Conor McGregor assault charge casts shadow over Khabib Nurmagomedov’s fight with Max Holloway at UFC 223

UFC commentator and analyst Dan Hardy looks ahead to this weekend’s event in Brooklyn, New York, with two UFC title bouts topping the bill

A late change to this weekend’s main event now puts the current UFC featherweight champion, Max Holloway, across the Octagon from undefeated lightweight phenom, Khabib Nurmagomedov. Originally scheduled to face Tony Ferguson for the undisputed lightweight crown, Khabib now takes on a man that hasn’t lost in his last 12 fights.

Since his loss to Conor McGregor in August 2013, Max Holloway has marched his way through the featherweight division, beating everyone worth fighting on his way to the title - the belt that McGregor left behind when he moved up to face Eddie Alvarez for the lightweight title.

The way the cards have fallen, Max Holloway could position himself as the only man to fight, if and when McGregor returns to competition. After losing to him in 2013, Holloway has not only chased him to the end of his own division, but now has the opportunity to lock down a second division. I don’t want to jump the gun, but Holloway stands to gain so much if he can do what nobody else has been able to do: beat Khabib Nurmagomedov. In 25 fights as a professional Khabib has made it look easy, smashing his way to the top of the sport.

The only thing slowing his progress has been injuries but, with that behind him, Nurmagomedov was primed to fight the current interim champion, Tony Ferguson, for the undisputed title. Ferguson’s injury will rule him out of competition for a while, clearing the way for Khabib to rule the roost if he can beat Holloway and send him back down to featherweight. Although it will be Holloway stepping in on six days’ notice, both fighters will have to make adjustments and Holloway is a different type of fight to Ferguson.

In all of Khabib’s fights we see him march forward, blocking or absorbing whatever strikes he must, to close distance and get his hands on the opposition. Once in contact he forces his opponent into a cycle of wrestling and striking, where they are dragged to the mat and beaten up until they are half way back to their feet. Then the cycle begins again. Grinding them into the canvas and hammering them with some of the best ground and pound in the sport.

With Ferguson, Khabib was going to have to deal with that tricky guard offensive. It’s fair to say that Holloway is less dangerous off his back but he has stronger takedown defence.

If Holloway can force Khabib to stand, even if he is outwrestled and loses the first couple of rounds, his superior striking skills could cause some him some real problems. The smooth and precise striking of Holloway, supported by excellent footwork, makes him very challenging for someone with only one speed.

The Nurmagomedov style of fighting has never been halted, so has never needed to adapt a great deal. For weeks he will have been preparing for an unorthodox striker that doesn’t mind a tussle on the mat, someone that will roll and scramble sooner than defend the takedown.

Now he has to deal with someone far more polished in the striking ranges and who hasn’t been grounded in a long time, due to his outstanding takedown defence. In recent fights we’ve also seen Holloway more confident with his neck attacks, chasing front headlocks and guillotines to a finish.


 Khabib Nurmagomedov is fighting for the title 
 (Getty)

Bearing in mind that we haven’t seen Khabib fight past three rounds and we know how durable Max has proven to be, so the championship rounds could be important. The safe money is on Khabib to grind out a decision and for Max to not lose anything in a defeat to the greatest lightweight on the planet.

The reign of Nurmagomedov begins and we then wait for Ferguson to come back and challenge for the undisputed title, or for McGregor to attempt to regain his title from the clutches of Khabib. A dreamer would imagine a world where Holloway does the unthinkable and stops Nurmagomedov impressively, becomes the ‘Champ Champ’, and paints McGregor into a corner, making him the only man to face. It is a big ask for Holloway to turn this around but, the closer the fight goes, the more I’m thinking that it’s so unlikely, it just might happen. In this crazy sport of MMA, nothing should surprise me anymore!

This whole card is stacked from start to finish. The first bout of the night sees Kyle Bochniak taking on Zabit Magomedsharipov, a fighter with clear superstar potential. Widely educated in the martial arts, with a diverse striking game and aggressive grappling, Zabit fights with a flare and tenacity that you wouldn’t expect. A very quietly spoken and humble individual, he takes on this other level when he fights and to have him opening the card is a real treat. The first fight on the main card between Paul Felder and Al Iaquinta will be tough to beat for ‘Fight of the Night’ honours and the co-main event should also be electric.


 Rose Namajunas defends her title this weekend 
 (PA)

Rose Namajunas is defending her women’s strawweight title for the first time, against the former queen of the division, Joanna Jedrzejczyk. In their first meeting six months ago Rose upset the odds and caught Joanna with two clean left hooks in the first round. In the rematch the former champion is adamant that she will walk away with what she still refers to as her belt.

Will Rose be able to replicate or better her last performance? Can Joanna take her title back? Will we have a lightweight king, unbeaten in 26 fights, or a new ‘Champ Champ’, holding the lighter divisions down and waiting for the return of McGregor? There is nowhere else to be this Saturday night.

Watch UFC 223: Khabib vs. Holloway live on BT Sport 2 from 1am BST early on Sunday, April 8, or catch the Early Prelims exclusively on UFC Fight Pass from 11:15pm BST on Saturday