Undefeated UFC lightweight Khabib Nurmagomedov, will now face New York's own Al Iaquinta for the official lightweight title. In the co-main event, Rose Namajunas puts her strawweight title on the line in a rematch with former champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk.
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For the fourth time the bout fell apart as Ferguson pulled out of the fight on April 1, due to a knee injury and 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. 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. 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.
Conor McGregor and team assault on bus
On April 5, following the event's media day, McGregor and his crew deliberately 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 his team were inside that bus. The attack included objects being thrown through a window, which then shattered. 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.
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 suffered as a result of McGregor’s melee.
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. This bout was also scrapped, after Borg had issues related to glass shards in his eye.
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. 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.