Max Holloway out of UFC 223 main event against Khabib Nurmagomedov

UFC 223 is having a rough week.

Featherweight champion Max Holloway has been pulled from Saturday’s main event fight against Khabib Nurmagomedov after being deemed medically unfit to compete. MMA Fighting confirmed the news Friday morning during UFC 223’s official weigh-ins following an initial report by ESPN.

MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani reported that commission doctors put a halt to Holloway’s weight cut in fear of his safety, however Holloway wished to continue. At the time of the decision, Holloway wanted to “keep pushing” and was “close,” a member of Holloway’s team told Helwani.

The loss of Holloway vs. Nurmagomedov marks the fourth fight to be scratched from UFC 223 over a 24-hour span, adding to the trio of fights lost on Thursday because of Conor McGregor’s attack on a fighter bus.

Holloway, 26, accepted the bout against Nurmagomedov on Sunday after an injury to Tony Ferguson derailed UFC 223’s main event six days out from fight night. Holloway’s nutritionist George Lockhart told MMA Fighting that Holloway’s impromptu weight cut was expected to be “tied for the largest weight cut” Lockhart had ever managed.

With Holloway out, the UFC is currently attempting to put together a replacement main event between Nurmagomedov and former lightweight champion Anthony Pettis.

Pettis’ original UFC 223 fight against Michael Chiesa was cancelled on Thursday after Chiesa was injured in McGregor’s bus attack. Pettis has yet to weigh-in.

Update: Holloway tweeted out this statement Friday morning.

Source: MMAFighting

Impact Wrestling vs. Lucha Underground At WrestleCon 4/6/18

Image result for impact vs. lucha underground WrestleCon card

The following card will air on tonight’s Impact vs. Lucha Underground live special on Twitch from WrestleCon in New Orleans, beginning at 10:00 PM ET:

* Impact World Champion Austin Aries & Fenix vs. Alberto El Patron & Lucha Underground Champion Pentagon Jr.

* Impact Tag Team Championship: LAX (c’s) vs. Killshot and Da Mack

* Impact Knockouts Championship: Allie (c) vs. Taya Valkyrie

* I Quit Match: Eddie Edwards vs. Jeremiah Crane (Sami Callihan)

* Scott Steiner & Teddy Hart vs. oVe

* Eli Drake vs. Brian Cage

* Trevor Lee vs. Famous B

* Impact X-Division Champion Matt Sydal vs. MOOSE vs. Caleb Konley vs. Matanza Cueto vs. Jack Evans vs. Chavo Guerrero

* Drago, Aerostar & King Cuerno vs. Andrew Everett, DJZ & Desmond Xavier

Line-Up For Tonight’s 2018 WWE Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony

2018 WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony from the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans 8 ET/5 PT Coverage will begin with the one-hour Red Carpet special 7 ET/4 PT.  The ceremony is currently scheduled to run until 11pm ET.

 Below is the line-up for tonight:

* Bill Goldberg, inducted by Paul Heyman

* Mark Henry, inducted by Big Show

* Jeff Jarrett, inducted by “Road Dogg” BG James

* The Dudley Boyz, inducted by Christian & WWE Hall of Famer Edge

* Ivory, inducted by Molly Holly

* Hillbilly Jim, inducted by WWE Hall of Famer Jimmy Hart

* Kid Rock goes into the Celebrity Wing

* Jarrius “JJ” Robertson receives the Warrior Award, presented by Dana Warrior

* Legacy Wing inductees: Lord Alfred Hayes, Stan Stasiak, Boris Malenko, Dara Singh, El Santo, Cora Combs, Jim Londos, Rufus R. Jones, Sputnik Monroe

Conor McGregor Charged With Assault & Criminal mischief Following Backstage Melee At UFC 223 Media Day

Image result for conor mcgregor attacks bus

UFC Fighter Conor McGregor crashed the UFC 223 Media Day at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY with a group of people. McGregor was seen on video throwing a hand dolly through a window of a bus carrying UFC fighters.

UFC fighters Michael Chiesa and Ray Borg was injured. Chiesa had facial lacerations and Borg experienced problems with his eye from particles of glass.

McGregor turned himself into the New York Police Department. McGregor was charged with three counts of misdemeanor assault and one count of criminal mischief.

MMA fighter Cian Cowley, who was part of McGregor’s group has been charged with assaualt and criminal mischief.

UFC fighter Artom Lobov, who was with McGregor, has been pulled from Saturday’s UFC 223 card.

Three fights had to be cancelled due to the incident – Michael Chiesa vs. Anthony Pettis, Ray Borg vs. Brandon Moreno and Artom Lobov vs.  Alex Caceres.

UFC president Dana White calls McGregor’s behavior “the most disgusting thing that has happened” in UFC history. White also said that it was a “bad career move” for McGregor.

Daniel Bryan Getting Ready For His Return To The Ring This Weekend (Video)

WWE has posted a video showing WWE Superstar Daniel Bryan training for his return to the ring this Sunday at WrestleMania. In the video above Bryan can be seen attempting a backflip for the first time in three years!

WWE Hall Of Fame 2018 Legacy Wing Inductees Revealed

WWE will be making additions to the Legacy Wing of the Hall of Fame tomorrow night in New Orleans.

 The following Legends are set to be inducted into the Legacy Wing, according to PWInsider:

* Lord Alfred Hayes
* Stan Stasiak
* Boris Malenko
* Dara Singh
* El Santo
* Cora Combs
* Jim Londos
* Rufus R. Jones
* Sputnik Monroe

The Legacy Wing was created in 2016 and currently includes 16 stars – Martin Burns, June Byers, Judy Grable, Dr. Jerry Graham, Haystacks Calhoun, Bearcat Wright, Rikidozan, Toots Mondt, Luther Lindsay, Art Thomas, Mildred Burke, George Hackenschmidt, Frank Gotch, Pat O’Connor, Ed Lewis and Lou Thesz.

Source: WrestlingINC

Impact Wrestling Preview 4/5/18

* Road to Redemption: ALL ACCESS PASS

* Lashley wants revenge on Brian Cage

* Case vs. Case: Moose vs. Eli Drake

* Allie summons the Undead Bride

* Taiji Ishimori vs. Johnny Impact

Carmella Became The Longest-Reigning Money In The Bank Holder

Image result for Carmella breaks the record for most days with the Money in the Bank contract

Carmella became the longest-reigning Money In the Bank holder in WWE history this week. WWE announced the following on the milestone:

The Money in the Bank record book just became even more F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S.

After 281 days of moonwalking, trash-talking and keeping every single SmackDown LIVE female Superstar on her toes, Carmella has now held the Money in the Bank contract longer than anyone in WWE history. The Princess of Staten Island surpassed the likes of Edge, John Cena, Daniel Bryan, Kane and literally every other Superstar to hold the all-powerful contract. #MellaIsMoney has never rang truer, and, naturally, Carmella took to Twitter to proudly celebrate the milestone.

Ms. Money in the Bank, indeed.

https://twitter.com/CarmellaWWE/status/981560346656768000

Backstage News On The Expected Undertaker Vs. John Cena Match At WrestleMania

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As seen on RAW this past Monday night, The Undertaker did not respond to John Cena’s challenge for a match at WrestleMania. The bout had been expected for months, with Taker’s wife, Michelle McCool, even posting videos of The Undertaker training.

If the match ends up taking place as expected, it would be the first time that a major WrestleMania match would take place that had been built up without ever being announced on television. Either way, Taker will clearly be at WrestleMania in some form, whether it’s for a match with Cena, or a segment which leads to a physical altercation between the two.

Dave Meltzer reported in the latest edition of The Wrestling Observer that Vince McMahon believes that the audience knows that Taker will be showing up this Sunday, so this is the story to bring him back to get his revenge on Cena. A source told the Observer that there is the belief that announcing the match in advance won’t lead to additional network subscriptions, since the fans who would want to see it will be watching the event on the network anyway. The source said that the storyline is McMahon’s and he’s happy with it, and that, “I think part of it is that Vince McMahon can say, ‘people are invested in the mere chance Undertaker will show up!”‘

While it’s not known if the Cena – Undertaker segment at WrestleMania will be an actual match or a confrontation to build to a bout next year, Meltzer noted that it was scheduled to be a match several months ago.

As noted, WWE posted the following blurb regarding the Cena – Undertaker storyline after RAW this past Monday night:

So, what now for Cena? With The Undertaker offering no answer to his challenge, perhaps the showdown between the two iconic Superstars is simply not meant to be. Is Cena destined to experience this year’s Showcase of The Immortals as a spectator? Will he aid another Superstar to victory or perhaps offer his expert knowledge of The Grandest Stage of Them All as a guest commentator? Or, is there still a chance that a match between John Cena and The Undertaker may take place? Find out this Sunday at WrestleMania, streaming live on WWE Network at a special start time of 7 ET/4 PT!

Source: WrestlingINC

Max Holloway, Khabib Nurmagomedov Will Fight For Conor McGregor’s Belt, McGregor To Be Stripped Of UFC Lightweight Title, McGregor Responds

Image result for UFC 223 Holloway vs Khabib Nurmagomedov

Dana White said Wednesday that the UFC will be stripping Conor McGregor of the lightweight title.

As expected, McGregor isn’t going to go accept that without a fight.

“The Notorious” tweeted an ornery — and vulgar — response to White’s words early Thursday morning.

“You’s’ll strip me of nothing you’s do nothing c*nts,” McGregor wrote.

Khabib Nurmagomedov will fight Max Holloway in what the promotion is calling a UFC lightweight title fight in the main event of UFC 223 on Saturday in Brooklyn. The issue is that McGregor is still technically the lightweight champion and has been since November 2016. White has said that McGregor will cease to be champ as soon as the first punch is thrown this weekend at Barclays Center.

McGregor has not fought in the UFC since beating Eddie Alvarez for the belt at UFC 205. He had a blockbuster boxing match with Floyd Mayweather last year, but there are currently no firm plans for an Octagon return.

On Wednesday, White did say that McGregor would “100 percent” be back in the UFC this year.

Whether or not he’ll be holding a belt seems to be very much open for debate.

UFC 223 Fight Card:

MAIN CARD

  • Max Holloway vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov TITLE FIGHT
  • Rose Namajunas vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk
  • Renato Moicano vs. Calvin Kattar
  • Anthony Pettis vs. Michael Chiesa
  • Al Iaquinta vs. Paul Felder

UNDERCARD

  • Joe Lauzon vs. Chris Gruetzemacher
  • Devin Clark vs. Mike Rodriguez
  • Karolina Kowalkiewicz vs. Felice Herrig
  • Ray Borg vs. Brandon Moreno
  • Bec Rawlings vs. Ashlee Evans-Smith
  • Artem Lobov vs. Alex Caceres
  • Zabit Magomedsharipov vs. Kyle Bochniak
  • Olivier Aubin-Mercier vs. Evan Dunham

Source: MMAFighting