The UFC always gets its man. Or woman. Most of the time.
The UFC typically offers the most money, the most fame and the highest caliber of opposition. There are all sorts of reasons why the Ultimate Fighting Championship is, warts and everything, the biggest stage and proving ground in MMA. And it's not close.
None of that is news. The surprising part of the narrative comes when the juggernaut does not get its way.
But it happens. Arguments over money are a thing that happens in life, believe it or not. Sometimes, egos clash in a dangerous game of psychological chicken. And you know what else? Sometimes, the timing just doesn't line up.
These are the five biggest stars who slipped through the grasp of the UFC. This is not a list of the five best fighters never to enter the Octagon, though you will note some similarities. This is a list of fighters the UFC actively desired. The UFC pined for these individuals and pursued them, but thanks to various circumstances, it couldn't quite close the deal.
