No Pettis, no Felder, so UFC targeting Al Iaquinta vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 223

With Max Holloway ruled out of the UFC 223 main event, the UFC had a few other lightweight options to salvage Khabib Nurmagomedov’s place on the card.

After first turning to former champion Anthony Pettis (20-7 MMA, 7-6 UFC), then Paul Felder (15-3 MMA, 7-3 UFC), only to have both denied, the promotion now is targeting Al Iaquinta (13-3-1 MMA, 8-2 UFC) for a fight against Nurmagomedov, a person close to the event told MMAjunkie. The person requested anonymity because negotiations still are ongoing.

Iaquinta currently is scheduled to open the main card against Felder. A potential Nurmagomedov fight with Iaquinta would only be for the lightweight title if Nurmagomedov wins, the pereson said.

The lightweight title was at stake in the fight between Nurmagomedov and Holloway (19-3 MMA, 15-3 UFC) before Holloway was pulled by the New York State Athletic Commission during the last hours of his weight cut.

Conor McGregor (21-3 MMA, 9-1 UFC) holds the lightweight belt, but hasn’t defended it since he won it in November 2016, so was to be stripped upon the conclusion of the Nurmagomedov-Holloway fight. That fight was supposed to be Nurmagomedov-Tony Ferguson before Ferguson had to pull out Sunday, paving the way for Holloway.

Iaquinta has been at odds with the UFC in the media and on social media. He even said he is barred from receiving fight-night bonuses by the promotion. But he has won five straight fights, including four by knockout. It’s been nearly a year since “Ragin’ Al” most recently fought – a first-round knockout of Diego Sanchez in April 2017.

UFC 223 will take place Saturday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. The main card will air on pay-per-view following prelims on FS1 and UFC Fight Pass.

Stay tuned to MMAjunkie for more on this story as it develops.

For more on UFC 223, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.