ANOTHER UFC CARD has been thrown into disarray after Tony Ferguson pulled out of his upcoming main event against Khabib Nurmagomedov.
The lightweight contenders were due to headline the UFC on Fox 19 card a week on Saturday but Ferguson has been sidelined after doctors found a problem in his lung.
“Usually I can power thru small bumps & bruises,” he tweeted on Tuesday night. “Doc said I have fluid/blood in my lung.
“I will heal up. I will be back.”
The UFC has not yet confirmed if Nurmagomedov will still feature on the Tampa card on 16 April. According to MMAFighting.com, officials are searching for a replacement opponent.
The fight was set to be Nurmagomedov’s first since his win against Rafael dos Anjos two years ago, and he immediately set about finding someone to step in at short notice, calling out Anthony Pettis and Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone, as well as dos Anjos, now the lightweight champion.
“Anyone and any weight,” he tweeted. “16 April I’m waiting for you guys.”
As news of Ferguson’s injury broke, dos Anjos offered to put his lightweight strap on the line against Nurmagomedov on the bumper UFC 200 card this summer.
“We have some unfinished business,” he tweeted. “I’ll be ready in July.”
The meeting of Nurmagomedov and Ferguson was being billed by many as a number one contender bout in the 155lbs division, although there has also been speculation linking Eddie Alvarez with the next shot at dos Anjos when he returns from the foot injury that ruled him out of last month’s scheduled defence against Conor McGregor.
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