5 best fighters to never compete in UFC
UFC fans have been lucky to witness some of the best fights in mixed martial arts history. However, some of the world's best MMA artists haven't showcased their skills in the Octagon.
Here's a look at five of the best fighters who've never competed in the UFC.
Bibiano Fernandes (24-4) - ONE Bantamweight Champion
Fernandes made a name for himself in the late 2000s under the Japan-based Dream promotion, where he won both the featherweight and bantamweight titles. In 2012, the Brazilian nearly signed with the UFC when he was offered a fight against Roland Delorme at UFC 149 in Calgary. However, the sides couldn't come to terms on a contract and Fernandes accepted a more lucrative offer from ONE Championship instead.
The Revolution Martial Arts product went on to claim the ONE bantamweight title in 2013 and went on a remarkable run that saw him win 16 of 17 fights. Fernandes is also a frequent training partner of former UFC flyweight champion and current ONE Championship standout Demetrious Johnson.
Whenever the 40-year-old Fernandes decides to retire, he'll go down as one of the best bantamweights in MMA history.
Rickson Gracie (11-0) - Middleweight
Many MMA pundits argue that Rickson is the most talented fighter from the legendary Gracie family and that one of the biggest disappointments in this sport is that he never fought in the UFC.
Boasting over 400 wins in various martial arts competitions, Gracie also gained notoriety for winning back-to-back one-night Vale Tudo tournaments in 1994 and 1995. The ninth-degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu red belt retired in 2000 with 11 straight submission victories, including two under the Pride FC banner.
Gracie's half-brother, Royce, is a UFC Hall of Famer, while his son Kron currently competes in the UFC's featherweight division.
Gina Carano (7-1) - Women's featherweight
Carano made a successful transition from Muay Thai to MMA, where she became a household name while fighting for EliteXC. Despite little MMA experience, "Conviction" went undefeated through her first seven bouts, with her opponents owning a combined 40-10 record.
That hot start set up one of the most important fights in MMA history: Carano against Cris Cyborg for the inaugural Strikeforce women's featherweight championship. That title fight, which took place in August 2009, was the first time that two women headlined a major MMA event and came during a period when the UFC had no interest in seeing women compete in the organization.
Despite losing the bout by first-round TKO, Carano stood toe to toe with one of the best fighters in women's MMA history. Following the loss, Carano went on to pursue an acting career and hasn't fought since. There were some talks of a comeback in the UFC, but nothing has materialized.
Igor Vovchanchyn (55-10-1) - Light heavyweight
Vovchanchyn started his MMA career back in 1995 and despite possessing a smaller frame - standing 5-foot-8 with a 68-inch reach - he would take on much bigger fighters throughout his career.
The Ukrainian won nine open-weight tournaments and holds one of the longest winning streaks in history at 37 straight victories. "Ice Cold" was also a runner-up at the Pride FC Open-Weight Grand Prix in 2000 and fought 27 times for the Japan-based promotion.
Injuries ended Vovchanchyn's career in 2005, two years before the UFC purchased Pride FC. Prior to that, the 46-year-old stopped 48 of his 66 career opponents.
Fedor Emelianenko (39-6) - Heavyweight
Many have considered Emelianenko the best heavyweight of all time, especially during his 28-fight unbeaten streak from 2001-09. In that span, the Pride heavyweight champion defeated the likes of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic, and Kevin Randleman.
One of the biggest letdowns for fans is that Emelianenko has never fought in the UFC despite several attempts from Dana White. The 43-year-old Emelianenko is still competing and last defeated Quinton "Rampage" Jackson by TKO at Bellator 237 in December.