MMA: 8 Possibly Great Fights Shot Down Due to Injury

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Only a little more than half way through the year and injury has seemingly swept through the entire sport of mixed martial arts, derailing contender bouts, halting fan favorites, suspending title fights and even denying long awaited rematches. 

The recent wave of injuries has plagued all divisions, seemingly undiscriminating when it comes to weight class, hitting fighters from lightweight all the way up to heavyweight and even creeping out to Strikeforce as well.

Back surgeries, torn muscles, injured knees and even broken toes have altered preliminary cards, headliners and even entire tournaments, causing fans to pull out their hair in frustration. 

However, with a sport like MMA, the risk of injury couldn't be higher, especially with the added pressures of  increasingly congested weight classes due to the WEC / UFC merger and Zuffa's recent acquisition of Strikeforce as well as he new five round main event rule.

So while fans hold their breath and cross their fingers, hoping that this rash of injuries is it, all they can do is remain hopeful.

As a fan though, you can't help but feel frustrated, especially with some of the fights that could have been seen already, so without further adieu, here are eight potentially great fights shot down due to injury.

UFC 125: Shane Carwin vs. Roy Nelson

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After suffering a tough loss at the hands of Junior Dos Santos at UFC 117, Roy Nelson looked to bounce back in a high profile heavyweight bout against Shane Carwin, who was coming off of a tough submission loss to Brock Lesnar at UFC 116 for the UFC Heavyweight title.

The two were set to meet at UFC 125 to kick off the new year in a co-main event, but a back injury resulted in Carwin being pulled from the bout, leaving Nelson without an opponent.

Carwin would later go on to lose to Dos Santos in a title contender elimination bout and Nelson would lose in a match up with Frank Mir.

What would have happened would have been a battle between two heavy handed sluggers who, despite being cardio challeged, have exhibited a high tolerance for taking punches.

Also, given Carwin's wrestling pedigree and Nelson's jiu jitsu background, the fight would have been interesting on all fronts.

Now with the two coming off losses, Nelson is set to take on Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic, however the two could eventually meet in the future, given the frequent shifts in the heavyweight landscape.

UFC 127: Carlos Condit vs. Chris Lytle

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When welterweights Chris Lytle and Carlos Condit were set to meet at UFC 127, it was almost guaranteed fireworks as the five time Fight of the Night winner Lytle would be another shoe in against former WEC welterweight champ Condit.

However, Condit withdrew from the fight due to a knee injury, leaving newcomer Brian Ebersole to step in against Lytle.

Lytle again won Fight of the Night honors in his bout with Ebersole, however, it came with a loss to Australian native Ebersole, on his homeland.

Now Lytle is set to fight Dan Hardy while Condit is set to square off with B.J. Penn. The two definitely received a step up in competition from their last bouts, with Condit on track to a title shot should he defeat Penn.

Perhaps the two could meet in the future, but by then, the 36 year old Lytle might be not have much left in the tank.

UFC 130: Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard III

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Arguably the most anticipated fight of the year, Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard's third bout was set to go down at UFC 130 after the two fought to a draw at UFC 125.

The draw, despite leaving many disappointed, set the stage for an epic lightweight trilogy which was postponed at UFC 130 due to a rib injury Edgar suffered and a knee injury to Maynard.

Now with the two finally scheduled to fight at UFC 136 in Houston, the entire lightweight division is holding their breaths, waiting to finally let out a sigh of relief should a winner finally arise, let's hope.

UFC 131: Brock Lesnar vs. Junior Dos Santos

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After a coaching stint on the Ultimate Fighter season 13, Brock Lesnar and Junior Dos Santos were set to fight for the right to challenge UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez after Velasquez had suffered a shoulder injury, postponing his first title defense against would be challenger Dos Santos.

Instead of waiting for Velasquez, Dos Santos opted to take on Lesnar after their coaching stint.

However, misfortune befell Lesnar as he was forced out of the bout after a re-emergence of his diverticulitis.

So instead, heavyweight Shane Carwin stepped in to challenge Dos Santos and was thoroughly put away in three rounds.

Once recovered, it is almost inevitable that the UFC will set up a bout between the two in the future, but after Dos Santos' destruction of Carwin, it seems likely that the similarly built but weaker standing up Lesnar could run into the same sorts of problems as Carwin.

UFC 131: Donald Cerrone vs. Mac Danzig

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Another bout altered due to injury, Mac Danzig and Donald Cerrone were set to square off at UFC 131.

However, a torn muscle injury forced Danzig out of the bout, leaving Cerrone to fight Vagner Rocha, who he brutalized with leg kicks.

Many looked forward to the fight including Danzig and Cerrone themselves, mainly because of the bad blood between the two.

The two exchanged comments over the internet hoping to finally settle it in the cage, however it never came to be and Cerrone took out his frustrations on Rocha on way to a unanimous decision victory.

UFC 133: Rashad Evans vs. Jon Jones

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Originally set to fight for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship at UFC 128, Rashad Evans was forced out of the bout due to injury with his former Greg Jackson's team mate Jon Jones replacing him.

Jones was then set to make his first title defense against Evans at UFC 133, but was forced off the card due to a torn ligament in his hand, however it later turned out that he would be able to fight later on in the year while Evans was slated to fight up and coming prospect Phil Davis.

Davis however, was bitten by the injury bug as well and was eventually replaced by Tito Ortiz.

For Evans, roller coaster of events that has kept him from his title shot is approaching the end and should he defeat Ortiz, he could finally get the fight with Jones the two have been aching for.

Trash talk and gym drama aside, the bout was set to be one of the most interesting fights in the Light Heavyweight division and if the two can get through their upcoming fights, they could have each other in their futures.

UFC 133: Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. Rich Franklin

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Both coming off of losses to younger and fresher talent in Forrest Griffin and Phil Davis respectively, Rich Franklin and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira were set to face each other at UFC 133.

However, once the wave injuries that hit the main event crept down to the co-main event, "Lil Nog" was hit with a shoulder injury, withdrawing from the fight on short notice and thus leaving Franklin without an opponent to replace him.

For a pair of former superstars of the sport, the scrapped bout represented a missed opportunity to see two arguably legendary fighters duke it out in what could be considered the twilight of their careers.

Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix Semifinal: Alistair Overeem vs. Antonio Silva

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In what many considered to be the biggest matchup left of the tournament, Alistair Overeem was set to face Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva in the semifinals of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix tournament.

Silva, who was fresh off a brutal doctor stoppage TKO of Fedor Emelianenko, emerged as a possibility to upset Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion Overeem.

However, a broken toe lingering from his fight with Fabricio Werdum continued to bother Overeem and after some comments made about the injury and his refusal to participate in the fight with it, Overeem was replaced by alternate Daniel Cormier.

The bout would have furthered Overeem's goal of heavyweight domination in the sport but has emerged as a roadblock.

There exists a possibility he could move to the UFC, however, it seems unlikely until he fulfills the final Strikeforce fight on his contract.