Leading up to UFC 200 in 2016, it seemed almost certain that Conor McGregor would be a key part of the event.
Much like how prominent fighters today express interest in major events like the rumored UFC show at the White House, UFC 200 attracted some of the biggest names in mixed martial arts.
An event of this scale was always destined to be a significant night for the sport, with UFC 100 having previously set a high standard thanks to the involvement of stars such as Georges St-Pierre and Brock Lesnar.
While UFC 200 ultimately featured a memorable main event, it wasn`t the type of massive blockbuster showdown the promotion initially tried to arrange.
Months before the July 9 date, Dana White playfully suggested a fighter who could potentially face McGregor at the milestone event.
Dana White Playfully Suggested Signing a Spider-Man Street Fighter to Battle Conor McGregor at UFC 200
Speculation about who would headline UFC 200 began long before the final weeks leading up to the event. As arguably the sport`s biggest star, it made perfect sense for `The Notorious` to top the bill, with a rematch against Nate Diaz appearing to be the likely option.
However, Dana White shared a different, more comical idea via a post on Twitter (now X).
There`s a good chance that if you`ve followed fight sports for a while, you`ve seen the viral video depicting an unusual MMA fight between three costumed individuals.
In this bizarre two-on-one handicap match, a fighter dressed as Marvel`s Spider-Man decisively defeated opponents dressed as DC`s Batman and Robin, demonstrating a significant skill advantage.
White jokingly proposed that the popular comic book hero could become a UFC fighter to step into the octagon against `The Notorious` for a memorable fight at UFC 200.
Unfortunately, McGregor`s coach, John Kavanagh, didn`t seem to support the UFC CEO`s humorous pitch, responding that he would refuse to corner against the hero from New York City.
The Path to UFC 200 Was Turbulent, Perhaps Needing a Hero Like Spider-Man
Although UFC 200 was still a commercially strong event for the promotion, it is frequently remembered more for the significant issues it faced in the weeks leading up to July 9.
Conor McGregor`s anticipated rematch with Nate Diaz was planned for the card, but the Irishman was completely removed from the event after Dana White claimed he refused to attend a required press conference.
Jon Jones` rematch against Daniel Cormier was then booked as the replacement main event, but this fight was also removed after `Bones` was pulled from the bout due to a potential anti-doping policy violation.
With only three days remaining before the event, there wasn`t much the promotion could do to significantly alter the lineup, resulting in the women`s bantamweight title fight between Miesha Tate and Amanda Nunes being elevated to the main event.
