The UFC 223 battle card has been a moving target, to put it nicely.
What was formerly a highly expected card featuring Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson fighting for the lightweight title was dismantled by injuries, bad weight cuts and an inexplicable attack from Conor McGregor, who’ll eliminate a title on the card before stepping in the Octagon.
Shaheen Al-Shatti of MMA Fighting recapped each of the volatility enclosing fight week:
Shaheen Al-Shatti
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@shaunalshatti
So Tony-Khabib, however Tony’s hurt Khabib-Max, but Max can not cut any more weight so Khabib-Pettis, but nah so Khabib-Felder, but Felder ai not ranked and apparently that things, so Khabib-Iaquinta, however Iaquinta can’t win the belt because he wore shorts to weigh-ins.
Fun week.
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11:08 PM – Apr 6, 2018
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Those were just the adjustments to the major event. McGregor’s antics cost the card three fights, as Artem Lobov-Alex Caceres, Michael Chiesa-Anthony Pettis and Ray Borg-Brandon Moreno were scratched as a outcome.
What is left is an interesting card with just nine fights, but it is still worth checking out.
If anything, the co-main event between Joanna Jedrzejczyk and Rose Namajunas for the women’s strawweight title is the highlight. The rematch is a strong competitor for Fight of the Night.
Here’s a look at the whole card:
Main Card (Pay-per-view in 10 p.m. ET)
Khabib Nurmagomedov (-500) vs. Al Iaquinta (+350)
Rose Namajunas (-110) vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk (-120)
Renato Moicano (-105) vs. Calvin Kattar (-125)
Zabit Magomedsharipov (-700) vs. Kyle Bochniak (+450)
Joe Lauzon (-175) vs. Chris Gruetzemacher (+145)
Preliminary Card (FOX Sports 1 at 8 pm ET)
Karolina Kowalkiewicz (-210) vs. Felice Herrig (+170)
Bec Rawlings (+160) vs. Ashlee Evans-Smith (-200)
Olivier Aubin-Mercier (-110) vs. Evan Dunham (-120)
Devin Clark (-115) vs. Mike Rodriguez (-115)
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