5 fighters who have surprisingly never been in a UFC main event

#4. Khamzat Chimaev - UFC welterweight contender

Chimaev is ranked no. 11 with a record of 10-0

Khamzat Chimaev is one of the most popular names on the UFC roster, so it seems fair to say it's a little surprising that his wait for a main event is ongoing. Some will say this is because he is too early on in his career to have earned that opportunity but he certainly appears to be a draw already.

You could argue that Chimaev's bouts with Gerald Meerschaert and Li Jingliang were not high-profile enough to be a main event bout. However, the hype surrounding him is so great that it seems either could have warranted one. On top of that, his next fight with Gilbert Burns could 100% have been a main event bout.

That fight will not even be the co-main event on April 9 due to the two title fights that are taking place. It seems as though the promotion is keen to keep Chimaev on PPV cards for now, which may explain why 'Borz' is yet to compete in his first main event.

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#3. Marlon Vera - UFC bantamweight contender

Vera is ranked no. 8 with a record of 18-7-1

It was announced recently that Marlon Vera's long wait for a first main event will come to an end on April 30. He will do so in a bout against Rob Font in what will be an important bout for the bantamweight division. In truth, however, Vera has competed in more high-profile bouts in the past.

Vera's popularity sky-rocketed when he defeated the previously undefeated Sean O'Malley in August 2020. His next fight was against Jose Aldo in a bout that was surprisingly the co-main event behind Stephen Thompson and Geoff Neal. His last fight against Frankie Edgar could also have easily been a fight night main event.

Thankfully, Vera will now not have to wait too much longer for his chance to headline an event. His fight with Font also gives him the opportunity to move into the division's top five with a win and that would surely lead to more main events in the future.