UFC 223 Nightmare Week Continues With Max Holloway Ruled Medically Unfit for Weigh in…
One of the worst weeks in the history of the UFC has just turned into a nightmare. Max Holloway is no longer fighting Khabib Nurmagamedov for the UFC lightweight championship after the Hawaiian failed to even weigh in.
Holloway stepped in on six days notice to take the place of the interim champion Tony Ferguson. Ferguson had torn his LCL and is out for at least six months. This means that Khabib is no longer on the card because he has no opponent. Even worse it means Khabib Nurmagamedov will no longer fight for the lightweight belt.
In a week where Conor McGregor has been arrested on three counts of criminal mischief and assault, this is not what the UFC will have wanted to hear. Tony Ferguson vs Nurmagamedov had been canceled for the fourth times. it is a marketing disaster for the company.
Dangerous Weight Cut
Apparently, Holloway was close to making weight, but medical intervention prevented him from completing it because it was just too dangerous. Holloway was about to get the opportunity to become the second fighter ever to hold two UFC titles at the same time A representative of Holloway’s team said:
“Max wants to keep pushing and is close, but the doctor’s came up and just stopped it. The doctors stopped it, not us. Max was going.”
Better safe than sorry. This is not the first time that the UFC has faced this situation. Numerous cancellations have already happened this year. It is unknown at this point whether or not ‘Blessed’ has been taken into hospital.
New Title Fight?
It is being alleged that Khabib Nurmagamedov will now fight Anthony Pettis for the lightweight title. This is a stunning turn of events for Pettis who gets the opportunity to reclaim his title. He was due to face Michael Chiesa. However, Chiesa suffered lacerations on his face during the insane attack on the media bus by Conor McGregor and his gang.
It’s not ideal but it’s better than the worst case scenario which would be a vacant title. Tony Ferguson is still the number one contender, so short of waiting a year for him to come back and booking the fight between him and Khabib for the fifth time, this is a last ditch opportunity to save the division.
Elsewhere
The co-main event is on. Joanna Jędrzejczyk gets the opportunity to reclaim the flyweight title from Rose Namajunas after both fighters comfortably made weight. Joanna ‘Champion’ suffered a terrible, debilitating weight cut the last time they fought, and she claims that it is the reason why Rose was able to knock her out.
Anthony Pettis has an hour to weigh in and replace Max Holloway. It remains to be seen if he will be able to after his opponent was removed from the card last night. Fingers crossed that it goes down. The fans and the fighters deserve it after a week of insane drama. The fight business… you couldn’t make it up.
