'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
It was recently announced that UFC 272 will be headlined by Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal. This is a rare occurrence as neither man is a champion and the main event of pay-per-views (PPVs) traditionally features a championship match. The pair join an exclusive list of fighters who have had the star power to pull this off.
In order to get fans to spend their hard-earned money on a non-title fight, the fighters involved have to be huge stars. This level of popularity is very hard to achieve, although we have seen it on occasion over the years.
Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz fought twice in the main event of pay-per-views without having a belt on the line either time. These fighters are so popular that both bouts sold well over one million pay-per-views and each man has gone on to headline pay-per-views with non-title fights against different opponents since.
While this does not happen often, there are a few cases of big-time fights securing top billing in recent memory. Here are five non-title UFC fights that headlined a pay-per-view:
#5. Anderson Silva vs. Nick Diaz - UFC 183
This fight was Anderson Silva's return to action after over a year out with a broken leg. The former UFC middleweight champion was matched up against the popular former Strikeforce welterweight champion. Coincidentally, Nick Diaz was returning from over a year out himself.
Nick Diaz had retired following his last bout against Georges St. Pierre and was making his middleweight debut in this fight. With fans also unsure how Silva would perform following his brutal leg injury, there were plenty of unknowns heading into this one.
The combination of intrigue and enormous popularity of both fighters made the bout big enough to main event a pay-per-view. This decision was justified as, even without a title on the line, the bout sold a very respectable 650,000 pay-per-views.
While Silva had his arm raised on the night as the winner by decision, this fight was ultimately overturned to a no contest. 'The Spider' tested positive for a banned substance and Diaz was also handed a ban for his use of marijuana.
#4. Brock Lesnar vs. Alistair Overeem - UFC 141
Brock Lesnar was one of the biggest draws in UFC history and began main eventing pay-per-views for the promotion in just his fourth professional fight. This bout with Alistair Overeem came after Lesnar's run with the heavyweight championship. However, 'The Beast Incarnate' remained a big enough star to headline the fight.
Once again, there were plenty of unknowns in this fight that helped generate interest. Lesnar had not fought in over a year due to his battles with diverticulitis and was trying to bounce back after losing his title. Overeem had achieved plenty of success overseas and was making his promotional debut in this fight.
The bout sold an impressive 750,000 pay-per-views, a particularly impressive number back in 2011. The fight saw Overeem swarm Lesnar and finish his opponent inside the first round after a body kick and punches.
#3. Nate Diaz vs. Jorge Masvidal - UFC 244
This bout became famous as it was contested for the symbolic 'BMF' title. The fight pitted two of the sport's most popular fighters against each other in a bout worthy of headlining a pay-per-view. This rivalry is one of the big reasons Jorge Masvidal is now a big enough name to be the main event at UFC 272.
2019 had been the year of Jorge Masvidal. He had knocked out Darren Till in March 2019. 'Gamebred' then capped it off with the quickest KO in UFC history over Ben Askren. The always popular Nate Diaz had made a winning return to the octagon earlier in the year, defeating Anthony Pettis after three years out.
While the number of pay-per-views this fight sold was not disclosed, the event raked in a ridiculous $6,575,996.19 in ticket sales. The fight saw Masvidal look good early, leading to a doctor stoppage TKO of Diaz after the third round due to a large cut.
#2. Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson vs. Rashad Evans - UFC 114
While this one may not be well known to more recent UFC fans, this non-title bout sold an enormous 1,050,000 pay-per-views in 2010. In theory, this bout was to determine the number one contender for the light heavyweight championship, although that failed to materialize after the event.
Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson was one of the first big stars in MMA. His entertaining fight style and personality made people want to see his bouts. On top of this, both men were former light heavyweight champions who strongly disliked each other and were just one win away from another crack at the belt.
Rashad Evans ultimately won the bout via unanimous decision. He would then miss out on the promised title shot due to injury. However, he did get one more fight for the belt when he lost to Jon Jones at UFC 145.
#1. Dustin Poirier vs. Conor McGregor II - UFC 257
Conor McGregor is the biggest star the UFC has ever seen. He can fight virtually anyone on the roster and fans would still be willing to buy the pay-per-view. He has proven this over the years, drawing record numbers in his non-title pay-per-view bouts with Nate Diaz, Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone and, most recently, Dustin Poirier.
This fight saw McGregor return after a year away from the sport and come back to the lightweight division where was a former champion. Poirier had clearly come a long way from his first bout with 'The Notorious' and had established himself as one of the top lightweights on the planet.
This bout sold 1,600,000 pay-per-views, tying the record set by Diaz vs. McGregor II. The trilogy bout between the pair also surpassed 1,500,000 pay-per-view sales, meaning this rivalry surpassed the two Diaz fights.
The second bout saw Dustin Poirier record a shocking second-round knockout before Conor McGregor broke his leg in the third fight between the pair. With both men now coming off losses in their previous outings, it will be interesting to see where they go from here.
