Tony Ferguson (20-3) will not be fighting No. 7-ranked lightweight contender Michael Johnson (16-10), and he will not be fighting at UFC 197.
As first reported by MMAFighting.com's Ariel Helwani (h/t MMAFighting.com's Hunter A. Homistek), Johnson withdrew from the UFC 197 contest, and the UFC moved Ferguson from the event. Ferguson, the No. 5-ranked contender, will now get a higher-ranked opponent in No. 2-ranked Khabib Nurmagomedov (22-0).
As he said on Mon, Ferg wanted to fight in MAR because his wife is due in April. But MAR is tad early for KN, so TF is being a good soldier.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) January 27, 2016
The reason Johnson dropped out of UFC 197 was not available.
The new fight is being eyed for an April date that will be a UFC on Fox event.
Ferguson is currently riding a seven-fight win streak after defeating Edson Barboza via D'arce choke at The Ultimate Fighter 22 Finale in December. The talented contender has risen up the ranks with his aggressive style and impressive finishes.
Nurmagomedov, however, has not seen the inside of the Octagon since April 2014.
The top end of the lightweight division is in a state of uncertainty. Rafael dos Anjos will defend the title against Conor McGregor at UFC 197, but following the event, there is no clear-cut top contender. The winner of Ferguson vs. Nurmagomedov could slide into that role in the spring.
The stylistic matchup between Ferguson and Nurmagomedov should provide fans with an entertaining bout.
Both Ferguson and Nurmagomedov move forward to press the action. Ferguson has a violent attack of striking and submission, and Nurmagomedov has been virtually unstoppable with his grappling. Nurmagomedov is the last man to beat the champion, and in that fight, he was successful on six of 12 takedown attempts, per FightMetric.
This is a huge fight for the lightweight division. Come the conclusion of this fight in April, the title picture should be a lot clearer. Ferguson and Nurmagomedov are on the precipice of a title shot.
Bleacher Report will continue to update you regarding this fight and all UFC action as details become available.
