UFC announced on Sunday, April 1st, that Tony Ferguson suffered a knee injury and was forced to pull out of his UFC 223 headlining fight against undefeated Khabib Nurmagomedov.
So now featherweight champion Max Holloway step up, on just a week’s notice, to fight undefeated Khabib Nurmagomedov for lightweight title on April 7.
But another top featherweight contender Brian Ortega said he was considered a replacement for Ferguson and even agreed to fight Nurmagomedov, but UFC president instead gave the fight to Holloway.
Ortega tweeted out today and added that he hopes for future showdowns with both Nurmagomedov and Holloway:
For the record, Dana called me yesterday to see if I would step in against Khabib since Max hadn’t responded yet. I said yes. Eventually, Max replied and Dana gave him the fight. If all goes according to plan, I’ll get my turn – at both of them.
— Brian Ortega (@BrianTcity) April 2, 2018
”For the record, Dana called me yesterday to see if I would step in against Khabib since Max hadn’t responded yet,” Ortega wrote. “I said yes. Eventually, Max replied and Dana gave him the fight. If all goes according to plan, I’ll get my turn – at both of them.”
Brian Ortega who is expected to face Holloway for title bout next following a knockout victory over Frankie Edgar at UFC 222. After the picking up Edgar’s win, Ortega improved to 14-0 in MMA.
