For most UFC fighters, cutting weight is a huge nightmare. However, for Khabib Nurmagomedov, it turned into something much more sinister. A single brutal weight cut landed the future UFC champion in the hospital, scrapping one of the most anticipated fights in UFC history.

Much to fans' disappointment, the bout between Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson was cancelled on March 3, 2017, just a day before UFC 209 in Las Vegas. Nurmagomedov’s attempts at cutting weight to make the 155-pound lightweight limit landed him in the hospital due to serious medical conditions. The UFC later reported that he had been taken to Sunrise Hospital & Medical Center due to weight management medical issues.

"I thought it was a nightmare, man," Ferguson said when asked how he felt about the cancellation. "Something worse than El Cucuy. It was just something that he had to go through. This happens in the fight game."

Although Nurmagomedov was treated and later discharged, doctors warned him against competing again, at least till he was completely stable. This led to the cancellation of the anticipated interim lightweight title fight.

According to Sky Sports, the winner of the anticipated UFC fight was expected to be a top contender for a massive money prize and a bout against Conor McGregor. McGregor had just become the UFC lightweight champion after defeating Eddie Alvarez in November of the previous year.

Ferguson considered continuing the fight with a substitute for Nurmagomedov; however, he declined after he was told that the UFC would reduce his pay and reduce the interim title.

Moreover, Ferguson empathized with Nurmagomedov, admitting that he too struggled to make weight, weighing in at 154 ½ pounds just before the bout.

Nurmagomedov is not the only UFC star whose big fight plans unraveled due to medical issues or weight-related complications.

Weight-cut nightmares and medical emergencies that shattered UFC fight cards

This wasn’t the first time that a bout between Nurmagomedov and Ferguson had to be cancelled. The duo was matched in two other fights that had to be cancelled due to medical emergencies for both fighters.

In fact, Ferguson once had to miss two full years of competition due to a persistent knee injury that took a long time to heal.

Other notable UFC stars whose bouts were canceled include:

• Renan Barão (UFC 177) – his bout against TJ Dillashaw was canceled in August 2014 due to similar reasons as Nurmagomedov.
• Kelvin Gastelum (UFC 205) – Gastelum’s welterweight bout against Donald Cerrone was canceled in November 2016. Reportedly, he was not able to make the 170-pound weight limit.
• Khamzat Chimaev (UFC 279) – Chimaev’s bout against Nate Diaz was canceled in September 2022. Chimaev missed the weight by just 7.5 pounds, resulting in the unfortunate cancellation.

As brutal as it may seem, weight cuts can often make or break a UFC star's career. Which canceled fight do you regret the most in MMA history and why?

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Written by

Avantika Das

Edited by

Ashvinkumar Patil