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Max Holloway to replace Tony Ferguson in UFC 223 fight

Khabib Nurmagomedov has a new opponent for the upcoming event.

TONY FERGUSON IS out of the headline fight at UFC 223 and will be replaced by Max Holloway.

Ferguson has pulled out from the event due to a torn knee ligament suffered in an accident on a studio set and tweeted confirmation of the news on Sunday.

The California-born fighter was due to take on Khabib Nurmagomedov in a lightweight title fight at UFC 223 in Brooklyn on 7 April.

However, featherweight champion Max Holloway has agreed to replace Ferguson at short notice for the headline fight.

“He’s a stud,” Dana White told ESPN, when asked about Holloway. “The guy hasn’t lost a fight since 2013, and that was a decision to Conor McGregor.

“He’s the type of guy that steps up for opportunities like this. And when you think about it, if he wins this fight, other than Conor McGregor, he will be the only guy to hold two belts at the same time.”

McGregor is the official UFC lightweight champion as it stands, after becoming a two-weight champion in his most recent MMA fight, though he is expected to lose the belt amid the culmination of the Nurmagomedov-Holloway fight.

The Irishman has not fought in UFC since November 2016 and White played down suggestions that his return was imminent.

“I don’t think Conor McGregor could make the weight on six days’ notice. That’s a tough weight cut for him,” he said. “And Conor is not the guy I want to throw in as a late replacement fighter. He’s a guy I want to make a fight with and have the right amount of time to promote the fight.

“I think Conor could return in September, and it could be against one of these guys.”

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    Mute Dublin Dweller
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    May 19th 2014, 1:56 AM

    Outrageously misleading headline. Hodgson didn’t say what it suggests he said at all.

    113
    CJ
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    Mute CJ
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    May 19th 2014, 9:15 AM

    The journal is turning into a sun/star styled mashup. where did it all go wrong?

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    Mute VF Counselling
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    May 19th 2014, 2:06 AM

    Suarez was brilliant in the last World Cup and in the Copa America. He should be alright in this one too.

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    Mute LL&P BAZINGA !
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    May 19th 2014, 8:58 AM

    Especially his fingertip save ….

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    Mute Paddy Kavanagh
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    May 19th 2014, 9:11 AM

    headline misleasding, uruguay have a good squad though I disagree with woy there..cavani, gaston ramirez, godin and gimenez the two athletico defenders and christian rodriguez who have just won la liga and are in the champions league final and diego forlan is still a great finisher even with his age, they have quality in attack and defence.. personally i think england wont have the quality to beat them

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    Mute Anthony Ryan
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    May 19th 2014, 10:31 AM

    You’re dead right Paddy. You didn’t even mention Walter Gargano or Edigo Arevalo Ríos in midfield or Maxi Peirera, Martín Cáceres or Alvaro Peirera on the flanks. Uruguay will be very difficult to beat and will play in a style very similar to Atletico. At 25/1 to win the World Cup they’re a decent outside bet.

    Only RVP scored as many goals as Suarez in World Cup qualifiers, and there are no easy matches in South American qualifying.

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    Mute Eamonn Maloney
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    May 19th 2014, 10:11 AM

    Fancy Suarez to score against England.

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    Mute Robert Collins
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    May 19th 2014, 1:36 AM

    He could have a point ! How will he cope with more then one game in a week ???

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    Mute Eoghan Rudden
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    May 19th 2014, 7:59 AM

    I’m guessing he ingested something psychedelic earlier in the day and followed up that observation with “….
    and I think danny welbeck will win the golden boot”

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    Mute Eoghan O'Reilly
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    May 19th 2014, 1:35 AM

    Roy didnt preform well with any club wheather managing england or liverpool. So speaching against the talent of a player that could do serious damage to him and england is very wrong!

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    Mute willie
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    May 19th 2014, 6:02 AM

    At least Roy can spell…….

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    Mute Paul Dunne
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    May 19th 2014, 12:09 PM

    silly comment willie

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    Dan
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    May 19th 2014, 8:18 AM

    If anything id say Suarez will have England in his sights.
    Roy on the other hand is a poor manager with a limited squad, especially up front.

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    Mute Brian Badonde
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    May 19th 2014, 7:32 AM

    Roy needs a copy of mind games for dummies. He should know Suarez is world class and that he won’t be affected by anything the england manager says. Might work with Ballotelli however

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    Mute Michael Walsh
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    May 19th 2014, 12:47 AM

    U fool roy, wud u say the same id it was messi r ronaldo, time will spell then end of u

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    Mute Tennis Leadog
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    May 19th 2014, 7:43 AM

    Gobbledygook

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    Mute Paul Dunne
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    May 19th 2014, 12:06 PM

    I’d say Roy might struggle more than him at at the world cup

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