4. UFC 200: Tate vs Nunes
Before one fighter even put their gloves on back in 2016, UFC 200 had one of the most unbelievable fight weeks leading up to the event. Starting from the beginning, originally set to be headlined by MMA superstar Conor McGregor’s rematch with Nate Diaz, the headliner was scrapped after McGregor’s refusal to attend a press event weeks out, which led to his now infamous retirement.
The UFC moved on, stacking the seminal 200th pay-per-view event with arguably the most stacked line-up ever seen on paper. Literally, every fight on the card featured fan favorites or ranked contenders in crucial match-ups. Three championship fights topped the card, led by the grudge match between Daniel Cormier and Jon Jones. To add even more star power, the UFC had announced the return of former champion and WWE superstar Brock Lesnar who would face Mark Hunt at the event. Finally, two smaller fight cards took place in the nights leading up to the big show, each headlined by title fights. On paper, few events had ever been set up for success like UFC 200.
On the Wednesday leading up to the fight, things took a dramatic turn. It was announced that Jon Jones had tested positive for banned substances and was out of the headliner against arch-rival Daniel Cormier. Just months prior, Jones had made a successful return after being out of the cage for nearly a year due to well-documented legal trouble outside of the Octagon. The entire situation, for that week at least, ended with a tearful Jones addressing the media in a now infamous press conference. Cormier went on to face Anderson Silva on Saturday night, with the former middleweight champion stepping in on 48 hours notice after having only been scheduled to make public appearances as part of the week’s festivities.
Fans likely remember the unique cage used that was colored a goldenrod yellow color that was not in sync with the metallic gold that was used on the logo of the UFC fight gloves. The event itself is usually remembered for the aftermath: Lesnar would go on to test positive for clomiphene and hydroxy-clomiphene, anti-estrogen drugs associated with steroid use. He would not be seen in MMA again — minus a fight teased with Daniel Cormier which never paid off. Former champion Cain Velasquez looked like a force to be reckoned with against Travis Browne, but it would be his final MMA victory. José Aldo would best Frankie Edgar in a high level contest to win the interim title, but the lasting image was Conor McGregor watching intently from outside the cage. Finally, the event marked the beginning of the reign of now two-division champion Amanda Nunes as she stopped Miesha Tate in the first round.
