Well, it looks like the UFC is scrambling to book a new main event for UFC 200, and it appears that they are thinking outside the box.
UFC Lightweight contender Khabib Nurmagomedov recently claimed that UFC officials offered him a fight against Georges St-Pierre or Nate Diaz for the upcoming UFC 200 event in July.
According to “The Eagle,” however, he will not be able to make his Octagon return until September or October.
“Yesterday the UFC called me with a proposal to hold the main bout of the evening against Nate Diaz, or against Georges St-Pierre,” Nurmagomedov told Match TV. “They hope that I will take the fight. But it is four days after the month of Ramadan, and it would be hard physically to fight five rounds. I’ll be back in September and October.”
As things stand now, there is still no new opponent for Diaz at UFC 200, nor has a new main event been announced. Initially, Conor McGregor was to fight Diaz in an immediate rematch at 170 pounds in the main event of UFC 200, however that fight was canceled this week when McGregor refused to take part in his promotional commitments.
UFC 200 is scheduled for Saturday, July 9, 2016 at the brand new T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
H/T to BloodyElbow.com for transcribing the above quote.
