I truly feel that Masvidal-Conor is the biggest "missed opportunity" fight in UFC history

[mkt]

CM Punk vs. Artem Lobov

comments on mentioned fights:

Spoiler

1. Jones - Rumble. Actually booked fight but thx to one person for taking it away from all of us (pregnant woman which ratted out Jon Jones). Would be fun to watch how Jon would handle couple of bombs but there is no way heartless 0 grappling Rumble wins it (but if you are a Jon hater ofc Rumble had a chance and if Jon says 2+2=4 then its not true until proved)

2. Khabib - GSP. Both parties pretended to want this fight on socials blaming UFC. UFC stood silent so most likely UFC's fault. Anyway, since both fighters were retired they could ask for whole PFL budget (just like Frank N-gunno did) so their desire wasn't that big afterall. Very interesting matchup no need to tell why but I think Khabib was physically better at the time which should give him the edge.

3. GSP - Spiderson. The not-ever-happening match simply because GSP the "GOAT fighter" has calculated all the risks, stocks and outcomes and said "NO".

CM Punk vs. Andy Wang
Phil Baroni vs Lee Murray

The second fight almost happened. I had no idea. Murray couldn't fight due to getting stabbed at a party. Normal stuff for the Murray/Baroni/War Machine/Krazy Horse crowd, I guess.

 

[Ballsaque]

And he looked sub par against Diaz twice before that getting finished once and arguably losing the second time as well.

Most overrated fighter in MMA history.

How is he overrated? Literally 99% of people have your view on his fighting career, due to hating him for other reasons.

 

[Ballsaque]

yes, and then never again, which is why i said AFTER Alvarez he was done.

Because he waited 2 fucking years to fight after this, and then fought the best MMA fighter on the planet and a horrific matchup, giving that fighter his toughest fight in years, then started railing coke every day afterwards.

It's very probable he would have looked great against Masvidal, had he taken that fight shortly after Alvarez, with a much more forgiving matchup on top of it.

 

[Egészségére!]

When Jones called out Brock in 2017 that fight would have been huge too

 

[italiamusica]

It definitely would have been a fun fight, especially with the endless shit talking leading up to it.

 

[hbombbisping]

How is he overrated? Literally 99% of people have your view on his fighting career, due to hating him for other reasons.

Overrated by casuals. Conor is a footnote in MMA history but he is currently second in popularity only to Khabib.

 

[Ballsaque]

Overrated by casuals. Conor is a footnote in MMA history but he is currently second in popularity only to Khabib.

Popularity =/= a rating of his fighting ability. If that was the case, Jake Paul would be the greatest boxer on earth.

 

[Pancake Sprawl]

Because he waited 2 fucking years to fight after this, and then fought the best MMA fighter on the planet and a horrific matchup, giving that fighter his toughest fight in years, then started railing coke every day afterwards.

It's very probable he would have looked great against Masvidal, had he taken that fight shortly after Alvarez, with a much more forgiving matchup on top of it.

my initial post already explained why it doesn't work. when Conor beat Alvarez, Masvidal was a WW going 2-2 in his last 4 fights. he was a journeyman. why would the biggest MMA star at the height of his fame and current champion FIGHT A 2-2 WELTERWEIGHT?! Masivdal's fame didn't come until THREE YEARS LATER. by that time Conor already got assraped by Khabib.

it doesn't matter if he'd look good vs Masvidal had he fought him directly after Alvarez, Masvidal was a fucking nobody in 2016. Conor was looking for money fights and BIGGER FIGHTS. 2016-2017 Masvidal was not it.

 

[Kyojiro Kagenuma]

Masvidal had a good run there at the end but he was never anything special

 

[Ayreon]

Not bigger than Nate vs Conor

 

[Ballsaque]

my initial post already explained why it doesn't work. when Conor beat Alvarez, Masvidal was a WW going 2-2 in his last 4 fights. he was a journeyman. why would the biggest MMA star at the height of his fame and current champion FIGHT A 2-2 WELTERWEIGHT?! Masivdal's fame didn't come until THREE YEARS LATER. by that time Conor already got assraped by Khabib.

it doesn't matter if he'd look good vs Masvidal had he fought him directly after Alvarez, Masvidal was a fucking nobody in 2016. Conor was looking for money fights and BIGGER FIGHTS. 2016-2017 Masvidal was not it.

Yes i disagree with the OPs premise as well

 

[Mammothman]

Conor could not accept somebody else qad lore popular than him at that point, he knew Jorge would have fucked him up.

 

[RockyLockridge]

Meh....

Two guys both past it when it was being fielded.

In terms of making money? You're almost certainly Right

 

[Elvis.]

I tink Gsp vs Silva would have had the biggest box office, followed by Fedor/Randy vs Brock

I knew before he hit the ground that Gonzaga’s high kick cost us Crocop vs Randy , that would have done well

I also really thought Overeem and Cain were destined to have a super historic title fight as they were both rolling at one point

 

[CC27]

Wouldnt have been the biggest PPV but it would have been big. In end the two Dustin fights were huge with the last one I believe becoming second biggest PPV ever behind COnor/Khabib so its not like they really missed out on anything.

 

[cburm]

Masvidal was riding high off the Askren KO and win over Diaz. He was getting interviewed on ESPN daily for like months. Conor was fresh off his "he's back" tko of Cowboy. Conor McGregor vs Jorge Masvidal would've likely broken every PPV buy record. Obv they didn't wanna do it because they didn't like the idea of Conor fighting in a covid-empty venue...but it would've without a doubt sold the most PPVs in UFC history. I always felt like that fight should've taken place as the first UFC fight with a full crowd post-covid. Would've been insane. Talk about a missed opportunity.

One lw ones ww...

What was missed was gaethje vs Connor
And max vs Connor at lw...

Tony conor woulda been insane.

 

[HNIC215]

We are still pretending Masvidal was ever good?

You must not remember when Dana made excuses for Conor - saying Masvidal was way too big for Conor. Pause.

Masvidal would have beat the breaks off Conor.

Dana didn’t want to risk Conor’s stardom at the time by a KO loss from a bigger fighter.

 

[FilipEmoFights]

I agree

 

[PaulieVegas27]

Still sticking with Ferguson/Khabib.

 

[PaulieVegas27]

We are still pretending Masvidal was ever good?

Agreed, anyone who loses so convincingly to Colby F'n Covington doesn't deserve it.