Khabib Nurmagomedov vs Tony Ferguson had been booked four times for December 11, 2015, April 16, 2016, March 4, 2017, and April 7, 2018. None of those bouts materialized due to various injuries from both fighters.
The most recent one happened less than a week before the UFC 223 main event, where Ferguson was on a freak accident and simply tripped and injured his knee while on a media tour. He may even need surgery and be out for an extended period.
Whether it’s insane bad luck or some weird curse that has fallen on the match up, it just has failed to occur during the four straight years the promotion has tried to make it happen. So will the UFC try to book it again for the fifth time? That’s a hard pass, according to Dana White.
“Hell no!” White told ESPN if he would try to reschedule the match up again. “I’m never making that fight ever again. Ever.”
Featherweight champ Max Holloway is stepping in to fight Khabib at UFC 223 and it will be for the “undisputed” lightweight title. White also stated that Ferguson’s interim belt will be stripped, so even if the heavy favorite in Khabib loses, El Cucuy still isn’t guaranteed to fight the winner next.
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