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Justin Gaethje has a new opponent for UFC 313. Elsewhere, TKO Group Holdings revealed a potential boxing deal with the Saudi Arabian authorities.
Here are today's top combat sports updates, presented by Sportskeeda MMA.
Justin Gaethje has a new opponent for UFC 313
Justin Gaethje's original opponent for UFC 313, Dan Hooker, pulled out of the fight around two weeks before the fight due to a hand injury. 'The Hangman' told Sky Sports New Zealand that he fractured it after his knuckles hit one of his training partners on the top of their dome.
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In an announcement on Wednesday, Dana White revealed that Rafael Fiziev would be stepping up to face Gaethje in the co-main event on short notice.
Gaethje confirmed the same in a tweet while revealing that Charles Oliveira, Dustin Poirier, Arman Tsarukyan, Renato Moicano, and Max Holloway were also offered the fight, but they turned it down. Moicano was one of the fighters who called 'The Highlight' out after Hooker pulled out.
Tsarukyan claimed that he had said yes but wanted the fight to be at catchweight, to which the UFC said no.
Dustin Poirier weighs in on Conor McGregor's potential UFC return
Dustin Poirier was the last man to face Conor McGregor inside the octagon. 'The Diamond' sent the Irishman home with a broken shin and he has not managed to get back to the UFC since. However, Poirier believes if anyone can do it, it's McGregor.
Speaking on the Outta Pocket with RGIII podcast, Poirier weighed in on the potential comeback of 'The Notorious' that fans have been eagerly waiting for:
"Look, I love to talk down on, talk trash on Conor. But if anybody can put it together and come back, if he can find that passion and that fire... this guy can. I’m not saying anybody, but this guy can. He’s special. He has something special. But only he knows, when he looks in the mirror, if he can really do it again. But if he really believes it, I believe he could."
TKO to run a Dana White-led boxing league with Saudi Arabia
Remember that venture into boxing Dana White was talking about? Turned out, it was a potential deal with Saudi Arabia.
During an investor conference call on Wednesday, TKO Group Holdings president and COO Mark Shapiro revealed that negotiations are ongoing with Saudi Arabia for the launch of a new boxing league in 2025:
"I will tell you that we are close to an agreement with the Saudis on the creation of a boxing league where we, TKO, would be the producer, the promoter, and responsible for all day-to-day operations of the venture, whereby we would receive a fee of $10 million-plus." [H/t MMA Fighting]
Shapiro added that they will not be investing any capital in it or bear any cost. TKO would also receive earn-in equity over five years, but that would be dependent on hitting certain milestones. He insinuated that UFC CEO Dana White and WWE President Nick Khan will have a significant say in the business.
