Max Holloway Out Of UFC 223 Due To Health Concerns

Another fight has been scratched from UFC 223, although it has nothing to do with yesterday’s Conor McGregor incident. MMA Fighting reports that Max Holloway has been pulled from the lightweight title main event against Khabib Nurmagomedov. Holloway was deemed medically unfit to compete by UFC doctors, who told him to stop trying to cut weight out of concern for his health. Holloway, however, wanted to continue to “keep pushing” to try to make weight. A member of his team said that the featherweight champion was “close” to hitting his goal before the fight was pulled.

This marks the fourth bout pulled from the show after Artem Lobov vs. Alex Caceres, Michael Chiesa vs. Anthony Pettis and Ray Borg vs. Brandon Moreno. Those three were pulled due to fighters getting injured after Conor McGregor led an attack on a fighter bus.

Holloway was a replacement after Tony Ferguson suffered an injury six days ago. At the time, his nutritionist George Lockhart said Holloway would be “tied for the largest weight cut” Lockhart ever managed. UFC is now trying to put together a replacement main event between Nurmagomedov and Anthony Lettis. Pettis has yet to weigh-in.

. @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