UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov is no stranger to last-minute changes in opponent lineups, and he’s now weighing in on the unexpected shift for UFC 311. Nurmagomedov, who has transitioned from champion to highly respected coach, will be in the corner of Islam Makhachev when he faces Renato Moicano for the lightweight title.
This change comes after Arman Tsarukyan, initially scheduled to challenge Makhachev, had to withdraw due to a back injury. Stepping in on short notice, Moicano—originally slated to face Beneil Dariush—seizes the opportunity to fight for the coveted lightweight title.
Nurmagomedov, who has experienced his own challenges with opponent changes, reflected on the situation in a video posted to UFC’s social media. “Honestly, I knew about this yesterday at 1 a.m., just the night before I went to sleep,” he said. “This can happen to anyone.”
The former lightweight champion referenced a similar experience of his own from 2017, when he was scheduled to face Tony Ferguson at UFC 209. However, due to complications with his weight cut, Nurmagomedov was forced to withdraw from the fight and was hospitalized. “After that, I went to the hospital, had surgery, came back, and told the UFC, ‘If it was my mistake, give me another top guy, I’m going to beat him and earn my title shot,'” Nurmagomedov recalled.
In that instance, Nurmagomedov defeated Edson Barboza and later went on to claim the UFC lightweight title in April 2018, stepping in to fight Al Iaquinta after Max Holloway’s withdrawal due to weight-cut issues.
Drawing from his own experience, Nurmagomedov believes Tsarukyan will recover from this setback in a similar fashion. He also praised Moicano for his readiness to take on the challenge. “He’s young and tough, and he can bounce back,” said Nurmagomedov. “He has to survive this situation and come back stronger.”
Speaking about the rescheduled main event, Nurmagomedov noted Moicano’s wealth of experience in the UFC, having competed for over a decade. “He’s on a four-fight win streak and is in his prime. It’s going to be a competitive fight. Of course, it’s not the same as Arman vs. Islam, but we’re not underestimating Moicano. He’s a dangerous fighter.”
UFC 311 will now feature Makhachev versus Moicano for the lightweight title, a matchup that promises excitement despite the last-minute changes.
