"Always The Bridesmaid, Never The Bride" Fighters At Every Division?

[bogeyj]

who are some fighters that are perennial top 2-3 but just can't win the big one when it matters? basically fighters who are too good to be gatekeepers but not quite champ material for whatever reason?

LW: Dustin or Gaethje
WW: Colby
MW: Vettori or Brunson
HW: Volkov or Blaydes

in the women's divisions I'd say the only one that comes to mind is Germaine De Randamie and I guess post-Rose Joanna. I know she was champ, but she could never win fights that mattered after Rose beat her the 1st time


a scary thought is Max might become one of these fighters at FW if he loses to Volk again

 

[Zebra Cheeks]

Aldo unfortunately at this point in his career

 

[hymn]

Demian Maia
Overeem

 

[Arrrrgh]

OH GOD NO.

Don't say gatekeeper.

There was a thread yesterday that went 5 pages with people arguing about what a fucking gatekeeper is lol.

This thread is doomed.

 

[Schoolboy Q]

Seems like Kattar is heading in that direction, I’ve seen enough from him against high level guys to know he won’t get the belt or even get a title shot. But he will still probably get some good wins before he decides to hang ‘em up. Not everyone is meant to hold the belt.

 

[PeacePipe]

Aldo unfortunately at this point in his career

Disagree, he was the bride for the longest time before

 

[linvillegorge]

Cerrone

Multiple title shots. Varner bitched out in the fight that would've gotten him the WEC belt. Wins over two former UFC champs and the current LW champ.

 

[Ube]

Wonderboy when was a little younger

 

[PeacePipe]

Benavidez, Whittaker (although he was bride for a minute), Poirier, t ferg, dc at lhw,

 

[Egészségére!]

Gus is goat this

 

[FreddieRoachsVoice]

Jon Fitch

 

[rebell]

Stop mentioning people that held the belt.

 

[Hey Soos]

If you held the belt you should never be considered a gate keeper because you reached the pinnacle of the sport.

 

[Papasmurf45619]

Benavidez at BW AND FlW

 

[Sweater of AV]

Florian, Rizzo, Sonnen...

 

[csufwrestler]

Benavidez, Whittaker (although he was bride for a minute), Poirier, t ferg, dc at lhw,

whittaker was a champ who defended belt. Poire was interim champ. Ferg was interim Champ. Dc was champ at lhw who defended several times. I think you suck at this

 

[TempleoftheDog]

who are some fighters that are perennial top 2-3 but just can't win the big one when it matters? basically fighters who are too good to be gatekeepers but not quite champ material for whatever reason?

LW: Dustin or Gaethje
WW: Colby
MW: Vettori or Brunson
HW: Volkov or Blaydes

in the women's divisions I'd say the only one that comes to mind is Germaine De Randamie and I guess post-Rose Joanna. I know she was champ, but she could never win fights that mattered after Rose beat her the 1st time


a scary thought is Max might become one of these fighters at FW if he loses to Volk again

So for wmma you literally brought up two fighters that were actual “brides”?? How do you lose the plot of your own thread just in the OP? lol, wow.

 

[NattyBro]

Gastelum was the first one that popped into my head. Kelvin is definitely skilled but at this point seems like he's never going to be champ or ever really threaten top 3 again (pick your weight class for that matter)

 

[AP_RESURRECTION]

Bader in UFC I thought

 

[wwkirk]

in the women's divisions I'd say the only one that comes to mind is Germaine De Randamie

Have you forgotten she was actually a UFC champ at one point?

I agree with everyone who says that anyone who became a champ is by definition not a gatekeeper.