Issue 121
November 2014
How five of mixed martial arts’ biggest fights not happening actually made a bigger mark on the sport’s history
Insignificant events can have significant consequences. It’s called the butterfly effect, and if you look close enough into MMA’s past it’s common to find something as everyday as an injury or contract issue which scratched a fight and triggered events that, with the benefit of hindsight, irrevocably changed the face of the sport.
Like how Vitor Belfort rain-checking his first date with Anderson Silva made Chael Sonnen a sports media darling, and a ‘Shogun’ Rua injury caused the retirement of one of the sport’s greats.
Fighters Only explores exactly how and why five simple booking changes shifted the lives and careers of some of the industry’s biggest names off course and shaped MMA as we know it.
‘Shogun’ Rua vs. Rashad Evans
UFC 128, 2011
Cause: Evans knee injury
Effect: Jon Jones’ record title reign, a heated rivalry, birth of new super-gym
Jon Jones found out he had a shot at the UFC light heavyweight title at the same time as everyone else: in the Octagon after he tapped then-fellow up-and-comer Ryan Bader at UFC 126 in 2011.
“Here’s the situation,” said commentator Joe Rogan during his post-fight interview, “Rashad Evans was scheduled to face ‘Shogun’ (Rua) for the title. Rashad Evans is injured, he blew out his knee. The UFC wants to give you the opportunity against Shogun Rua for the light heavyweight championship of the world.”
Jones accepted and six weeks later, at 23 years old, TKO’d Rua for the belt in under three rounds at UFC 128. He’s held it ever since, becoming the division’s longest reigning champion and making a record seven defenses. He’s subsequently earned Nike and Gatorade endorsements and become a crossover celebrity.
Although, rightfully, that title shot was never his opportunity. Evans had waited for another chance at the belt he’d held in 2009 – even sitting out 10 months since May the previous year, and not risking his contender status with another bout – for champion Rua to recover from knee surgery.
So although it appeared a fairytale ending for Jones, it was more a nightmare beginning for Jackson-Wink MMA, the home gym of Jones and friend and training partner Evans, the man whose title shot he hijacked.
Champion Jones and true number-one contender ‘Suga’ initially swore against fighting one another, until ‘Bones’ suggested it could be possible. Their relationship fast deteriorated, and Evans left the Jackson-Wink camp he’d called home since 2005. In preparation to fight Jones at UFC 133 the following August (although ‘Bones’ would withdraw, allowing Tito Ortiz to step in), Evans and departed members of American Top Team turned their exile into one of present-day MMA’s strongest teams – Florida’s Blackzilians.
While Jones being switched in for Evans against Rua in 2011 lead to much personal strife for fighters and coaches, the course of events it initiated certainly benefitted the UFC’s coffers. Because when Jones and Evans’ high volume of bad blood eventually spilled over into the Octagon, at UFC 145 in 2012, a massive 700,000 viewers made it one of the year’s biggest pay-per-view successes.
TIMELINE
Feb 2011: Rashad Evans injures knee prior to Rua title bout.
Feb 2011: Jon Jones replaces Rashad after defeating Ryan Bader at UFC 126.
Mar 2011: Jones defeats ‘Shogun’ Rua for the light heavyweight title.
Mar 2011: Evans leaves Jackson-Wink.Forms the Blackzilians along with JZ Cavalcante, ‘Bigfoot’ Silva and others.
Aug 2011: Jones withdraws from UFC133 and Tito Ortiz steps in to fight Rashad.
Apr 2012: Jones and Evans fight for the light heavyweight title at UFC 145 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Anderson Silva vs. Vitor Belfort
UFC 112, 2010
Cause: Belfort shoulder injury
Effect: Rise of Chael Sonnen, villainizing of Silva, ‘Knockout of the Year’
Chael Sonnen was once just another UFC middleweight. He was still outspoken, but not everyone was listening. Not until Vitor Belfort pulled out of his UFC 112 title fight with champion Anderson Silva, set for April 2010 in Abu Dhabi, with a shoulder injury.
After beating the much-fancied Nate Marquardt in a thorough three-round decision in February 2010, the title opportunity for wrestler Sonnen appeared to have come early. And despite the long healing time needed for cuts from the Marquardt scrap meant Demian Maia would actually get his spot, the American’s association with Silva suddenly gave his soundbites the spotlight they’d never had.
Now ‘The Spider’ was directly in his crosshairs, Sonnen’s new pulpit (all his without having to contend for attention with the unassuming Maia or absent Belfort) meant his profile rocketed – something he’s since maintained.
The smack talk was a hit with fans and suddenly Sonnen was a personality. More so when his now-renowned silver-tongued attack continued after Silva mocked Maia in their title contest. Those at home and in the arena turned on the champion. Even UFC president Dana White walked out in the fourth round, disgusted.
It appeared Silva had sought to make an example of his replacement opponent’s skills, but in turn burned his public image. It’s perhaps unlikely he would have acted the same had his foe been Belfort – and although several fan-friendly finishes righted some of his PR problems he’s never fully extinguished the boos during his pre-fight announcements.
Heat from White, Sonnen and the fans transformed the Brazilian’s August contest with the American at UFC 117 into must-watch viewing. As Chael’s verbal barrage continued (“There’s never been a guy with earrings that can out-tough me and he’s not going to be the first”) Sonnen became North American sports channels’ favorite interview and cemented himself as a UFC main eventer.
And although the grappler would ultimately submit to a Hail Mary fifth-round triangle-armbar, he shocked everyone by dominating Silva with ground ‘n’ pound for many of the earlier 20 minutes. Even in defeat, Sonnen’s stock soared.
A subsequent failed drugs test relating to undisclosed testosterone replacement therapy didn’t dent his position in the UFC’s top tier, which combined with his gift for the gab made him a preferred guest of ESPN’s MMA Live magazine show, and later the Fox network’s UFC broadcasts, leading to a UFC Tonight hosting gig and the chance of a legitimate post-UFC career in broadcasting.
It all contributed to making Silva and Sonnen’s 2012 rematch one of the UFC’s most successful events ever ($6.9m in tickets, just under 1 million pay-per-view buys), but not before that original matchup, Anderson vs. Vitor, ended in award-winning fashion: with The Spider snapping a rarely seen front kick into Vitor’s chin in the first, knocking him unconscious. Good enough for 2011’s ‘Knockout of the Year’ at our World MMA Awards. Would he have tried the much-imitated, now-iconic strike in Abu Dhabi?
TIMELINE
Feb 2010: Vitor Belfort pulls out of UFC 112 fight with Anderson Silva.
Apr 2010: Demian Maia has title fight against Silva. Fans boo ‘Spider’ as he mocks Maia.
Jun 2010: Chael Sonnen amps up smack talk against Silva.
Aug 2010 Chael Sonnen gets title fight against Silva at UFC 117.:
Feb 2011: Anderson Silva defeats Vitor Belfort with a World MMA Award-winning KO front kick to the face.
Jul 2012: Silva and Sonnen rematch for an anticipated, mega-money second fight.
Chuck Liddell vs. ‘Shogun’ Rua
UFC 85, 2008
Cause: Rua knee injury
Effect: Rashad Evans takes title, Thiago Alves’ ascent, Liddell’s retirement
Nobody benefitted more from ‘Shogun’ Rua getting a knee injury before his main event against Chuck Liddell at UFC 85 in London than Rashad Evans. Back then, in 2008, his two most recent appearances had been a razor-thin decision over Michael Bisping and a draw against Tito Ortiz. In theory, ‘Suga’ was a top 205lb’er. In reality, the TUF 2 winner wasn’t resonating with fans.
But with Rua’s affliction Evans stepped in against beloved KO artist Liddell, who’d just rebounded from losing his light heavyweight title to ‘Rampage’ Jackson by TKO, and a decision loss to Keith Jardine, with a ‘Fight of the Year’ performance against Wanderlei Silva.
Ultimately, the fight was rescheduled to UFC 88, three months later, after more injuries, including ‘The Iceman’ rupturing his hamstring. Most thought a Chuck victory, putting him back on track to recapturing his title, was a foregone conclusion. But when, not even two minutes into the second round, a massive Evans overhand right crashed into Liddell’s chin, the fan favorite was dropped to the canvas in a heap and Evans was catapulted into a title fight with 205lb champion Forrest Griffin.
By the end of the year, Evans was the UFC’s newest title holder. In six months he’d gone from light heavyweight also-ran to champion, all by virtue of a Rua injury.
Liddell’s fortunes were quite the reverse, however. The UFC remade his bout with Rua, but a clipping hook led to a TKO loss (plus a Rua title shot), and Chuck’s subsequent 14-month lay-off ended with a devastating, out-cold knockout defeat to Rich Franklin in 2010. He announced his retirement the following December.
But they weren’t the only ones to feel the effect of Rua’s injury. When Liddell-Evans was initially scrapped in London, Matt Hughes (coming off an interim title fight submission to Georges St Pierre) and Thiago Alves stepped into the main event breach.
An Alves flying knee provided the KO upset and thrust him into contendership, where a win over Josh Koscheck bought him a welterweight title shot opposite St Pierre on the UFC’s biggest ever card, UFC 100. Hughes, meanwhile, would never again enter the mix for a UFC belt.
TIMELINE
Apr 2008: Shogun’ Rua pulls out with knee injury against Chuck Liddell.
Sep 2008: Rashad Evans knocks out Chuck Liddell, receives title shot against Forrest Griffin.
Dec 2008: Evans defeats Forrest Griffin and becomes the new light heavyweight title holder.
Dec 2010: Chuck Liddell announces retirement after losses to Rua and Rich Franklin.
Carlos Newton vs. Anderson Silva
UFC 112, 2010
Cause: Silva contract issues
Effect: Matt Hughes’ historic title run, Silva’s near retirement and UFC belt
Former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva made an impressive promotional debut in 2006, knocking Chris Leben out in 49 seconds. That got him the opportunity to TKO Rich Franklin for a record-breaking six-year reign as gold holder. That’s well-known. What’s not common knowledge is ‘The Spider’ almost fought for the UFC welterweight title way back in 2001.
After beating Hayato Sakurai to win the Shooto 167lb title, Silva apparently signed a UFC contract with the intention being to have him challenge UFC 170lb champion Carlos Newton for his belt in Las Vegas in November 2001.
However, according to reports from the time, the UFC wanted him to fight for the company exclusively. Which was enough for the Chute Boxe fighter to ditch the deal due to his desire to compete in Pride in Japan and Meca World Vale Tudo in Brazil.
The fight was scrapped and the chance went to Matt Hughes, then 2-1 in the UFC. He’d last fought for the promotion the previous December, submitting to Dennis Hallman for the second time, then went 7-1 outside the company.
Newton-Hughes at UFC 34 would be historic. Not only did Hughes’ victory mark the start of an 820-day, five-defense spell with the belt, it came via one of the most controversial finishes in UFC history – two things that might never have happened if Silva had fought.
Locked in a Carlos Newton triangle, Hughes lifted his foe into the air and held him high against the cage wall. When Hughes dropped to the floor, KO’ing Newton, it appeared he’d slammed his way to the title. What Hughes immediately divulged to his corner was that he’d actually been choked unconscious by Newton’s triangle. Nevertheless, the win completely transformed Hughes’ life, laying the foundations for him being one of the sports most dominant-ever welterweights, and a run of 22 consecutive UFC contests.
After Hughes’ victory and Silva finishing future UFC fighter Roan Carneiro with strikes in Meca, the UFC is said to have again tried to book Silva’s debut, pitting him against new champ Hughes. He didn’t take it and instead Hayato Sakurai, who Silva had just beaten for the Shooto belt, got the UFC call and was TKO’d in four rounds.
Anderson would instead sign to Pride, as he had planned. After two wins he went 3-0 by TKO’ing none other than Carlos Newton at Pride 25. However, two losses in his next five fights forced The Spider to contemplate retirement.
And although three highlight-reel knockouts in London’s Cage Rage did cue that 2008 UFC debut against Leben, whether potential retirement would have been his fate had he taken the UFC up on its first offer is anyone’s guess. As is whether he would still have moved up to middleweight and become a record-breaking pound-for-pound great.
TIMELINE
Oct 2001: Anderson Silva has contract dispute with UFC.
Oct 2001: Matt Hughes steps in to replace Silva against Carlos Newton for the UFC title.
Nov 2001: Matt Hughes defeats Newton via KO and goes on to have a 22-fight win streak.
2004: Anderson Silva contemplates retirement after losing two fights in Pride.
Jun 2006: Silva makes UFC debut against Chris Leben.
Alistair Overeem vs. ‘Bigfoot’ Silva
Strikeforce: Overeem vs. Bigfoot, 2011
Cause: Overeem pulled from fight
Effect: Daniel Cormier vs. Jon Jones, Overeem career meltdown
Strikeforce’s heavyweight grand prix was responsible for a significant upswing in interest in the California promotion in 2011. And it’s a mark of Alistair Overeem’s 2011 drawing power, and the dimness of Olympic wrestler Daniel Cormier’s star back then, that a great deal of that curiosity waned when Overeem was replaced at the semi-final stage by the two-time Olympic wrestler.
Overeem said, due to a niggling injury, he wasn’t ready to fight by the September date Strikeforce, TV broadcaster Showtime and owners Zuffa had penciled for the tournament’s next stage and so was pulled from his much-hyped bout with Antonio ‘Bigfoot’ Silva. What was meant to be a super-fight between Strikeforce heavyweight king Overeem and recent Fedor Emelianenko-conqueror Silva, would instead see unheralded Cormier subbing for the champ.
Then an odd sequence of events ensued where, 12 days later, Overeem was dropped from Strikeforce because Zuffa objected to Golden Glory, his gym and management, requiring payment for its fighters to go through the company first – apparently the real reason for his nixing from the grand prix. Then a little over a month on, in September 2011, the UFC announced Overeem would fight Brock Lesnar at UFC 141 that December.
Meanwhile, 8-0 Cormier got the call to replace ‘The Reem’ having earned his spot by decisioning long-toothed veteran Jeff Monson, then the biggest name on Cormier’s less-than two-year-old record. But although his Olympic wrestling credentials were well regarded, it wasn’t thought his boxing or short reach would trouble Silva.
As it turned out, they did. With a 3:56 knockout, suddenly small-time Cormier was fighting former UFC heavyweight champion and Pride standout Josh Barnett in the grand prix final.
The hype for the Overeem-Lesnar heavyweight bout was appropriately seismic. The Dutchman built on his mystique when he toppled Lesnar in the first round, and although a failed drugs test meant he didn’t fight Junior Dos Santos for the heavyweight belt as intended, it couldn’t stub out the intrigue around the man, undefeated in over five years, when he took on original Strikeforce dance partner ‘Bigfoot’ at UFC 156 in February 2013.
And for two rounds Overeem handled Silva, as plenty had expected he might have back in 2011, only to drop his hands in the third round and get emphatically and humiliatingly knocked out. While Cormier’s profile had risen from his Bigfoot bout, Overeem’s plummeted after his. And it did again when a return fight, against Travis Browne six months later, ended in similar fashion.
From that Silva fight forward, Cormier’s career has only known one direction: up. He won the Strikeforce bracket by decisioning Barnett, then trounced men such as Dan Henderson, Frank Mir and Roy Nelson en route to stepping in for an injured Alexander Gustafsson in a UFC light heavyweight title fight against rival Jon Jones.
The high-profile, Jones-DC press event melee that followed in August ensured the pair’s January battle will result in big things for both competitors’ careers – and for that Cormier can thank Alistair Overeem.
TIMELINE
Jul 2011: Alistair Overeem is pulled from Strikeforce grand prix semi-final.
Jul 2011: Overeem is dropped from Strikeforce following a dispute with his gym and management and Zuffa.
Sep 2011: Daniel Cormier replaces Overeem against ‘Bigfoot’ Silva and goes on to win by KO.
May 2012: Cormier defeats Josh Barnett in the heavyweight grand prix final, legitimizing him.
Dec 2012: Overeem joins the UFC and TKO’s Brock Lesnar at UFC 141.
2013: Overeem is defeated by ‘Bigfoot’ and Travis Brown via KOs, while Cormier goes on to receive a title shot against Jon Jones.
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