UFC 223: Khabib vs. Iaquinta Fight Card, TV Info, Predictions and More
After the UFC had to hit the shuffle button more than once, UFC 223 is set to go off with Khabib Nurmagomedov and Al Iaquinta fighting for the lightweight title in the main event.
Well, sort of. Nurmagomedov is the only one eligible to win the title because Iaquinta weighed in at 155.2 pounds, 0.2 pounds over the championship limit.
The road to that fight is one of the most bizarre episodes in UFC history, but we will take it.
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We were supposed to have Tony Ferguson vs. The Eagle, which then turned into a bout between Nurmagomedov and featherweight champion Max Holloway because of injury, which then appeared likely to be a fight against Anthony Pettis after Holloway was deemed medically unfit to fight.
Pettis was available because Conor McGregor decided to throw a dolly through the window of a bus carring Pettis' opponent, Michael Chiesa, leaving him unable to fight because of the injuries he suffered. However, after it appeared Pettis would attempt to weigh in again to meet the 155 limit, Ariel Helwani of MMAFighting.com reported he would not be doing so after all.
None of this is normal.
The McGregor incident also took Artem Lobov off the card and canceled a bout between Ray Borg and Brandon Moreno because of the eye injury Borg suffered from the shattered glass on the bus.
Leading into the lightweight title fight will be a women's strawweight scrap that has plenty of intrigue to it. Rose Namajunas will look to prove that her win over Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 217 was no fluke. The two will rematch with the UFC title on the line again.
Main Card (Pay-Per-View at 10 p.m. ET)
- Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Al Iaquinta
- Rose Namajunas vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk
- Renato Moicano vs. Calvin Kattar
- Zabit Magomedsharipov vs. Kyle Bochniak
- Joe Lauzon vs. Chris Gruetzemacher
Preliminary Card (Fox Sports 1 at 8 p.m. ET)
- Karolina Kowalkiewicz vs. Felice Herrig
- Bec Rawlings vs. Ashlee Evans-Smith
- Olivier Aubin-Mercier vs. Evan Dunham
- Devin Clark vs. Mike Rodriguez
Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Al Iaquinta
Given all the chaos that led to this situation, one thing is clear: The UFC expects Khabib Nurmagomedov to be the new UFC lightweight champion.
Especially after McGregor's actions, it's time for the division to move on, and the organization has desperately held on to Nurmagomedov in the main event. Whereas most show-closers wouldn't be able to survive two changes within the week of the fight—let alone three—the desire to see Nurmagomedov in the Octagon is strong enough for him to step in for a title shot.
Iaquinta is a live dog, though. Even though Nurmagomedov is undefeated in his MMA career, this has been a strange week for him, as Helwani noted:
"Imagine being Khabib Nurmagomedov right now. In the span of 5 days you’ve been told you’re fighting at least 4 different people before the most important fight of your life all while having to make weight. Not to mention yesterday’s drama.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) April 6, 2018"
Ragin' Al is an unknown commodity at this point. The 30-year-old has fought just once since 2015, scoring a knockout win over Diego Sanchez in 2017. Now he's getting a crack against Nurmagomedov, who will have a title on the line.
It's a win-win situation for Iaquinta, and that's how he's approaching the fight.
"I come in here, [and] I've got nothing to lose," Iaquinta said, per Thomas Gerbasi of UFC.com. "I'm focused on going out there and just having fun. There's no pressure on my back. Go out there, do what I love to do."
Iaquinta is a strong boxer with good pop in his hands. There is a scenario out there in which he is able to land a punch cleanly against Nurmagomedov and shocks the world.
The bad news for him is all three of his losses have come by way of submission. He's about to take on the scariest grappler in his division and possibly the sport. With a title on the line, that's likely to be his downfall, as Nurmagomedov follows through on his massive favorite status.
Prediction: Nurmagomedov via second-round submission.
Rose Namajunas vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk 2
It's rare that sequels are better than the original, but that just might be the case in the women's strawweight title fight.
Namajunas brought the first bout to a shocking conclusion early. After stunning the champion, she seized the opportunity to take the belt in the first round, handing Jedrzejczyk her first career loss.
The opening minutes of this bout should be fascinating. Jedrzejczyk has been a slow starter in the past, and that was a reason why Namajunas was able to successfully put her away early. This time, Jedrzejczyk will be on high alert.
That dynamic will play a big role in the fight, according to American Kickboxing Academy coach Javier Mendez.
"Joanna is aggressive, and when she smells blood, she goes for it," Mendez said, per Brett Okamoto of ESPN.com. "Rose is the same, but she's not as seasoned a striker. I think Joanna's takedown defense is very good. I don't think Rose is dominant enough there to have her way, unless she hurts her first."
Even though Namajunas scored the knockout last time, Jedrzejczyk is one of the most polished strikers in the sport. If she can get over the mental hurdle of staring across the cage at the woman who took away her title the last time out, she should make it difficult for Namajunas to repeat her previous strategy.
Over the course of a longer fight, expect the roles to be reversed and a return to the title for Jedrzejczyk.
Prediction: Jedrzejczyk via decision.
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