Milan, Author at SportsBettingMaverick

Top 10 Biggest NBA Draft Busts Of All Time – Picks Who Never Lived Up To Their Potential

#10 – Sam Bowie – 2nd Pick, 1984 NBA Draft

I’m starting the list with the NBA center who was among the top three picks in the 1984 NBA Draft—Sam Bowie. The 1st pick was Hakeem Olajuwon, one of the best NBA defenders of all time. The 3rd pick was Michael Jordan, arguably the greatest player to ever touch the basketball.

Chosen by the Portland Trailblazers, they were expecting a center who could improve their franchise significantly. Instead, Sam Bowie was riddled with injuries and inconsistent.

He was on the sidelines for the entire 1987-88 season and only played 25 games from 1986 to 1989. But, when he was healthy, he could play solid basketball. If we don’t count the 1986/87 season with 16.0 PPG when he only played five games, his best season was 1991/92, when he averaged 15.0 PPG and 8.1 RPG for the New Jersey Nets. He ended his career after a two-season stint with the LA Lakers.

All in all, Bowie was an average player, but being often injured and with picks who were traded after Sam overshadowed him with their immense success and made Bowie one of the biggest busts in the history of the NBA.

#9 – Michael Olowokandi – 1st Pick, 1998 NBA Draft

Los Angeles Clippers selected Michael Olowokandi as the 1st pick of the NBA Draft pick in 1998. He was ahead of future superstars of the sport like Paul Pierce, Vince Carter as well as Dirk Nowitzki. Coming off a stellar career in college basketball, Olowokandi had immense potential to be the next big thing in the NBA. Unfortunately, that never happened.

The biggest issue regarding Olowokandi was that the coaches were complaining about his lack of work ethic and playing like he was there just to collect the paycheck.

In 2011, Kareem wrote to ESPN about how he attempted to point out Olowokandi’s mistakes on the court and tried correcting his bad habits, but Michael took the advice as a personal insult.

He lasted nine seasons in the NBA, averaging mediocre numbers, 8.3 PPG and 6.3 RPG. His best season was 2002/03 when he averaged 12.3 PPG and 9.1 RPG. Apart from the Clippers, Olowokandi played for the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Boston Celtics.

It’s a real shame that the Clippers could’ve picked a much better player, but no one could know that Michael Olowokandi would end up as one of the biggest NBA Draft busts in history.

#8 – Chris Washburn – 3rd Pick, 1986 NBA Draft

Chris Washburn was an all-around great college player known for his size and great agility for a center. The Golden State Warriors selected him as the third pick in the 1986 NBA Draft, hoping he could help the franchise reach unimaginable heights.

The Warriors couldn’t have imagined how tragic Washburn’s NBA career would look, even though he stole a radio and was arrested for it before the draft.

That 1986 NBA Draft was one of the worst in NBA history since four of the top 10 picks had drug issues. The unluckiest of the four was the 2nd pick, Len Bias, who passed away just two days after the draft due to an overdose. While the 6th pick, William Bedford, and the 7th pick, Roy Tarpley, were banned from the league for using drugs.

When it comes to Washburn, he developed a nasty habit of using cocaine and even got a kidney infection in his rookie year with the Warriors. He only played for three seasons, 72 games in total, with 3.1. PPG, and 2.4 RPG.

The NBA banned him for life in 1989 since he managed to fail three drug tests. There is no doubt that Chris Washburn was the worst Warriors draft pick ever.

#7 – LaRue Martin – 1st Pick, 1972 NBA Draft

Having a stellar college career and being a double-double machine were the main factors why the Portland Trailblazers selected LaRue Martin as the 1st pick of the 1972 NBA Draft. He was drafted ahead of future NBA legends like Julius Erving and Bob McAdoo. Although LaRue put up impressive performances in college as an elite center, those skills never translated into the NBA.

His lack of effort and work ethic were why he didn’t end up being successful, along with showing no genuine interest in playing basketball. Despite being a 7-foot center, he only averaged half a block per game in his 4-year stint in the NBA. He averaged an unremarkable 5.3 PPG and 4.6 RPG. Many NBA fans think LaRue Martin was one of the worst 1st picks of all NBA Drafts.

After his underwhelming NBA career, which he ended in 1976, LaRue Martin went to try his luck in the corporate world.

#6 – Adam Morrison – 3rd Pick, 2006 NBA Draft

Adam Morrison was regarded as one of the best college basketball players in 2006. That’s why the Charlotte Bobcats chose him as the 3rd pick of the NBA Draft in 2006. Besides Morrison, the Bobcats could’ve picked up players like LaMarcus Aldridge or Rudy Gay. Morrison was a prolific scorer in his college days, but that wasn’t the case in his short NBA career. He only averaged 7.5 PPG and 2.1 RPG.

His rookie year was his best one, and from then on, it all went downhill. He missed out his entire sophomore NBA season with a knee injury. He wasn’t the fastest player out there, and that injury worsened his speed. After the Bobcats, he went to the LA Lakers and won two NBA championships, even though he didn’t contribute much to the teams’ success.

After playing four seasons in the NBA, Morrison finished his career and went to play basketball overseas. His career was marred by injuries and inconsistency, culminating in his status as one of the NBA’s worst Draft picks.

#5 – Hasheem Thabeet – 2nd Pick, 2009 NBA Draft

Another center on the list is Hasheem Thabeet, who was selected by the Memphis Grizzlies at the 2009 NBA Draft. The Grizzlies thought that Hasheem could be the player that would bring the long-awaited fame and alter the course of their franchise.

He looked really promising since he was a dominant and quite talented 7’3” center. Sad to say, they were wrong. Apart from Thabeet, there were many superb players who were ripe for the taking in the draft, like Blake Griffin, James Harden, and Steph Curry.

Hasheem was really struggling while being in the NBA since he didn’t have impressive offensive skills, especially when it came to his post moves. After being with the Grizzlies for a season and a half, they got rid of Thabeet, and he went to the Houston Rockets, where he was horrendous as well. He also played for the Portland Trailblazers and the Oklahoma City Thunder before finishing his NBA career after only five years in the league.

Throughout his time in the NBA, he always had a hard time getting minutes, and he was a starter in only 20 out of 224 games that he played in. Thabeet averaged an abysmal 2.2 PPG and 2.7 RPG during his nightmare of a career.

He was out of the NBA in 2014, and many fans think that he’s one of the worst 2nd draft picks in recent history.

#4 – Greg Oden – 1st Pick, 2007 NBA Draft

The NBA Draft in 2007 revolved around two major prospects—Kevin Durant and Greg Oden. The Portland Trailblazers selected Oden as the 1st pick of the NBA Draft. At the time, no one would‘ve said that the Trailblazers made the wrong choice since Oden was massively talented and performed tremendously both in high school and in college too. With his sheer size and agility, Oden was unstoppable.

Regrettably, his career in the NBA was derailed by multiple knee injuries, and he only played in 105 games across three seasons. He missed his rookie year, and he didn’t play between 2010 and 2013 because of knee injuries. So, the main reason why he’s a massive bust was injuries, but inconsistency also played a big role.

If we ignore the injuries, when he played, he was quite solid, both offensively and defensively. For the duration of his short NBA career, Oden averaged 8.0 PPG, 6.2 RPG, and 1.2 BPG.

No one knows how good Oden could’ve been, but from what he’s shown, he’s up there among the biggest NBA busts.

#3 – Kwame Brown – 1st Pick, 2001 NBA Draft

Kwame Brown was chosen by the Washington Wizards as the 1st pick of the 2001 NBA Draft. Washington picked him up straight from high school, where he was a force to be reckoned with since he was 7ft tall and super athletic. He was picked ahead of high-level players like Tyson Chandler, Pau Gasol, and Jason Richardson.

An interesting fact is that the then President of Basketball Operations of the Washington Wizards, the GOAT Michael Jordan, was the one who chose Kwame Brown.

He definitely didn’t live up to the hype, since he only averaged 6.6 PPG and 5.5 RPG. These are solid numbers for an average player, but rather disappointing for a 1st NBA Draft Pick. He was immature, and really not ready for the NBA, along with lacking fundamental skills.

Despite his lackluster performances, he was plagued by injuries during his career. Kwame also had off-court controversial moments, when he was arrested in 2007, and was accused of rape too. Besides the Wizards, he played for numerous teams like the LA Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Philadelphia 76ers, Golden State Warriors, etc.

Even though he had the potential to be a generational big man, Kwame’s career was overall disappointing. No doubt, he’s one of the biggest NBA busts of all time.

#2 – Anthony Bennet – 1st Pick, 2013 NBA Draft

What a disappointment turned out to be the 1st NBA Draft Pick in 2013—Anthony Bennet. He was picked ahead of players like Victor Oladipo, CJ McCollum, and Giannis Antetokounmpo. If the Cavaliers went for either of those three, they couldn’t have gone wrong.

However, the Cleveland Cavaliers selected Benett as their next star in the power forward position since he proved himself as a high-level scorer and rebounder in college.

But, in the NBA, Bennet was disastrous. He wasn’t tall enough to play in the paint and was slow to play on the perimeter. He just didn’t have the tools to be a great NBA player. Apart from unimpressive skill set, he was also often injured.

In his rookie season, he scored his first shot after five games. He spent only four seasons in the NBA, averaging 4.4 PPG and 3.1 RPG. Bennet only started in 4 out of 151 games he played. He played for the Cavaliers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Toronto Raptors, and the Brooklyn Nets before finishing his career in the NBA. He went to play overseas after the NBA.

The Cleveland Cavaliers had high hopes for Bennet, but instead, he turned out to be one of the quickest draft picks to become a bust and a massive one as well.

#1 – Darko Milicic – 2nd Pick, 2003 NBA Draft

The No. 1 spot goes to the Serbian center—Darko Milicic. The Detroit Pistons chose him as the 2nd pick in the 2003 NBA Draft. The Pistons wanted to secure a top-notch center that could help the franchise win titles. The Pistons did win the title in 2004, but Darko didn’t play a significant role in winning the championship.

Milicic had everything to become an NBA superstar: shooting, passing, rebounding, size, and athleticism. For a 7-foot center, he was relatively fast as well. He was selected ahead of future Hall of Fame players like Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, and Carmelo Anthony, while the 1st pick was Lebron James. Before joining the NBA, Darko had an outstanding career in Serbia and was among the top European prospects.

However, in the NBA, Milicic performed disappointingly. He lacked the proper work ethic, tenacity, and aggression for a center in the NBA. He played for ten seasons in the league but never showed his true potential, unfortunately. Darko averaged 6.0 PPG, 4.2 RPG, and 1.3 BPG.

Besides the Pistons, who regretted selecting him, Milicic played for numerous NBA teams like Orlando Magic, Minnesota Timberwolves, Boston Celtics, etc.

His lack of development, discipline, and his inability to adapt to the NBA’s playstyle made him the biggest NBA bust in this league’s history.

Best Sports Betting Systems – How To Use Them and Can They Help You Win

What Is A Sports Betting System?

We can describe a sports betting system as a pattern or a strategic approach that we use to increase our winnings.

When we find a betting system that works for us, we have to decide if we’ll increase or decrease the amount of money we use for making sports bets, which depends on whether we’re on a winning or a losing streak.

Which option we choose differs whether we use a positive or a negative progression sports betting system. Everything is explained in the table below.

Positive Progression	Negative Progression
We raise our stake when we win	We raise our stake when we lose
We decrease our stake when we lose	We decrease our stake when we win

In the following table, you’ll see types of positive and negative progression systems.

Negative Progression Sports Betting Systems	Positive Progression Sports Betting Systems
Labouchere	Reverse Labouchere
Fibonacci	Contra D’Alembert
Martingale	Paroli
D’Alembert

Now, let’s dive deeper into the world of sports betting systems by giving a detailed breakdown of each system.

Negative Progression Sports Betting Systems

Labouchere

The Labouchere sports betting system was named after a well-known roulette player, Henry Labouchere. Besides its use in casino games, this system is also used by sports betting fans.

This system’s premise is that your bet’s total potential profit is divided into smaller wagers. So, if you want to win, let’s say $6, then you could use the following sequence: 1-2-3. Each time that you place a wager, your stake has to be a sum of the first and the last number in your sequence. Using the before-mentioned example, your stake would be $4 because the first number in your sequence is 1, and the last one is 3.

If you get a win from that bet, then the Labouchere sports betting method suggests that you should cross out the first as well as the last number in the sequence. So, in our example, you cross out 1 and 3. The final move for you would be to bet $2, and if you win, the sequence is over, and you can repeat the process.

On the other hand, if you lose that $4 bet, then you must add your stake into the sequence, which is 4. It would look like this: 1-2-3-4.

To sum up, you exclude the first and last number you’ve used in your sequence every time you win. On the flip side, if you lose, you add the stake as your last number in the sequence.

Remember that if you go into a losing streak, the money you wager could increase significantly.

Fibonacci

The Fibonacci sports betting system is based on the famous Fibonacci sequence. It’s no surprise that a lot of punters across the globe use this betting method. For those who are new to the betting, the Fibonacci sequence looks like this: 0, 1,1, 2, 3, 5, 8,1 3, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144. In addition, when you bet using this method, you continue your sequence with a number that is the total sum of the previous two numbers.

However, this betting system is about more than just adding numbers in the sequence. The sequence is moving like a see-saw. So, if you lose a bet, then you move to the next number in the sequence. On the contrary, if you get a win, then you go back two numbers in the sequence.

We’ll give you a few examples of how it works. But, before we do that, in order to preserve your bankroll, we highly recommend that you start your bet using the Fibonacci system with a unit that amounts to $1.

Example 1.

Let’s say that your Fibonacci sequence is this one: 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5. So, in this example, we will make a bet that will be 8(3+5) units because we look at the last two numbers so we can continue the sequence. If we lose, the sequence will look like this: 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8.

Example 2.

In this example, we’ll explain what happens if you win a bet using the Fibonacci method. This is the sequence that’ll be used: 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21. We’ll make a bet that will amount to 34 units (13+21). If one unit is $1, then we bet $34. In the case of winning, our sequence will look like this (0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8) since you should subtract exactly two numbers from the Fibonacci sequence when you win a bet.

The Fibonacci system could seem complex at first and hard to track, but with this system, you can get decent results if you’re persistent.

Martingale

One of the most popular and simplest sports betting systems is Martingale. It’s somewhat different from other betting strategies because you don’t increase your bet with one unit or an insignificant amount of money, but rather, you double your stake when you lose a bet.

Let’s say that you’re a fan of Manchester United and you want to bet on them in the Premier League every weekend. For instance, you decide that your base stake will be $10, and you make a bet on United with that amount. But, they’ve lost that match, and you’ve lost that bet, so you double it and place a $20 wager on their next game.

Assuming that you lost that wager as well, then you would bet $40 on United. If you’ve lost the bet again, you also double the bet and go for $80. Only this time, you’ve won $80 while betting on Manchester United, and your profit is the initial base stake of $10.

You’ve lost $10, your total being -$10
You’ve lost $20, your total being -$30
You’ve lost $40, your total being -$70
You’ve won $80, your total being -$10

The Martingale is a high-risk sports betting system, but if you have deep pockets, you won’t regret it. Therefore, new bettors who want to start betting small amounts of money should be careful when trying it out.

D’Alembert

Mathematician Jean Le Rond D’Alembert was the one who developed the D’Alembert system, and his basic idea was that over a long period of time, your lost and won bets should even out.

Resembling the Martingale system, D’Alembert’s only difference is that it lets you increase your stakes slowly, and not just double them like Martingale suggests. The D’Alembert is good for newbies because it will ensure that your bankroll doesn’t go empty. This betting system might not work for impatient bettors because your profits will rise slowly.

If you want to use this system, it’s recommended that your one-stake unit should be somewhere between 1-5% of your entire bankroll. Let’s say that your bankroll is $1000, and your stake unit is 4% of your bankroll, meaning that you place a $40 bet. If you lose, you’ll raise your stake by one stake unit ($40), so you would place a $80 bet. Every time you lose, you increase the bet by one stake unit. If you win, you decrease your next bet by one stake unit.

Positive Progression Sports Betting Systems

Reverse Labouchere

Reverse Labouchere is a positive progression betting system that originated from the before-mentioned Labouchere system. The first step in implementing this system into your betting strategy would be to divide your total stake into a sequence or smaller wagers.

Let’s say that your total stake is $15, and you use the following sequence: 1-2-3-4-5. The sequence is equal to the total stake of $15. For every bet, the amount you wager is equal to the sum of the first and the last number in our sequence. In our example, we will make a $6 (1+5) bet.

If we lose, then we cross out the first and the last numbers in our sequence, which are 1 and 5.

Then we make a $9 bet because our sequence looks like this: 2-3-4.

On the other hand, if we win, then we add the last wagered number to our sequence, and it’ll look like this: 1-2-3-4-5-6. Then, we’ll make a $7 bet.

This betting system protects your bankroll since each time you lose, the sequence gets shorter.

After you cross out all the numbers, you can repeat the whole process.

Contra D’Alembert

The counterpart to the D’Alembert system is the Contra D’Alembert. This positive progression system is ideal for novice bettors since they can place wagers even with a small bankroll.

Let’s use an example so that you can understand this betting system more clearly. Like in most betting systems, we have to set a base stake, which should be from 1 to 5% of our entire bankroll, that you’re comfortable losing in each bet.

In this example, our base stake will be $5. Let’s say, you make a $5 bet, and you win. Then, you increase your bet with an additional $5 base stake and place a $10 bet. Assuming you also won this bet, then you’ll place a $15 bet.

Unfortunately, if you lose your bet, then your next bet will be decreased by one base stake unit, so you’ll make a $10 bet. If you lose again, you’ll place a $5 bet. If you also lose this bet, your next wager should be the amount of your base stake, so that would be $5.

Reverse Martingale or Paroli

Reverse Martingale or Paroli is a positive sports betting system, used by many betting fans across the globe. It’s pretty straightforward because the idea of the system is that you raise your stake every time you win, which is a solid betting method if you’re on a winning streak.

Choose a small percentage of your bankroll that will be your base stake unit, for example, 2%. Then, you should place a bet with one base stake, and if you win, double your next bet.

The Paroli system suggests that you should go back to betting with one stake unit after making three consecutive wins. On the other hand, if you lose, just bet with one stake unit until you get a win.

For example, let’s say that the Denver Nuggets are playing against the LA Lakers in the Western Conference Finals. Your base stake unit is $100, and you make a bet with that amount. The Lakers have won, and you double the bet and place $200. They win another game, and you bet $400. Then, regardless of the third bet’s outcome, your fourth bet should be $100 or one base stake unit.

Other Betting Systems

Flat Betting

Flat betting is a great system for controlling your bankroll. The idea behind the system is that you choose a base stake that will be 1-5% of your bankroll. For instance, your bankroll is $1000, and the base stake is 1% of your bankroll, which is $10.

The flat betting system suggests that you bet the same base stake for an extended period of time (one month for instance) until you get a winning streak.

Value Betting

Value betting is a betting system whose premise is to make bets that have a bigger chance than the odds given by the bookmaker.

The easiest example would be a coin toss. We all know that the chances of getting heads or tails are the same, 50%. But, in this example, the bookmaker gives a 2.10 odd, or 47.62 % chance, that the coin will land on heads. This is a value bet, since the real probability is 50%, compared to the 47.62% probability given by the sportsbook.

Arbitrage Betting

Arbitrage is a betting system that allows one to get a profit from making multiple bets on one sporting event regardless of the outcome.

Let’s say that our bankroll is $200, and today, there’s a Premier League match between Arsenal and Manchester City. Using the arbitrage system, we will make three separate bets that will amount to $200 ($50, $55, $95):

We bet $50 on Arsenal to win, with 4.5 odds. If they win, our profit is: ($50 x 4.5) – $200 = $25
Next, we bet $55 on Manchester City to win with 4.00 odds. If they win, our profit is: ($55 x 4.00) – $200 = $20
Then, we bet $95 on a draw with 2.25 odds. In the case of a draw, the profit is ($95 x 2.25) -$200 = $13.75

Busting Common Myths On Sports Betting Systems

#1 – Sportsbooks aren’t safe

This isn’t true because you can find a lot of sportsbooks where you can have a safe and worry-free betting experience.

On the other hand, there are a lot of untrusted sportsbooks online that you should avoid since there’s a risk of someone stealing your personal information. The best thing to do is to sign up at a trusted online sportsbook, and you’ll be safe.

#2 – All online sportsbooks will ban me if I win all the time

Online sportsbooks won’t ban you from their website as long as you don’t do anything illegal or violate the terms and conditions. We all know that sports betting websites make their profit by adjusting the odds so they can make an implied probability that is a little over 100%.

Nevertheless, some sportsbooks can limit your account if you win large amounts of money regularly.

#3 – I’m due for a win

While betting on sports, getting on a losing streak isn’t a good feeling, and maybe you’ve heard from a fellow bettor that the losing streak will end, and you’ll eventually get a win. That’s not completely true.

That isn’t a healthy mentality, and it’s not good for your bankroll that you just continue betting for who knows how many times without getting a win, thinking that it’ll come one day.

If you really want to win, stop betting for a while and make a betting strategy so you can start betting smartly.

FAQ

Do sports betting systems guarantee success?

They don’t guarantee success. While they give you a structured approach to betting, the outcomes of sporting events are uncertain, and there’s a risk that you’ll lose your money.

How Can I Choose The Right Sports Betting System?

It all depends on how much you’re willing to risk, and you should choose systems that go along with your level of betting knowledge.

Do Sportsbooks Allow You To Use Betting Systems?

They do, as long as you follow the terms and conditions. However, some sportsbooks could limit your account if you use particular betting systems.

Can I Make My Own Sports Betting System?

Yes, you can, and many betting lovers make their system based on their previous experience and risk tolerance. We highly recommend that you test out your betting system as often as possible to improve its effectiveness.

Best MMA Fighters to Never Fight in the UFC

Top 10 List Of The Best Fighters Who Have Never Stepped Into The UFC Octagon:

Bibiano Fernandes
Sergei Kharitonov
Douglas Lima
Paulo Filho
Ricardo Arona
Shinya Aoki
Rickson Gracie
Igor Vovchanchyn
Patricio Freire
Fedor Emelianenko

#10 – Bibiano Fernandes

This top ten list starts with the former bantamweight Brazilian champion of ONE Championship, Bibiano Fernandes. This MMA fighter has a background in Brazilian jiujitsu, having won five world titles in that sport. Besides being an elite jiujitsu expert, Fernandes also excels in wrestling and striking.

He started fighting in MMA when he was 24. In the second match of his career, he fought the well-known Urijah Faber, to whom he unfortunately lost. His path to great success started with the MMA promotion DREAM, where he became a champion in the bantamweight and featherweight divisions.

After his stint at DREAM, Bibiano nearly signed with the UFC. However, negotiations fell apart, and he got a more rewarding offer from ONE Championship, which he ultimately accepted. In his second fight in ONE, he won the bantamweight title with a unanimous decision against Masaketsu Ueda.

He defended his titles eight times. His most notorious rivalry was with Kevin Belingon, whom he defeated once, then lost the title to Kevin via split decision and regained it with a win because Belingon got disqualified using illegal elbows.

Bibiano Fernandes will surely go down in history as one of the best bantamweights not to win the UFC title.

#9 – Sergei Kharitonov

This Russian heavyweight is one of the best fighters to never step into the UFC octagon. At the start of his career, Sergei Kharitonov was a part of the legendary MMA promotion, PRIDE, where he beat big names like Fabricio Werdum and Semmy Schilt.

However, when PRIDE was sold to the UFC, Sergei had back-to-back losses against Alistair Overeem and Aleksandar Emelianenko, which is why the UFC didn’t sign him at the time.

He also fought at MMA promotions like DREAM, Bellator, and Strikeforce, beating notable fighters such as Murilo Rua, Alistair Overeem, Roy Nelson, Andrei Arlovski, Tyrone Spong, etc. Unfortunately, this heavyweight hard-hitter has never won a championship title, although he was close a couple of times during his career as a mixed martial artist.

Even in his 40s, Sergei Kharitonov still hits hard like a ton of bricks, and he’s a part of Bellator MMA organization. Besides being a power-puncher, he also has some impressive submissions via techniques like ankle lock, key lock, and armbar.

#8 – Douglas Lima

Douglas Lima earned his reputation as one of the leading non-UFC welterweight mixed martial artists by winning three championship titles at Bellator and one at MFC. In addition, he has a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. When it comes to his style, at his peak, he could crush his opponents with devastating leg kicks and his strong left hook. Lima started his professional career early at the age of 18, amassing 11 wins out of 12 fights in just two years.

During his career, Lima beat well-known former UFC fighters like Ben Saunders, Rory MacDonald, Paul Daley, and Lorenz Larkin. Besides these fighters, he also fought and won against notable mixed martial artists like Steve Carl and Andrey Koreshkov.

Lima probably didn’t sign with the UFC since their biggest rival at the time – PRIDE didn’t have a welterweight division. On the other hand, his brother Dhiego Lima was signed by the UFC back in 2017.

In his last 5 fights, Lima lost 4, and the end of his career may be near. Nevertheless, he’s still probably the best welterweight who didn’t sign with the UFC.

#7 – Paulo Filho

One of the most vicious middleweights in the MMA world outside of the UFC was the Brazilian Paulo Filho. He had a strong physique, good takedown offense, and a crushing top game when he fought.

Having successful stints at fighting organizations like Pancrase, Deep as well as Heroes were more than enough for PRIDE to sign him.

From his pro debut in 2000 until 2007, he was unstoppable in the ring, with 16 consecutive wins. He triumphed over well-known MMA fighters like Murilo Rua, Chael Sonnen, Melvin Manhoef, Kazuo Misaki, etc. In 2006, he almost reached the Middleweight Grand Prix final in PRIDE, but an injury forced him out of that tournament, leaving him with no title.

What’s also interesting about Filho is that he could’ve signed with the UFC after they bought out PRIDE. Still, rumors were spreading that he could potentially fight his teammate, the legendary Anderson Silva, and he declined to go to the UFC. Instead, he went to WEC, where he won the middleweight title against Joe Doerksen.

Unfortunately, his successful career went sideways due to the fact that Filho had issues with substance abuse and depression. Nevertheless, he was a truly feared middleweight during his prime.

#6 – Ricardo Arona

A light-heavyweight MMA Brazilian legend, Ricardo Arona, takes the no. 6 spot. He’s a PRIDE legend and, unfortunately, mostly forgotten by MMA fans. Arona wasn’t a great striker, but he was, in fact, an elite wrestler and a BJJ expert. Before going to PRIDE, he fought at an MMA promotion called Rings, where he won 5 out of 6 fights.

Then he joined PRIDE, where he etched his legacy as one of the top fighters in the promotion’s history. As a 205lber, he was superb, beating renowned MMA fighters like Dan Henderson, Wanderlei Silva, and Alistair Overeem.

His last match was against UFC veteran Marvin Eastman, which he won. After the match, he never fought again. He retired in 2009 at the age of 28. Who knows how good Arona would be if UFC signed him when they took over PRIDE?

#5 – Shinya Aoki

One of the greatest grapplers in MMA history is the Japanese fighter Shinya Aoki. He competed in many MMA organizations and won championships in three of them—DREAM, ONE, and Shooto. He also fought in RIZIN and Strikeforce. Aoki is a judo and Brazilian jiujitsu black belt.

He’s highly creative and captivating to watch since, given his superb flexibility and athleticism, he can pull submissions from basically any position. He won via rear naked choke, brabo choke, armbar, triangle choke, twister, neck crank, and many other fascinating grappling and jiujitsu techniques.

Out of 47 wins, he won with a submission 31 times during his career. Despite being great on the ground, Aoki’s weak point was always striking.

He beat the likes of elite MMA fighters like Joachim Hansen, Eddie Alvarez, Vitor Ribeiro, Antonio Mckee, and others. Although Aoki never competed in the UFC, many MMA experts consider him one of the best lightweight mixed martial artists ever.

#4 – Rickson Gracie

Member of the legendary Gracie family, Rickson is one of the top MMA fighters to never sign for the biggest fighting organization, the UFC. Also, many fans think that Rickson is the no. 1 fighter in the Gracie family, apart from Rorion and Royce.

Even though Rickson only had 11 fights as an MMA professional, he etched his legacy as one of the best in the business with no losses and all 11 wins ending with a submission. He won his fights with mostly rear-naked chokes and armbars.

What’s even more fascinating about Rickson Gracie is that he claims to have won over 400 fights in multiple combat sports, including judo, jiujitsu, sambo, freestyle wrestling, and street fights.

He competed during the 90s for organizations like Vale Tudo Japan, where he won two tournaments and was a part of PRIDE.

During his career, he beat the likes of Casemiro Martins, Nobuhiko Takada, Bud Smith, Masakatsu Funaki, etc.

Rickson is definitely one of the biggest “what ifs” in the sport, had he signed for the UFC.

#3 – Igor Vovchanchyn

The No. 3 spot deservingly goes to the Ukrainian MMA pioneer—Igor Vovchanchyn. Even with his relatively small frame, 5’ 8” and around 220 pounds, he took on more than a few giants in the MMA world, like Fred Floyd and Paul Varelans. Those two were both about 350 pounds!

His background was in kickboxing, although he started to get better in other areas, like wrestling and jiujitsu, as time passed. Igor was a true knockout artist, and in his fighting career, he won 41 fights via KO. Vovchanchyn spent most of his career at the well-known MMA organization PRIDE. In that fighting promotion, he won 18 fights in a row and competed in 27 bouts.

In his illustrious MMA career, Igor beat the likes of fighters such as Mark Kerr, Garry Goodridge, Akira Shoji, Gilbert Yvel, etc.

Riddled with injuries that he got in many hard-fought bouts, Vovchanchyn decided to retire back in 2005 at the age of 32. Maybe if Vovchanchyn fought for two more years, the UFC could’ve signed him, since they took over PRIDE back in 2007. He’s undoubtedly one of the best heavyweights and light-heavyweights in MMA history.

#2 – Patricio Freire

Patricio “Pitbull” Freire is possibly the best fighter in Bellator history, and he is one of the greatest fighters to compete in the featherweight division ever if we exclude the fighters in the UFC. He was a three-time featherweight champion and one-time lightweight champion in Bellator. He defended his championship titles three times.

Regarding his fighting style, he’s a solid striker and an elite grappler with a high fighting IQ.

Patricio’s best fighting years were from 2016 to 2021, during which time he was unbeaten and won seven consecutive fights.

When we look at his fighting resume, it’s quite impressive, with wins over fighters like Michael Chandler, A.J. McKee, Pedro Carvalho, Daniel Strauss, and many others.

The last couple of years have been turbulent with both wins and losses, but still, Freire will go down in history as one of the best mixed martial artists on the planet.

#1 – Fedor Emelianenko

Without a doubt, the best MMA fighter to never grace the UFC octagon is the Russian fighting superstar Fedor Emelianenko. Nicknamed “The Last Emperor,” he was a force like no other in his prime, winning via knockouts, vicious ground-and-pound, and submissions. For a heavyweight, he was lightning-fast, had great cardio, and had an impressive ability to recover from dangerous situations.

His career as an MMA fighter began in 2000 in the MMA fighting organization Rings, where he won two Openweight titles. Then, he was the champion at PRIDE from 2003 to 2007, undefeated in 16 fights in a row. He also fought in Strikeforce and Bellator.

When we look at his fighting resume, it seems unreal. During his fighting days, Fedor beat true MMA legends like Mark Coleman, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Mirko “Cro Cop,” Kevin Randleman, Tim Sylvia, Andrei Arlovski, Frank Mir, Chael Sonnen, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Semmy Schilt, and Ricardo Arona.

No one can deny that if Fedor fought in the UFC heavyweight division, he could’ve beat anyone.