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Max Holloway won’t get his chance at a second belt.
Holloway, the reigning UFC featherweight champion, was pulled from the main event of UFC 223 on Friday morning during official weigh-ins after being deemed medically unfit to compete by commission doctors while cutting weight.
Holloway was attempting an ambitious weight cut after accepting the fight against Khabib Nurmagomedov on six days’ notice as a late replacement for Tony Ferguson.
Following the announcement of his cancelled fight, Holloway released a statement on Twitter apologizing to Nurmagomedov and MMA fans.
. @TeamKhabib my brother I want to keep going but they are stopping me. Sorry to your team and the fans. You don’t deserve this. This is number one. Shout outs to you and @Showtimepettis . Give the fans what they deserve
— Max Holloway (@BlessedMMA) April 6, 2018
The UFC is currently exploring options to keep Nurmagomedov on the card.
A replacement matchup between Nurmagomedov and former lightweight champion Anthony Pettis is being discussed.
More on this story as it develops.
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