The PFL was set to host a matchup that is seven years in the making this Friday in Dubai.
The promotion’s latest Road To Dubai Champions Series event is headlined by a huge rematch between Usman Nurmagomedov and Paul Hughes.
However, the main event isn’t the only bout that was planned for the card which continues the MMA rivalry between Ireland and Russia.
One of the most talked about fights for October 3 at the Coca-Cola Arena would’ve harkened back to the biggest feud in the history of the sport.
Before Conor McGregor attacked a bus ahead of UFC 223, an encounter between one of his teammates and Khabib Nurmagomedov’s team set the two parties on an explosive collision course.
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Artem Lobov has withdrawn from his PFL fight with Zubaira Tukhugov due to injury
On Friday night, Artem Lobov was set to take on Zubaira Tukhugov in one more chapter of the fallout of UFC 223.
For Lobov, who is now in a much different place with Conor McGregor, this meant making his return to MMA for the first time since his final UFC fight in October of 2018.
This was until the PFL announced on Tuesday that ‘The Russian Hammer’ has been forced to withdraw from the contest due to an injury in training.
Lobov had already been lining up other feuds that he hoped to finally put to rest before suffering this setback.
It remains to be seen whether Tukhugov, who hasn’t fought in MMA since his last UFC fight in February 2023, will be able to stay on the card against a replacement opponent.
While the main event was always going to be the star of the show, this is a disappointing setback for the promotion.
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Artem Lobov isn’t the first fighter to have withdrawn from the PFL’s return to Dubai
The catchweight matchup between Artem Lobov and Zubaira Tukhugov isn’t the only fight that has been affected by unfortunate news ahead of October 3.
While Lewis McGrillen withdrawing from his bout was disappointing, fortunately for the promotion, they had enough time to find Caolan Loughran a suitable opponent.
In his PFL debut after parting ways with the UFC earlier this year, Loughran will face a fellow former Cage Warriors champion in Jack Cartwright.
The matchup is currently scheduled to open the main card, as seen in the graphic above.