Tag: Michael Chiesa

Lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov made it through the most chaotic week in UFC history and emerged from April 7’s UFC 223 with the lightweight belt after beating Al Iaquinta – his fifth potential opponent in six days’ time.

“The Eagle” was originally set to face oft-scheduled rival Tony Ferguson for a fourth time at UFC 223, but when the former interim champion suffered a knee injury fulfilling media obligations the weekend before the fight, a strange set of events unfolded. First, UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway replaced Ferguson, and then, of course, came former champ Conor McGregor’s violent Brooklyn bus attack.

After needing to cut an insane amount of weight to make lightweight, ‘Blessed’ was then deemed medically unfit to compete, and the UFC frantically sought an opponent for the undefeated Russian wrestling protege. Anthony Pettis was mentioned, then Paul Felder, and finally, Iaquinta officially accepted the fight. The Long Island native was game as could be, but that didn’t stop Nurmagomedov from dominating him in both the striking and the grappling departments en route to a 50-43 tally on two judges’ cards.

With his biggest win in the books, talk quickly moved to whom Khabib would face in his first defense, and the clear choice was the massive allure of McGregor, especially considering the mutual hatred now pre-installed. The devout Muslim champion will take a break for the yearly religious holiday of Ramadan, but he issued a statement on his fighting future on his Instagram today, offering when he plans to return and who he would prefer to face:

“Lightweight division is the most competitive division in #UFC

“At this moment, atmosphere is very heated: there is Conor and Tony, Porier, Lee and Alvarez, all of them are good. Fight with any of these guys would be very interesting and competitive. I never choose opponent, fought with any fighter who was offered me to fight, and I’m not going to change that.

“I’m coming back November – December to defend my belt. Whoever @ufc decide to fight me with, I’ll sign.”

Lightweight division is the most competitive division in #UFC At this moment, atmosphere is very heated: there is Conor and Tony, Porier, Lee and Alvarez, all of them are good. Fight with any of these guys would be very interesting and competitive. I never choose opponent, fought with any fighter who was offered me to fight, and I’m not going to change that. I’m coming back November – December to defend my belt. Whoever @ufc decide to fight me with, I’ll sign. ?????? ???????? ?????? ??? ????? ???????????? ? #ufc ? ?????? ?????? ???????? ????? ??????????, ???? ?????, ???? ????, ???? ?????, ?? ? ????????, ?????? ?? ??? ????? ?? ??????. ? ????? ?? ??? ????????? ???????, ???????????? ???. ? ??????? ?? ??????? ???? ??????????, ?????? ? ???? ???? ??? ?????????? ? ?????? ??? ????? ?? ????????? ???????? ?????????. ? ????????? ????????? ? ?????? ??? ? ??????? ??????????. ????? ??????? #ufc ?????? ?? ? ?????. #bigdramashow #ufclightweight #mma #ufc #???????????????????????? #inshaaAllah

A post shared by Khabib Nurmagomedov (@khabib_nurmagomedov) on Apr 22, 2018 at 1:46pm PDT

The UFC lightweight division is indeed one of the most competitive divisions in MMA, and it’s arguably at the highest level it’s ever been – something that says a lot about the already-storied class’s evolution.

But Khabib’s title-sealing victory at UFC 223 was supposed to give some much-needed clarity to the 155-pound arena, not clog it up even more with a logjam of possible contenders like McGregor, Ferguson, Eddie Alvarez, Dustin Poirier, and Kevin Lee all having a legitimate claim for a title fight while waiting in the wings.

They’ll just have to wait, however, because Khabib vs. McGregor has a legitimate shot to be the biggest fight the UFC has ever signed.

But will it be the one they’re able to book?

The post Khabib Nurmagomedov Posts Statement On UFC Future appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

The UFC is currently awaiting the results of the court date of their biggest star Conor McGregor after the former champion was arrested on assault charges following his bizarre Brooklyn bust attack directed at Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Based on his bankroll and over star power, it’s unlikely that McGregor faces much legal punishment for his first offense on United States soil, and he could face even less punishment from his bosses at the UFC, who have shown a willingness to let McGregor get away with anything he wants.

“The Notorious” has been out of action for nearly a year-and-a-half, yet the UFC seems intent on waiting around for his savior-like return rather than promoting the young, up-and-coming stars who are actually willing to fight. One such star is featherweight champion Max Holloway, who was in Brooklyn on another bus when McGregor stormed the Barclays Center.

The Hawaiian sensation weighed in on the chaotic scene during a recent edition of The MMA Hour, noting that it was as hectic and over-the-top as one would expect:

“We were on the other bus. I didn’t even know it was Conor. People were yelling, ‘It’s Conor! It’s Conor!’ And I was like, ‘I don’t see him,’” Holloway said. “When we saw the video, the guy who was running around and stuff was Conor. I was watching him do the crazy stuff. I was like ‘Oh man, that’s pretty nuts.

“It was crazy and I don’t condone that kind of behavior; I don’t approve of it. People are gonna do what people are gonna do,” Holloway said.

“It’s hard to speak on. I was watching the show earlier before I came on. I think you said it right when you said that Dana and them handled it pretty good. Sh*t happens. I don’t got much to say on that — that was just some wild events. Imagine if they did show up to the media event, I think it would have been even more wild.”

“Blessed” pondered the question many have asked about McGregor in recent weeks, asking if the UFC would continue to let him get away with increasingly insane and illegal acts outside the cage:

“How many times can you let the guy get away with something?”

As many as it takes, apparently, and the UFC is clearly lacking a willingness to stand up to their biggest stars in the hopes that he will grace the octagon with his presence for at least one more UFC bout at some point.

But after a reported $100 million payday to box Floyd Mayweather last August, ‘The Notorious” motivation seems to be waning at best and totally nonexistent at worst.

His behavior has been nothing short of bordering on lunacy since he fought Mayweather; however, Holloway said that as a first-hand witness of his Brooklyn melee, he even surprised himself when the glass broke on the bus he threw the dolly at:

“I don’t think he really meant to break the bus with the dolly. I think that he was shocked that he broke it because when I was watching he actually picked up a metal trashcan and he put it down, and he grabbed a plastic trashcan and he threw that instead, that was after he threw the dolly. He was running with the barricade — he knows he was going to get stopped with the barricade.

“I think he crossed the line, but that’s not on me. It doesn’t affect me personally. I feel bad for all of the other fighters like (Michael) Chiesa and Ray Borg, they missed some fights because of it. It’s crazy, man. It’s nuts.”

The post Max Holloway Sounds Off On Conor McGregor’s New York Arrest appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.