5 fights we should have seen at UFC 300: Did Dana White miss the mark? 

With two weeks left until the highly anticipated UFC 300, the wait is finally coming to an end.

According to UFC CEO Dana White, the events leading up to the fight were worthy of a documentary. As mentioned by White, the main event was the second-to-last fight to be announced on the card, which was revealed on the night of UFC 298. The main event will feature a bout between light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira and former titleholder Jamahal Hill, with Pereira defending his belt.

The upcoming 13-fight card will showcase a highly anticipated co-main event, with Strawweight champion Zhang Weili defending her title against fellow Chinese fighter Yan Xiaonan. This stacked card will also include 20 ranked fighters and 12 current or former UFC champions.

As it stands, UFC 300 has the potential to be remembered as one of the greatest fight cards of all time. However, if these five potential fights had been included in the pay-per-view event, it could have solidified its status as the best of all time.

The Ultimate Showdown: Jon Jones vs. Francis Ngannou

This fight between Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones was the least likely to happen out of all the matchups on this list due to Ngannou’s current affiliation with the PFL. However, if Dana White had not released the former champion and rejected the possibility of co-promoting with the PFL, a highly anticipated main event between Ngannou and Jones could have taken place.

While Jones is often hailed as the greatest fighter in history, some doubt his capabilities as a heavyweight due to his 1-0 record in the division. Despite losing to Anthony Joshua in a boxing match, Ngannou is widely regarded as the top heavyweight in MMA, having maintained an undefeated record in the cage since 2018.

In 2024, the heavyweight division is often criticized by fans, and it is highly probable that the Jones vs. Ngannou fight will join the list of matches that should have been arranged but ultimately never materialized.

Israel Adesanya vs. Marvin Vettori

Following a knockout loss to Israel Adesanya, Alex Pereira left the middleweight division, leaving the UFC with a highly anticipated matchup for UFC 290 between the champion and a promising contender with a history of bad blood. However, at UFC 293, Sean Strickland shocked everyone by pulling off an unexpected upset victory, disrupting the promotional plans.

Despite initially wanting Dricus Du Plessis to challenge Israel Adesanya for the title, the UFC ultimately ended up with the highly anticipated rivalry matchup after ‘Still Knocks’ defeated Strickland and claimed the belt at UFC 297. While it would have been a tight turnaround for Du Plessis to compete at UFC 300, the newly crowned champion expressed his willingness to face Adesanya in a title bout.

Prior to the official announcement of Pereira and Jamahal Hill as the main event, fans had anticipated it would be Adesanya and Du Plessis. However, no public reports were ever released regarding the reasons for the change in matchmaking. In early 2024, Adesanya disclosed that he had been dealing with multiple injuries, shedding light on the situation.

Regardless, both scenarios would have generated a higher level of anticipation and excitement than the current main event, given the built-in narrative and dedicated fan bases of both fighters.

The Ultimate Showdown: Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler

Despite numerous reports in early 2024, it was clear that no fighter was more eager to be a part of UFC 300 than Conor McGregor. Despite being the biggest star in MMA history, McGregor will not be featured on the highly anticipated UFC 300 card, possibly due to a variety of reasons.

Despite ‘The Notorious’ announcing he would fight Michael Chandler in June, several puzzling developments have emerged since the turn of the new year. However, the rumor has been denied and neither lightweight has secured a fight for the near future.

Despite breaking his leg in the Octagon in 2021, McGregor has expressed interest in returning to the sport multiple times. He is rumored to be coaching season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter against Chandler, but the potential matchup has not yet been finalized and is reportedly being planned for late 2024.

Despite being questioned multiple times, Dana White has consistently avoided identifying a specific reason for Conor McGregor’s delay in returning to the UFC. However, he recently voiced his concerns about the release of ‘Road House’ on March 21 possibly hindering McGregor’s comeback. Additionally, there have been speculations about McGregor’s involvement in USADA’s sudden exit from the UFC.

Despite being considered the essential face of MMA, McGregor will not be appearing at UFC 300 for various reasons.

Khamzat Chimaev and Shavkat Rakhmonov Face Off in Highly Anticipated Matchup

Despite the potential booking of a fight between Khamzat Chimaev and Robert Whittaker in Saudi Arabia, the matchup that fans have been eagerly anticipating is against Shavkat Rakhmonov.

Following his impressive win over Stephen Thompson at UFC 295, Rakhmonov has been hailed by some as the top welterweight in the world, while others have long predicted his future as a champion. His rapid ascent in the welterweight division is reminiscent of Chimaev’s run before he moved up to middleweight, leading fans to eagerly anticipate a potential matchup between the two.

Despite decreasing his presence in the Octagon since 2020, Chimaev remains a top star in the UFC. While Rakhmonov may not have reached that level yet, he possesses the potential to do so. Chimaev’s participation in any event automatically elevates its significance, and this would have been no different for UFC 300.

Although there were never any rumors about this matchup being planned for UFC 300, it would have been unlikely to happen due to the religious beliefs of both Chimaev and Rakhmonov. The scheduled date for UFC 300, April 13, falls just four days after the end of Ramadan, making it difficult for the devout Muslim fighters to participate. It was reported that Rakhmonov was offered a fight against Leon Edwards for UFC 300, but he declined due to his religious obligations.

Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria: A Clash of Rising UFC Stars

Similarly to Shavkat Rakhmonov, Islam Makhachev was presented with the opportunity to fight Leon Edwards at UFC 300, but he turned it down in light of his dedication to observing Ramadan. Dana White also dismissed the suggestion of Ilia Topuria competing for a second championship without first defending his title in the featherweight division. Nevertheless, the potential matchup is captivating in terms of style and would have undoubtedly enhanced the event.

Despite the current pound-for-pound no. 1 discussion being less definitive than in previous times, Makhachev is still widely considered to be a top contender. As the lightweight champion and coming off an impressive knockout victory against Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 294, Makhachev’s star power has never been greater.

Although Makhachev holds the title reign and pound-for-pound status, Topuria has already solidified himself as one of the biggest names in MMA. Following his victory at UFC 298, he was welcomed back to Spain with a grand homecoming and even received an honorary celebration at the prestigious Santiago Bernabeu alongside the Real Madrid football club.

The UFC had hoped for UFC 300 to make a huge impact, and the inclusion of two of its top stars would have achieved this goal. While the card is still impressive, it is missing the star power that Makhachev and Topuria could have brought at the main event.