Ferguson gets into trouble with UFC for losing interim belt

Ferguson complains about having his title taken away. Photo: Reproduction/Youtube UFC)

Interim lightweight champion (up to 70,3 kg.), Tony Ferguson was injured last weekend and left the fight against Khabib Nurmagomedov, for the linear belt of the category, with six days left until the fight. Ultimate did not give the North American a chance and announced that it will withdraw his title. The weight reign will be contested between Nurmagomedov and Max Holloway, featherweight champion (up to 65,7 kg.), who agreed to move up a division and face the Russian without any preparation time.

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The UFC's decision visibly frustrated Ferguson. The interim champion complains that he was injured during an official UFC commitment and could not lose his title.

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“I haven't spoken to the UFC yet about what we're going to do next. When I saw what they did (take away his belt), I was shocked. It hurt me even more. This injury was something I couldn't control. The UFC didn't tell me anything about me losing my title. You shouldn't take away a champion's belt because of a bizarre injury that happened during a mandatory UFC media event," Ferguson said during the show. MMA Hour.

Tony also recalled an event that happened in 2017, when Robert whittaker, then interim middleweight champion (up to 83,9 kg.), was injured and Michael Bisping, owner of the linear title, defended his reign against Georges St Pierre, not taking away the New Zealander's belt.

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“There is precedent for having a linear title fight and keeping an interim title intact. They just did it with Robert whittaker last year. I just hope they do the right thing.”

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.

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