Wantagh's Al Iaquinta steps up to UFC 223 Main Event

"Raging" Al Iaquinta to fight in bout with title implications

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Wantagh's Al Iaquinta, who originally was supposed to kick off the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 223's main card, is now headlining the event with Khabib Nurmagomedov, according to the UFC on Friday.

The No. 10 ranked lightweight stepped up to the main event after Nurmagomedov's original opponent Tony Ferguson and his replacement Max Holloway were both deemed ineligible to fight. Ferguson was forced to resign due to injury, while Holloway was pulled because he could not safely make the weight class' 155 pound weight limit.

Originally, Nurmagomedov's fight would have been a normal UFC Lightweight Championship match, which would therefore strip current champion Conor McGregor of the title. Now, the fight between Nurmagomedov and Iaquinta will still have championship implications, but Iaquinta will be unable to win the belt.

Iaquinta missed championship weight by 0.2 pounds at his official weigh-in, so if he wins Saturday's five round fight, he will not win the belt. However, if Nurmagomedov defeats Iaquinta, he will be named the UFC Lightweight Champion.

Despite being ineligible for the title, Iaquinta will be fighting for hometown pride and a potentially large jump up the lightweight rankings against Nurmagomedov. Iaquinta wrestled at Wantagh High School and Nassau Community College before starting his career as a professional mixed martial artist.

When he's not fighting, he spends his time as a real estate agent on Long Island. He also has made numerous rants against the UFC about fair payment and threatened retirement several times. One such instance came in November 2016, when Iaquinta pulled himself out of a fight against Thiago Alves after disputing his contract with UFC.

A few months ago, Iaquinta said on the MMA Hour, a SB Nation show, that he would not fight Nurmagomadov unless he was paid at least a million dollars. "I don't want to fight (Nurmagomedov,)" Iaquinta said during the show, citing Nurmagomedov's beating of Edson Barboza at UFC 219 and only considering a fight if he was paid well for it.

On April 6, he will walk back those words all the way to the octagon inside the Barclays Center, and face the undefeated Russian lightweight for up to five five minute rounds.