Let’s just recap things.
Interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson was supposed to fight undefeated Russian Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 223 this weekend but the former was forced out of the bout with an injury last Sunday. UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway agreed to the short-notice fight but faced the toughest weight cut of his life. Nurmagomedov confronted UFC featherweight Artem Lobov in the fighter hotel. Conor McGregor flew to New York with his friends and smashed up a bus as retribution for the slight against his training partner, injuring Michael Chiesa in the process. Holloway was deemed medically unfit to compete and was pulled from the UFC 223 main event. Several fighters threw their names in the hat to meet Nurmagomedov.
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He cut a forlorn figure https://t.co/aBmXeoOPNJ
— FootballJOE (@FootballJOE) April 6, 2018
Ferguson injured, Holloway unable to safely make weight, McGregor in a Brookyn courthouse, Chiesa cut up.
MMA is absolutely ridiculous at times but, credit to the UFC’s matchmakers, they were able to find yet another late replacement for Nurmagomedov while Friday’s official weigh-in ceremony was ongoing but it was a very long wait before confirmation arrived.
The panicking UFC higher-ups were left in dire need of a top 155lber and they initially viewed the 12th-ranked Anthony Pettis as the solution.
Pettis, who was scheduled to face Chiesa, still took to the scales on Friday morning in order to ensure that he’d be paid for the lightweight fight that was taken from him when a hand truck shattered a window and showered Chiesa with glass.
A decision was made by the New York State Athletic Commission to pull me from UFC 223. I’m devastated to say the least. @Showtimepettis I hope to run this match up ASAP, June 9th in your backyard. That’s all I have to say for now. Much love.
— Michael Chiesa (@MikeMav22) April 6, 2018
The former UFC lightweight champion was expected to re-weigh and claim a shot at the title after originally coming in at 155.2lbs but, according to reports, money demands got in the way of Pettis getting the fight and he stopped cutting weight.
Paul Felder was also entertained as an option because he was the only main card fighter to come in on championship weight.
But, eventually, the UFC settled on the 11th-ranked Al Iaquinta, who was supposed to fight Felder.
Iaquinta recently spent two years away from the UFC due to a long-running contract dispute but he returned last April and knocked out Diego Sanchez in the first round.
Iaquinta, who is the only New Yorker on the UFC 223 card, is not eligible to win the lightweight title because he weighed in at 155.2lbs while Nurmagomedov will be crowned the new king at 155lbs if he extends his winning streak.
So the new UFC 223 main event is set. Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Al Iaquinta!
That is unless something dramatic happens in the next 24 hours and given what’s happened in the past week, one should almost expect that.
*UPDATE* – UFC President Dana White subsequently claimed that Iaquinta would internally be considered the UFC lightweight champion if he manages to beat Nurmagomedov but also insisted that the title wouldn’t be recognised by the New York State Athletic Commission
