UFC 223

UFC 223: Khabib vs. Iaquinta was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that was held on April 7, 2018, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.[3]

UFC 223: Khabib vs. Iaquinta
The poster for UFC 223: Khabib vs. Iaquinta.
Information
PromotionUltimate Fighting Championship
DateApril 7, 2018 (2018-04-07)
VenueBarclays Center
CityBrooklyn, New York
Attendance17,026[1]
Total gate$3,007,108[1]
Buyrate350,000[2]
Event chronology
UFC Fight Night: Werdum vs. Volkov UFC 223: Khabib vs. Iaquinta UFC on Fox: Poirier vs. Gaethje

Background

A UFC Lightweight Championship bout between interim champion and The Ultimate Fighter: Team Lesnar vs. Team dos Santos welterweight winner Tony Ferguson and Khabib Nurmagomedov was originally expected to headline this event.[4] The pairing has previously been scheduled and cancelled for various reasons on three separate occasions over the last three years (The Ultimate Fighter: Team McGregor vs. Team Faber Finale, UFC on Fox: Teixeira vs. Evans and UFC 209).[5][6][7] Due to the inactivity of former UFC Featherweight Champion and current lightweight champion Conor McGregor, the promotion has indicated that he would be stripped of his title and that the winner of the proposed Ferguson/Nurmagomedov bout would become the undisputed champion.[8] Despite confirming on January 19 that the winner of this bout would become the de facto champion, UFC president Dana White did not confirm if McGregor would be stripped.[9]

For the fourth time in four years, the bout fell apart, as Ferguson pulled out of the fight on April 1 due to a knee injury. He was replaced by current UFC Featherweight Champion Max Holloway. If successful, Holloway would become only the second fighter to be champion in two divisions simultaneously (after McGregor who won the lightweight title at UFC 205 when he was the reigning featherweight champion) as well as the fifth overall to win titles in different divisions.[10] On weigh in day, the main event suffered another set back as Holloway was deemed medically unfit to compete and then removed from the event.[11] The UFC targeted former lightweight champion Anthony Pettis as his replacement, after Pettis' bout against Michael Chiesa was scrapped due to an incident caused by McGregor (see section below). Pettis weighed in at 155.2 pounds in his first attempt, and despite being given extra time to make the championship weight limit of 155 pounds, he did not weigh in again.[12]

After Holloway was pulled from the event, Paul Felder also offered to step in to face Nurmagomedov as he weighed in at 155, but the New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC) declined it due to Felder being unranked in the UFC official rankings.[13] The UFC booked Felder's opponent Al Iaquinta instead.[14] Due to weighing 0.2 lb over the championship weight limit, Iaquinta would not be officially eligible for the title in case he won, but UFC president Dana White expressed that he would be considered champion by the UFC, and treated as such to the extent possible under regulations.[15] The NYSAC later reaffirmed that Iaquinta can't be officially recognized as champion.[16] Both Felder and Pettis were also off the event.[14] The bout between Iaquinta and Felder was originally scheduled for UFC 218. However, Iaquinta pulled out due to an undisclosed injury and the bout was rescheduled for this event.[17][18]

A UFC Women's Strawweight Championship bout between the current champion Rose Namajunas and former champion Joanna Jędrzejczyk served as the co-headliner for this event.[19] The pairing previously met in November 2017 at UFC 217 with Namajunas winning the title via knockout in the first round.[20]

Mairbek Taisumov was expected to face Evan Dunham at the event. However, Taisumov withdrew from the fight on March 9 over visa delays.[21] Dunham faced Olivier Aubin-Mercier at the event.[22]

Conor McGregor and team assault on bus

On April 5, following the event's media day, Conor McGregor and his crew attacked a bus containing several fighters scheduled to compete at the event, just as it was leaving the arena following a press conference. Nurmagomedov and two teammates were inside that bus. The attack included objects being thrown through a window, which then shattered.[23] As a result of this act, the event suffered several changes:

  • Artem Lobov was expected to face Alex Caceres, but the bout was scrapped after Lobov was removed from the event due to his direct involvement in the incident.[24]
  • The Ultimate Fighter: Live lightweight winner Michael Chiesa was expected to face former WEC and UFC Lightweight Champion Anthony Pettis, but was pulled from the bout due to multiple cuts from a broken window.[25]
  • A flyweight bout between former UFC Flyweight Championship challenger Ray Borg and Brandon Moreno was expected to take place seven weeks earlier at UFC Fight Night: Cowboy vs. Medeiros. However, due to a minor injury sustained by Moreno, the pairing was delayed and rescheduled to take place at this event.[26] This bout was also scrapped, after Borg had issues related to glass shards in his eye.[27]

McGregor eventually turned himself in to the NYPD and was held in custody as charges were filed. He was later arrested alongside SBG teammate Cian Cowley and charged with three counts of assault and one count of criminal mischief.[28] They were released with a bail of $50,000 and $25,000, respectively. Both fighters will be allowed to travel and McGregor’s next hearing is expected to take place on June 14.[29] Subsequently, the charges were dropped in late July after McGregor pleaded no contest to a count of disorderly conduct for his role in the melee and will perform five days of community service.[30][31][32]

Results
Main Card
Weight class Method Round Time Notes
Lightweight Khabib Nurmagomedov def. Al Iaquinta Decision (unanimous) (50–44, 50–43, 50–43) 5 5:00 [lower-alpha 1]
Women's Strawweight Rose Namajunas (c) def. Joanna Jędrzejczyk Decision (unanimous) (49–46, 49–46, 49–46) 5 5:00 [lower-alpha 2]
Featherweight Renato Moicano def. Calvin Kattar Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 30–27, 30–27) 3 5:00
Featherweight Zabit Magomedsharipov def. Kyle Bochniak Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 30–27, 30–27) 3 5:00
Lightweight Chris Gruetzemacher def. Joe Lauzon TKO (corner stoppage) 2 5:00
Preliminary Card (Fox Sports 1)
Women's Strawweight Karolina Kowalkiewicz def. Felice Herrig Decision (split) (29–28, 28–29, 29–28) 3 5:00
Lightweight Olivier Aubin-Mercier def. Evan Dunham TKO (knees to the body and punches) 1 0:53
Women's Flyweight Ashlee Evans-Smith def. Bec Rawlings Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) 3 5:00
Light Heavyweight Devin Clark def. Mike Rodríguez Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 30–27, 30–27) 3 5:00
  1. For the vacant UFC Lightweight Championship (only Nurmagomedov was eligible).
  2. For the UFC Women's Strawweight Championship.

[33]

Bonus awards

The following fighters were awarded $50,000 bonuses:[34]

  • Fight of the Night: Zabit Magomedsharipov vs. Kyle Bochniak
  • Performance of the Night: Chris Gruetzemacher and Olivier Aubin-Mercier
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gollark: I think people just object to nearby corpses.
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gollark: Sometimes I type wrongly because of the inferior input methods I must use.
gollark: Or other 'emotions".

See also

References
  1. Matt Erickson (2018-04-08). "UFC 223 draws reported 17,026 attendance for $3 million live gate". mmajunkie.com. Retrieved 2018-04-08.
  2. https://www.criscyborg.com/ufc-223-ppv-buys-disappoint-estimated-210-350k-ppv-buys/
  3. Staff (2017-11-05). "UFC announces Q1 event schedule". ufc.com. Retrieved 2017-11-05.
  4. Staff (2018-01-18). "Tony Ferguson vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov official as UFC 223 headliner; title stakes unclear". mmajunkie.com. Retrieved 2018-01-18.
  5. Marc Raimondi (2015-10-30). "Edson Barboza steps in for Khabib Nurmagomedov to face Tony Ferguson at TUF Finale". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2018-01-18.
  6. Damon Martin (2016-04-05). "Tony Ferguson out; Rashad Evans vs. Glover Teixeira set as new main event". foxsports.com. Retrieved 2018-01-18.
  7. Marc Raimondi (2017-03-03). "UFC releases statement on Khabib Nurmagomedov". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2018-01-18.
  8. Mike Bohn and Simon Simano (2018-01-15). "UFC plans Tony Ferguson-Khabib Nurmagomedov title fight; Conor McGregor would be stripped". mmajunkie.com. Retrieved 2018-01-15.
  9. Matt Erickson (2018-01-19). "Ferguson-Nurmagomedov will crown new UFC lightweight champ; McGregor status in limbo". mmajunkie.com. Retrieved 2018-01-19.
  10. Marc Raimondi (2018-04-01). "Tony Ferguson out of UFC 223, Max Holloway to step in and face Khabib Nurmagomedov for lightweight title". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2018-04-01.
  11. Shaun Al-Shatti (2018-04-06). "Max Holloway out of UFC 223 main event against Khabib Nurmagomedov". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2018-04-06.
  12. Staff (2018-04-06). "UFC 223 weigh-in results: Holloway out, Khabib set – but potential opponent in flux". mmajunkiecom. Retrieved 2018-04-06.
  13. Steven Marrocco (2018-04-06). "NYSAC rules out Paul Felder as UFC 223 headliner opposite Khabib Nurmagomedov because he's unranked". mmajunkie.com. Retrieved 2018-04-06.
  14. Dave Doyle (2018-04-06). "Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Al Iaquinta is new UFC 223 main event". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2018-04-06.
  15. Steven Marrocco (2018-04-07). "Dana White declares Al Iaquinta eligible for lightweight title at UFC 223 – sort of". mmajunkie.com. Retrieved 2018-04-07.
  16. Danny Segura (2018-04-07). "NYSAC executive director Kim Sumbler explains why Al Iaquinta couldn't be champion if he wins at UFC 223". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2018-04-07.
  17. Ariel Helwani (2017-10-31). "UFC 218 loses Paul Felder vs. Al Iaquinta". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2018-01-15.
  18. Staff (2018-01-14). "Take 2? Paul Felder vs. Al Iaquinta booked for UFC 223". mmajunkie.com. Retrieved 2018-01-15.
  19. Staff (2018-01-17). "Rose Namajunas to defend title vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk in rematch at UFC 223". mmajunkie.com. Retrieved 2018-01-19.
  20. Brian Campbell (2017-11-05). "UFC 217 results: Rose Namajunas crushes Joanna Jedrzejczyk to win strawweight title". cbasports.com. Retrieved 2018-01-19.
  21. Peter Carroll (2018-03-09). "Mairbek Taisumov withdraws from UFC 223 due to visa delay". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2018-03-09.
  22. Alexander K. Lee (2018-03-11). "Olivier Aubin-Mercier to fight Evan Dunham at UFC 223". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2018-03-11.
  23. Shaun Al-Shatti (2018-04-05). "Conor McGregor, crew cause chaotic scene after UFC 223 media day". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2018-04-06.
  24. Dave Doyle (2018-04-05). "Artem Lobov pulled from UFC 223 after alleged involvement in Conor McGregor incident". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2018-04-06.
  25. Shaun Al-Shatti (2018-04-05). "Michael Chiesa vs. Anthony Pettis scratched from UFC 223 after Conor McGregor incident". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2018-04-06.
  26. Danny Segura (2018-01-31). "Injury postpones Ray Borg vs. Brandon Moreno to UFC 223 in Brooklyn". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2018-01-31.
  27. Dave Doyle (2018-04-05). "Ray Borg vs. Brandon Moreno pulled from UFC 223 in latest Conor McGregor incident casualty". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2018-04-06.
  28. Peter Caroll (2018-04-06). "Conor McGregor charged with three counts of assault, one count of criminal mischief for bus attack". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2018-04-06.
  29. Danny Segura (2018-04-06). "Conor McGregor's bail set for $50,000, has next hearing June 14". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2018-04-06.
  30. "Conor McGregor avoids jail time with plea deal for Brooklyn melee". theguardian.com. 2018-07-26. Retrieved 2018-07-26.
  31. Mike Bohn and John Morgan (2018-07-27). "Dana White: Conor McGregor unlikely to face punishment from UFC for bus attack". usatoday.com. Retrieved 2018-07-27.
  32. Mookie Alexander (2018-07-28). "Dana White: Conor McGregor and I 'are good' following UFC 223 bus attack, plea deal". bloodyelbow.com. Retrieved 2018-07-28.
  33. "UFC 223: Khabib vs. Iaquinta". Ultimate Fighting Championship. Retrieved 2018-01-18.
  34. Matt Erickson (2018-04-08). "UFC 223 bonuses: Magomedsharipov-Bochniak an all-time no-brainer for 'Fight of Night'". mmajunkie.com. Retrieved 2018-04-08.
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