5 active UFC fighters who had to wait years for their first main event

Bobby Green is replacing Beneil Dariush to compete against Islam Makhachev in the UFC main event this Saturday. After more than 14 years and 42 fights in the game, Green will finally make his UFC main event debut in this fight.

Green's path to the main event scene is admittedly far from traditional. In most cases, it takes fighters a few years to establish themselves as a top competitor in their division and earn their first main event.

Some fighters can make this jump much quicker. Conor McGregor and Israel Adesanya were quickly thrust into main event fights in just their third bouts with the company. For others like Green, it can take much longer, but it is nice to see his hard work over the years finally being rewarded.

Here are five active UFC fighters who had to wait years for their first main event:

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#5. Gilbert Burns - UFC welterweight

It took Burns almost six years from promotional debut to first main event

Gilbert Burns may be the No.2 ranked welterweight but it has been a long journey to the top. The Brazilian first debuted in the UFC back in July 2014. While his debut was at welterweight, he spent many years competing in the lightweight division before returning to welterweight in 2019.

After three fights following the return to welterweight, he was finally granted his first main event fight against Tyron Woodley. Burns would win that fight and then challenge Kamaru Usman for the welterweight championship. While he was unsuccessful, he has since rebounded with a win over Stephen Thompson.

In total, it took Gilbert Burns 21 professional fights and 14 inside the octagon to earn his first UFC main event. He may very well get his second soon should a rumored bout with Khamzat Chimaev come to fruition.

#4. Islam Makhachev - UFC lightweight

It took Makhachev a little over six years from promotional debut to first main event

While much is being made of Bobby Green's first UFC main event finally coming this Saturday, Islam Makhachev also had to wait years for his own. After first debuting with the promotion back in 2015, the Russian did not compete in a main event until the summer of last year.

This streak is remarkable, considering Makhachev only suffered one loss during this time. When his main event did come, it was against Thiago Moises, whom he defeated via submission in the fourth round. He then defeated Dan Hooker in impressive fashion and will now face Bobby Green on Saturday.

That fight will be Makhachev's second main event in three bouts. He could easily extend that streak if he can pick up a tenth consecutive win. In total, it took the Russian 20 professional fights and 9 inside the octagon to earn his first main event with the promotion.

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#3. Vicente Luque - UFC welterweight

It took Luque close to seven years from promotional debut to first main event

Vicente Luque is yet to make his main event debut but is scheduled to do so against Belal Muhammad in April. This may be surprising to some given that Luque has previously fought the likes of Muhammad, Leon Edwards, Stephen Thompson, Tyron Woodley and Michael Chiesa.

Luque made his debut with the promotion back in July of 2015, which he lost via unanimous decision. Since then, he has put together a 14-2 run and has established himself as one of the world's best welterweights.

The upcoming fight with Muhammad is a big one as the pair are ranked No.4 and No.5 in the division, respectively. A win there could see Luque move on to plenty more main events in the future. In total, it took him 29 professional fights and 17 inside the octagon to earn his first main event.

#2. Sean Strickland - UFC middleweight

It took Strickland over seven years from promotional debut to first main event

Sean Strickland is within a shot at fighting for the UFC middleweight championship in his next bout. Remarkably, despite making his promotional debut back in 2014, he did not compete in a main event until July of last year.

His big moment came in a fight with Uriah Hall, which he won via a convincing unanimous decision. He followed this up with another main event success in a split decision win over Jack Hermansson. Should Jared Cannonier get snubbed, Strickland's next fight could conceivably be for the title.

While Strickland has enjoyed most of his success at middleweight, most of his octagon fights took place during a lengthy run at welterweight. In total, it took Strickland 26 professional fights and 13 inside the octagon to earn his first main event.

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#1. Bobby Green - UFC lightweight

It took Green over nine years from promotional debut to first main event

Bobby Green is the man of the hour. His brave decision to return to action just two weeks after his previous fight has earned him his first main event against Islam Makhachev. That fight will easily be the biggest bout of his career, and with the years he had dedicated to his craft, he certainly deserves it.

Green was a regular in Strikeforce before making his UFC debut in February 2013. While he began his run with the promotion with four consecutive victories, he has been unable to replicate a streak like that since. This has led to him becoming a respected veteran despite his lack of main event appearances.

If Green can pull off a huge upset on Saturday, he will set himself up for a few more main events in the future. In total, it took him 42 professional fights and 18 inside the octagon to earn himself his first shot in the main event.