5 UFC ‘What Ifs’ That Could Have Changed MMA Forever

What if Dana White had been a fighter instead of the UFC’s CEO? What if Nate Diaz went for the finish instead of a photo moment against Leon Edwards? Interesting questions to ponder over. Of course, these questions are just food for thought and not of any consequence today. But, what if… they were?

Imagine the head honcho stepping into the Octagon instead of running the company. Would the UFC sit on the throne as the biggest MMA promotion in the world today, with little competition in sight? Many such key moments and snap decisions have shaped the company into the powerhouse it is today. Today, we wonder if the UFC would still enjoy the same status it does now had some of those moments gone differently. To satisfy curious minds, here are five “What If” moments that could have completely changed the way we watch MMA.  

What if Dana White had walked away from UFC?  

Love him or hate him, the UFC still needs Dana White as it needed him back in 2002. The UFC CEO is arguably one of the most polarizing figures in the sports world. Some admire his brash, iron-fisted approach to running the promotion, while others criticize him, most notably over fighter pay, (and for announcing fights and retirements with little to no notice or buildup). Yet, there’s no denying that White’s role in turning the UFC into a $12 billion powerhouse is irreplaceable. He and the Fertitta brothers literally gambled on a struggling business and turned it into a success. This also sparks speculation! What if the 56-year-old had walked away due to the stress of early struggles?

In a March interview with Forbes’ Matt Craid, Dana White recalled a moment when the UFC was $44 million in debt. Lorenzo Fertitta called him, saying, “I can’t keep doing this. My brother and I can’t keep funding it… Go see what you could sell this for.” White revealed they were looking to sell the company for just seven or eight million dollars. Fortunately, they decided to stick with it, which would prove to be one of the greatest decisions they could have ever made!

But things could have gone south fast. If the TUF Finale between Stephan Bonnar and Forrest Griffin had failed, that might have been the end for Dana, and the Fertitta brothers could have walked away with massive losses. The UFC could have sunk deeper into bankruptcy and been sold to someone else. Can you imagine a reality where a PFL or a Bellator acquires the UFC and UFC stars chase the big money and belts in these rival promotions?

And who knows? We might never have seen it rise into the giant it is today. In that case, Pride Fighting Championship might have been the next best option for fans.  

What if PRIDE never folded in 2007?  

Before the UFC became the biggest MMA organization in the world, PRIDE was quenching the thirst of global MMA fans. In 1997, the Japanese promotion hosted its first event at the world-famous Tokyo Dome on October 11. From 2000 to 2005, PRIDE enjoyed massive success, broadcasting in 40 countries worldwide. They even held Shockwave/Dynamite in August 2002, drawing a record-breaking 91,107 fans — truly golden times for investors and stakeholders. But soon, things began to change.

In 2006, DSE, PRIDE’s parent company, started showing UFC events alongside their own, integrating fighters from both promotions. However, after a failed fighter exchange deal, White commented for Zuffa, “The Japanese are very hard to do business with.” The partnership between the two promotions began to unravel. PRIDE also failed to book Mike Tyson for a Macau, China event under boxing rules, and the Bushido events were discontinued. The smell of trouble was in the air. 

Then, in 2007, company executives Nobuyuki Sakakibara and Nobuhiko Takada revealed that Zuffa had acquired PRIDE for $65 million, ending an era. But imagine if PRIDE had thrived — two top promotions competing at their peak, putting on unforgettable spectacles. At the time, the Japanese boasted one of the best talent pools, including fighters like Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson, Anderson Silva, and Dan Henderson, who were PRIDE legends and later became UFC stars.

If PRIDE had continued, White and Co. might have faced a slower rise, as transferring fighters wouldn’t have been as seamless. It could have created a competitive landscape between the Japanese and North American promotions, each trying to put on bigger spectacles to captivate audiences and sell their product. Having explored two business-oriented “What Ifs,” let’s shift the focus to the fights themselves! Starting with the biggest UFC event of all time.   

What if Conor McGregor had beaten Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229?  

No speculation discussion is complete without mentioning the biggest UFC fight to date: the historic UFC 229! After a dramatic and fiery build-up, Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov finally squared off inside the Octagon on October 6, 2018. ‘The Notorious’ was dominated on the ground before being choked out by ‘The Eagle’ in Round 4 at 3:03. What followed was pure chaos, as both corners erupted into a wild brawl — an event that shattered records with 2.4 million PPV buys, ended with a permanent blotch to its name.

The Dagestani became an instant global star after dismantling his bitter rival. But what if Conor had won that encounter? For one, ‘The Notorious’ would have been the first man to hand Khabib a career loss, instantly skyrocketing his popularity to another level. That victory alone might have pushed Conor into the GOAT conversation. And without question, a rematch would have loomed large and possibly even in Ireland, setting the stage to smash the PPV buyrate record all over again.  

But largely, the animosity between the two camps would have remained the same regardless of who won that night. As we know, McGregor never got his long-awaited rematch after losing at T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas. Still, he at least had the chance to face his bitter rival under the bright lights of a packed arena. The next fighter in line, however, never even got that opportunity against Nurmagomedov. Making it one of the biggest “What Ifs” in MMA history.  

What if Khabib had fought Tony Ferguson?  

Enter the most cursed UFC fight ever! It’s a shame that fans did not get to see a prime Tony Ferguson facing a prime Khabib Nurmagomedov! It was predicted to be one of the best fights that never happened. From 2015-2020, the UFC tried five times to make this fight, but each time it fell off because of unfortunate reasons.  

Most notably, Khabib being hospitalized due to weight issues ahead of his UFC 209 bout with Tony Ferguson was a moment fans will forever regret. To make matters worse, Dana White scheduled them again for the fourth time at UFC 223 for the “real title,” while McGregor was off chasing his side quest against Floyd Mayweather. But once more, the fight collapsed, this time after ‘El Cucuy’ tore his lateral collateral ligament, tripping over cables at a media day event! Just when everyone thought that the fifth time was the charm, a global pandemic in COVID-19 stopped the proceedings!

After multiple failed attempts to secure the Khabib fight, Tony Ferguson’s next move became one of the most devastating turning points of his career. He stepped in against Justin Gaethje at UFC 249 for the interim lightweight title. ‘The Highlight’ put on a five-round masterclass, doling out the beating of a lifetime, eventually stopping Ferguson in the fifth to claim the interim belt. That brutal loss slammed the door shut on a future showdown with ‘The Eagle,’ who later told ESPN MMA, “Tony Ferguson is finished now. I believe. Because when you take damage like this, you’re never going to be the same. Never. Even if you’re Tony Ferguson.” 

That’s a brief history between the two. So, let’s assume they had actually fought — it would have been another historic lightweight clash for the UFC. Many fans believed Tony was the antidote to Khabib’s style, thanks to his unorthodox footwork and odd striking angles, combined with his offense from the bottom when taken to the ground. Add in ‘El Cucuy’s’ hand speed, which could have been a factor since Khabib was once caught by Michael Johnson at UFC 205, and you’ve got a matchup that would have been truly intriguing.

If Tony had won, his stardom would have skyrocketed, potentially making him Dana White’s next big draw after McGregor. On the other hand, if Khabib had claimed the victory, his reign would look even greater than it already does today. And who knows? This fight might even have rivaled UFC 229 in terms of PPV buys, given the level of hype surrounding it. And with that, we close out another massive matchup that could have reshaped the UFC’s timeline — but the next one is even more significant. 

What if Jon Jones never moved up to heavyweight? 

When Jon Jones announced he was vacating the belt after his razor-thin victory over Dominick Reyes at UFC 247, many fans and critics aimed at the decision. The former light heavyweight champion was accused of robbing Reyes of a well-deserved rematch. After three long years away, Jones finally made his return! But this time at heavyweight, sparking yet another wave of major discussions once again.  

Jones faced Ciryl Gane at UFC 285, and in just 2:04 of the very first round, he became the heavyweight champion of the world, proving to everyone that ring rust doesn’t exist for him. That victory was followed by a showdown with Stipe Miocic at UFC 309, more than a year later, which further cemented his status as one of the greatest in the sport. However, by then, whispers of him “ducking” Tom Aspinall had already started making the rounds. Still, ‘Bones’ becoming champion in two divisions has already etched his name into heavyweight history. But that brings us to the big question — what if he never moved up to 265 lbs?

If he hadn’t, the chances were high that Jones would have either retired or returned to the 205 lbs division. Around that time, Jamahal Hill had just beaten Glover Teixeira at UFC 283 to claim the light heavyweight belt. Jones might have faced Hill for the title, or perhaps made his return against Alex Pereira after he captured the 205 strap at UFC 295 by beating Jiri Prochazka. But that’s not all! The heavyweight division itself would have already moved on by then. 

After Ngannou’s exit from the promotion, Gane likely still would have earned a title shot, since he defeated Tai Tuivasa a few months after the Ngannou loss. But his opponent would have been a much more interesting story. The UFC might have tried to bring back Stipe Miocic, who was still on hiatus after losing the belt to ‘The Predator’ at UFC 260. And if that option didn’t work, Sergei Pavlovich would have been next in line. Why? Before falling to Tom Aspinall at UFC 295, the Russian was riding a dominant six-fight winning streak! And that made him a prime candidate for a title shot.

Now we arrive at the speculated scenarios of Jon Jones vs. Jamahal Hill or Alex Pereira at light heavyweight, and Ciryl Gane vs. Sergei Pavlovich or Stipe Miocic at heavyweight. So here’s the question! Who do you think would have won these matchups, and how? Let us know in the comments below!