Mixed Martial Arts often has many twists and turns leading up to fight night. UFC 223 on Saturday in Brooklyn, New York, was no exception, and as Khabib Nurmagomedov entered the Octagon for the first title bout of his Ultimate Fighting Championship career, he did so versus an opponent no one saw coming. Following the withdrawal of an injured Tony Ferguson, replacement fights with Max Holloway, Anthony Pettis and Paul Felder all fell through. That left Al Iaquinta as the last man standing.
UFC 223 Post-Mortem: ‘The Eagle’ Soars in Brooklyn
