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Five Times Canceled Fights Made UFC PPVs Better Ft Conor McGregor, Khamzat Chimaev And More
Five times canceled fights made UFC pay-per-views more intriguing. Conor McGregor, Khamzat Chimaev, and more are on the list!
Conor McGregor, Khamzat Chimaev, and other UFC superstars have been part of UFC PPVs where the main event has been canceled. Surprisingly, on occasions, the replacement main event has made the card even better.
Nate Diaz stepped in on short notice at UFC 196 after McGregor’s fight against Rafael dos Anjos was canceled. Khamzat Chimaev’s canceled fight against Diaz at UFC 279 is another example. In this listicle, we rank the top five instances when PPV main events have been changed for good.
Canceled UFC PPV main events; Conor McGregor, Khamzat Chimaev, and more
#1. UFC 279
Nate Diaz was set to fight Khamzat Chimaev in the UFC 279 main event. Tony Ferguson was scheduled to take on Li Jingliang on the same card. Chimaev, however, missed weight by a massive margin.
The UFC shuffled the card last minute, putting Diaz against Ferguson and Chimaev against Jingliang. The new card made more sense in ways as it saw two legends fight each other and two up-and-comers clash.
#2. UFC 196
Conor McGregor was set to challenge Rafael dos Anjos for the lightweight title at UFC 196. McGregor was the featherweight champion at that point. Dos Anjos, however, pulled out due to a broken foot.
McGregor stayed on the card and took on Nate Diaz, who stepped in on short notice. Diaz shocked the world, handing the Irishman his first-ever UFC loss. It is one of the most iconic UFC cards to date.
Also Read: Conor McGregor Responds to Chael Sonnen’s UFC 303 Pull out Over ‘Rehab for Substance Abuse’ Claims
#3. UFC 251
Kamaru Usman was scheduled to take on Jorge Masvidal in the UFC 251 main event. Burns, though, pulled out and Jorge Masvidal stepped in on short notice to save the PPV card in Fight Island.
Masvidal lost the fight via unanimous decision. However, he was a massive star at that point. ‘Gamebred’ taking on Usman on short notice made fans excited although he suffered a defeat.
#4. UFC 199
Luke Rockhold was set to take on Chris Weidman in a rematch at UFC 199. Weidman had to pull out of the championship fight and the UFC put Michael Bisping against Rockhold, which was also a rematch.
Bisping was a massive underdog and also lost the first fight via submission. However, he stunned the world at UFC 199, knocking out Rockhold to become the UFC middleweight champion.
Also Read: Michael Bisping Shares Details About Conor McGregor's Recent Injury Ahead of UFC 303
#5. UFC 295
Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic was set to headline UFC 295 at the Madison Square Garden in a legacy fight for the heavyweight title. Jones suffered a pectoral injury and was forced to pull out.
The UFC promoted the co-main event, Jiri Prochazka vs. Alex Pereira for the light heavyweight title, to the main event slot. They also added Tom Aspinall vs. Sergei Pavlovich for the interim heavyweight title.
Both of these fights ended in spectacular finishes, with Pereira and Aspinall getting their hands raised. The new card arguably delivered better despite two legends like Jones and Miocic getting off it.
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