Dana White on canceling Ferguson x Khabib: 'I'll never consider this fight again'

Dana says she will not reschedule Khabib (left) vs. Ferguson (right). Photo: Montagem SL MMA Press

the fight between Tony Ferguson e Khabib Nurmagomedov was surprisingly canceled last Sunday (01), when the interim lightweight champion tore knee ligaments after tripping in a studio. The cancellation marked the fourth postponement of the duel between the North American and the Russian. The fact angered Dana White, president of the UFC, who assured that he will never schedule this fight again.

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"No way. I will never do that fight again”, said Dana, in an interview with ESPN in the United States.

All four cancellations of Ferguson x Khabib were due to injury – twice for each of the fighters. The last time the duel was scheduled, for the interim lightweight belt, at UFC 209, the Russian had problems cutting weight and had to leave the contest.

The UFC president also reaffirmed that Ferguson will lose the interim belt and McGregor the linear title. In this case, the winner of the fight between Khabib Nurmagomedov e Max Holloway – who agreed to replace Ferguson six days in advance – will be the only champion in the category.

“It (Ferguson’s interim title) went away. This fight (Khabib x Holloway) is for the title, this fight is for the title. The winner of this fight will be the only champion”, he added.

UFC 223

With the output of Tony Ferguson of the main fight of UFC 223, the event acted quickly and called up the featherweight champion (up to 65,7 kg) Max Holloway to face the Russian Khabib Nurmagomedov for the organization's lightweight belt. The show, which takes place next Saturday (07), in New York (USA), will have another title fight. The Straw Champion Rose namajunas defends his reign against the former champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk. Brazil will be represented at the show by Brasiliense Renato Moicano who stares Calvin kattar on the main card. Check out the full event card below.

UFC 223 fight schedule

main card

Max Holloway x Khabib Nurmagomedov – fight for the lightweight belt

Rose namajunas x Joanna Jedrzejczyk – fight for the women’s strawweight belt

Renato Moicano x Calvin kattar

Michael chiesa x Anthony Pettis

To the fifth x Paul felder

Preliminary Card

Karolina Kowalkiewicz x Felice herrig

Ray Borg x Brandon Moreno

Joe lauzon x Chris Gruetzemacher

Evan dunham x Olivier Aubin-Mercier

Alex Caceres x Artem Lobov

Bec Rawlings x Ashlee Evans-Smith

Devin Clark x Mike Rodriguez

Zabit Magomedsharipov x Kyle Bochniak