There has been no shortage of “what ifs” throughout MMA, my personal favorite being Melvin Guillard. Probably because I was a teenager watching his career live. He showed the first signs of elite athleticism while wrestling strong defensively. All signs pointed to a fighter to keep an eye on. Unfortunately, lifestyle choices combined with poor career choices led to the once great prospect being downgraded to a shoplifter.
I listed the three former fighters as my team of Bizzaro Champions in another timeline. Please make your own list in the comments!
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Mark Kerr He had the elite athleticism, wrestling pedigree and early dominance that hinted at lasting dominance in the heavyweight division, but addiction, lifestyle choices and personal turmoil derailed him before he could take full advantage. He was a former wrestling champion who made the jump to MMA in the late 1990s. At first, he seemed like the future of the sport. He won UFC tournaments, went undefeated early on, even competed in PRIDE where he dominated with brutal ground and pound. He was built like a brick house, essentially being the first “Brock Lesnar” of the sport. Unfortunately, the injuries led to opioid abuse. Like many others during this period in America, they were unaware of the dangers or long-term effects these drugs would have on these individuals.
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Yoel Romero Olympic level athlete with freakish athleticism and power. He was a perennial title threat and won fights that should have secured the belts (especially a no-holds-barred match against Luke Rockhold, where he still knocked Rockhold out). Chronic weight-cutting failures and related issues repeatedly cost him official championships, despite performances that often looked championship-caliber. Better weight management and camp discipline will almost certainly add at least one UFC title to his resume. I still think he won that second fight against Bobby knuckles (I know Rob took a turn but Yoel’s damage was insane).
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Anthony “Rumble” Johnson: Devastating power and athleticism resulted in highlight knockouts and two lightweight title shots (both losses to Daniel Cormier). His early career was plagued by repeated weight cuts, immaturity and related setbacks, which at one point saw him released from the UFC. Once he matured, gained weight, and cleaned up his lifestyle, he became the best candidate. A cleaner early lead will likely speed up the timeline and improve his odds in those title fights. RIP
Which former fighters still come to mind?