Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Lightweight champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov, held a special press conference earlier today (Weds., Dec. 15, 2021) in Miami, Fla., to talk about all things Eagle FC.
Aside from announcing that he had signed former UFC 155-pound star Kevin Lee after he recently got the boot from Dana White and Co., “The Eagle” also revealed that his promotion will have new weight classes. Among them is the coveted 165-pound weight class, which has long been on the wish list of several UFC fighters.
According to Khabib, implementing the 165-pound weight class was of the utmost importance to help out a lot of fighters who always seem to be stuck between Lightweight and Welterweight.
“It’s going to be big news for a lot of fighters around the world,” Nurmagomedov told ESPN. “I know a lot of fighters want 165. A lot of fighters can’t make 155 and they are a little small at 170,” he added.
The rest of the weight classes will comprise 135, 145, 155, 175, 185, 205, as well as a Heavyweight division.
Lee — who has competed in both the 155- and 170-pound divisions — will be fighting at 165 pounds for his new company and is expected to make his promotional debut on March 11, 2022, against an opponent to be named later.
The promotion will stage an event on Jan. 22 in Miami, Fla., which just so happens to be the same night UFC 270 goes down in Anaheim, California. Headlining the card will be a heavyweight fight between kickboxing legend Tyrone Spong taking on former UFC big man Antonio Silva.
The card will also feature the return of Rashad Evans, who will once again be competing at 205 pounds against an opponent who has yet to be named.
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