5 UFC fights that were canceled at the last minute

#2. Conor McGregor vs. Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 196

Not long after capturing the undisputed featherweight championship from Jose Aldo, Conor McGregor sought to step up to the division above him to challenge then-lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos for his title. It was a rare moment as Dana White was, prior to the Irishman's rise, adamantly against fighters becoming simultaneous champions of multiple divisions.

Before McGregor, only B.J. Penn was afforded the opportunity to challenge for a 2nd title while still a champion. However, the Hawaiian failed, encountering his superior in the octagon when he suffered a TKO loss to Georges St-Pierre.

Unfortunately, the Irishman's matchup with Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 196 was scrapped days before the event as the Brazilian suffered a broken foot. Instead, Nate Diaz emerged as a last-minute replacement in what turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

'The Notorious' suffered his first UFC loss against the Stockton native, exhausting himself in a futile bid to knock his foe unconscious in the first round before he himself was, ironically, rocked by Diaz's punches. This forced McGregor—of all fighters—to attempt an ill-advised takedown.

Diaz stuffed the takedown before a short grappling sequence saw him capture his foe with a rear-naked choke, creating the foundation for one of the promotion's greatest rivalries.

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#1. Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson at UFC 223

Fans will never see Khabib Nurmagomedov compete against Tony Ferguson in the octagon. The undefeated Dagestani is now retired, and Ferguson is on the decline due to his age.

However, the fight was a longstanding fantasy matchup in the lightweight division. The rise of both fighters coincided as they each mounted two of the longest win streaks their division has ever seen. So, it only made sense to book the two in a matchup.

The fighters were scheduled to face each other five times. Every single one of those times, the fight collapsed. At UFC 209, Nurmagomedov suffered from the ill effects of a poor weight cut, forcing doctors to pull him out of the bout a day before the event.

No cancelation, however, was more frustrating than when Ferguson had to withdraw from their matchup at UFC 223 days prior to locking horns with his divisional rival.

'El Cucuy' is known for his preference for wearing indoor sunglasses. This is the alleged reason behind the injury he suffered at a media day event for UFC 223.

Due to the dark shade of its lenses, Ferguson's sunglasses prevented him from seeing a cable on the floor, which he then tripped over, injuring his knee in a cartoonishly ludicrous scenario that canceled one of the most hotly anticipated bouts in MMA history. It would not, however, be their last scrapped fight.