It was a week of trials and tribulations – and shear madness – leading up to UFC 223: Khabib vs. Iaquinta, but that didn’t stop fans from coming out in droves to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., on Saturday.
Though the UFC 223 main event underwent three iterations over the past seven days, it finally settled on Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Al Iaquinta. That, coupled with a co-main event featuring a rematch between Rose Namajunas and Joanna Jedrzejczyk, made up for the four bouts that were canceled in the final 48 hours prior to the event.
Brooklyn fans showed their appreciation for the fighters to the tune of 17,026 in attendance – a sellout – accounting for a venue record gate of more than $3 million, according to UFC president Dana White.
“This is the highest grossing event in Barclays history,” White said at the UFC 223 post-fight press conference. “Madison Square Garden, we’re one and three. Here, we’re one and two.”
Nurmagomedov earned the distinction of undisputed UFC lightweight champion of the world with his dominant unanimous decision victory over Iaquinta. Tony Ferguson’s interim championship “goes away,” according to White, and the belt that was around Conor McGregor’s waist is now Nurmagomedov’s.
The Irishman is now without a UFC championship as he heads into a lengthy legal process to deal with his bazaar actions when he went on a rampage following Thursday’s UFC 223 Media Day.
In the UFC 223 co-main event, Namajunas got the better of Jedrzejczyk over the duration of their five-round fight, also earning a unanimous decision victory. She has now defeated her Polish foe in back-to-back bouts.
