Ariel Helwani's Fiery Take On The Controversy Surrounding UFC 300 Lacking 'Big Fights'

Renowned MMA journalist Ariel Helwani has come forward to drop his opinion regarding UFC 300 and the controversy regarding the lack of any ‘big fight’ announcement.

Set to take place on 13th April, UFC 300 is all over the headlines right now, but rather than the high excitement and anticipation for the third centennial event of the top dog MMA promotion, fans are rather skeptical and vexed over the apparent absence of any mega-fight that is truly worthy enough to mark the UFC’s 300th numbered event.

Ariel Helwani says the UFC’s stardom has gone past its own fighters

Helwani opines that the biggest year for the UFC has been 2016- which also saw the last centennial event for the promotion- the blockbuster that was the UFC 200. Featuring Miesha Tate and Amanda Nunes on the main event, it also marked the final UFC appearance of Brock Lesner, taking on Mark Hunt in the co-main event.

The year itself was filled with a number of huge matchups which Helwani discussed during a recent appearance on The Ringer MMA Show, and shared a short clip from the show on X, comparing the UFC’s progression from 2016 to 2024.

“2016- the greatest year in UFC history. UFC 200 was in the midst of that year. And maybe the big takeaway is there isn’t just as many superstars on the roster as there was back in 2016,” said Helwani. “Ronda Rousey fought (in) that year, after just fighting at the end of 2015. Jon Jones-Daniel Cormier, Nate Diaz-Conor McGregor. UFC 199 featured Luke Rockhold vs. Michael Bisping, Urijah Faber vs. Dominick Cruz for the belt. UFC 198 features Stipe (Miocic) winning the title against Fabricio Werdum in a soccer stadium in Brazil. UFC 197 featured Jon Jones. UFC 196 featured Holly Holm and Miesha Tate, and Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz.”

Helwani cites the main reason for the UFC 300 not generating as much excitement as UFC 200 is that the company itself doesn’t have that much stardom in its roster, although the UFC itself has grown into a ‘star’.

“Maybe the story here is, they just don’t have that many superstars right now. The UFC has never been hotter, they’ve never been more profitable. They’re humming along, they’re killing it. But the biggest star in the UFC is the UFC- the Brand. Dana White. All that. And everyone else is just solid, but no megastars that are actively fighting. They’re just not in the same spot, superstar-wise as they were back in 2016,” he added.

The UFC in 2016 – the company’s best year ever – isn’t the UFC in 2024.
For better (business) and for worse (superstars).
That’s why UFC 300 can’t be like UFC 200.
That’s just where we are right now. Best to come to terms with that. pic.twitter.com/by3vcyAq4b
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) January 12, 2024