5 intriguing 'What if?' questions from UFC history 

#4. What if Jon Jones had stayed clean?

Jon Jones could've been renowned as the greatest fighter in UFC history had he stayed clean

Jon Jones is undoubtedly one of the greatest UFC fighters of all time. It’s unlikely that anyone will ever match his incredible record in the light heavyweight division.

However, ‘Bones’ is also a highly controversial figure. The majority of the controversy around him stems from a lengthy list of failed drug tests over the years.

Not only did Jones test positive for the recreational drug cocaine, he’s also been busted for the use of PED’s, including the banned substance clomiphene.

These positive tests have forced him to vacate the UFC light heavyweight title more than once. They’ve also resulted in him suffering lengthy suspensions.

So what if Jones had never taken any kind of banned substance during his career? It’s a fascinating thought.

Firstly, he’d have never been forced to vacate his title in 2015. This means he’d have probably made at least one or two more successful defenses rather than having to win it back from Daniel Cormier.

If this were the case, it’s likely Jones would’ve moved up to the heavyweight division already, due to him exhausting his list of potential opponents at 205lbs.

Had he done that – and won the UFC heavyweight title at some point – then there’d be no denying his status as the UFC’s greatest fighter of all time.

The other fighter who could’ve been affected in this instance would have been Daniel Cormier. ‘DC’ obviously won the UFC light heavyweight title in Jones’ stead. He would’ve been more likely to move to heavyweight sooner had Jones not been forced to vacate.

If this were the case, then we may have seen Cormier – not Stipe Miocic – dethrone Fabricio Werdum in 2016 for the UFC heavyweight title. This could have meant that ‘DC’ could be recognised today as the UFC’s heavyweight GOAT – assuming Jones didn’t move up to take his title too quickly!

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#3. What if Ian McCall had beaten Demetrious Johnson in the UFC’s flyweight tournament?

The UFC flyweight division could've looked very different had Ian McCall defeated Demetrious Johnson in 2012

The UFC’s flyweight division was introduced in 2012. For the next six years that followed, it was defined by Demetrious Johnson.

‘Mighty Mouse’ won the inaugural UFC flyweight title by defeating Joseph Benavidez at UFC 152. He then defended it successfully on eleven occasions before being dethroned by Henry Cejudo in 2018.

However, things could’ve looked very different had referee Leon Roberts not been so kind to ‘Mighty Mouse’ in his fight with Ian McCall in March 2012.

The fight – which acted as a semi-final to set up the inaugural UFC flyweight title bout – went to a draw. The third round saw McCall almost finish Johnson from the mount. Roberts would certainly have been justified in calling a stoppage – but what if he had?

Obviously, McCall and not ‘Mighty Mouse’ would’ve advanced to the title bout with Benavidez. Given that Benavidez outpointed ‘Uncle Creepy’ less than a year after his fight with Johnson, it’s probably fair to suggest that he’d have become the champion instead.

Would Benavidez’s reign have lasted that long? It’s a fair question, especially as when he made a second attempt to take Johnson’s title in 2013, ‘Mighty Mouse’ had improved dramatically and knocked him out.

In essence then, it’s likely Benavidez would’ve held onto the title until a fight with Johnson. From there, ‘Mighty Mouse’ would probably have claimed the gold.

However, a far more marketable fighter being the UFC’s inaugural flyweight champion could have given the division a much better start. This means all of those threats from the UFC to cut the flyweight class over the years would never have happened.