get hooked on to their seats.

However, cruel fate intervened again. The hearts of MMA fans saw the final nail being hit on the coffin as ‘The Eagle’ retired unbeaten in 2020 after defeating Justin Gaethje. As for Ferguson, the end of the dream fight also saw the beginning of a nightmare run for ‘El Cucuy.’ His eight-fight losing streak emphasizes the importance of what was lost. Despite its cursed history, Khabib vs. Ferguson remains a dream matchup that tested fans’ patience the most.

Anderson Silva vs. Georges St-Pierre

For years, Anderson Silva and Georges St-Pierre were once considered the true kings of the Dana White-led promotion’s pound-for-pound rankings. So, to nobody’s surprise, fans demanded that the head honcho book a super fight between Silva, the then-dominant middleweight champion, and ‘GSP’, the welterweight king. This was a clash that promised to offer fireworks inside the Octagon.

In fact, Dana White was well aware of its economic capabilities and constantly pushed for the bout. However, neither fighter was willing to meet in the middle. While ‘GSP’ was hesitant to move up to middleweight, ‘The Spider’ had little interest in dropping down to the welterweight category. As a result, a fight in the catchweight was briefly considered, but it never took off.

As Silva aged, he started suffering multiple defeats. So, as he reached the twilight of his career, the window for this superfight came to a close. As for GSP, he did return temporarily in 2017 to dethrone Michael Bisping for the middleweight belt; however, he decided to hang up his gloves right after. While the duo remains on the list of every MMA fan’s all-time greats, many still wonder about what would have happened if they had met at their peak.

Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Georges St-Pierre

The last dream fight on the list definitely isn’t the one that had the least amount of hype. In fact, MMA fans were dying to see the dream clash between the Dagestani phenom Khabib Nurmagomedov and Georges St-Pierre. It was a fight that promised to deliver the very best in mixed martial arts. From grappling and fight IQ to championship pedigree, this matchup had it all. Nurmagomedov’s undefeated record of 29-0 and St-Pierre’s legendary career made this one of the most intriguing potential matchups in UFC history.

To make things more exciting, both fighters also showed mutual respect and interest in the fight. While Nurmagomedov frequently remarked that ‘GSP’ was his ideal opponent, the latter did not shy away from revealing the difficulty of facing a dominant grappler like ‘The Eagle’. However, time proved to be the fight’s biggest obstacle. Khabib Nurmagomedov retired after defeating Justin Gaethje in 2020, respecting his promise to his mother after the passing of his father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov.

‘GSP’, who had been inactive for years, similarly, chose against making a comeback citing his health and legacy as more important than chasing a final bout. Dana White later said that this fight had the potential to be the biggest event in UFC history, but the stars simply did not align. This gave the fans the biggest ‘What Ifs’ in MMA history. What do you think? Who would be the winners in these dream fights? Let us know your thoughts below.