Devastating news hit the UFC 223 card on Sunday with the revelation that interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson would no longer be taking part in the scheduled main event on Saturday night in Brooklyn, New York. The champ suffered a ligament tear in his knee during training, forcing yet another fight between he and Khabib Nurmagomedov to be canceled. Not many of us saw this coming ... well, except for the challenger, that is. 

Just hours before the news of the Ferguson injury broke, the undefeated Russian sensation sent out a tweet calling out current lightweight champion Conor McGregor. At the time, many probably interpreted the tweet as banter from the man rapidly rising up the UFC ranks. Later in the day, though, we would come to find out it would have a little deeper meaning. 

Nurmagomedov won't be getting the "Notorious" one -- who hasn't fought in the Octagon since his lightweight title win over Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205 in November 2016, and hasn't participated in a combat sports outing since his showcase boxing bout with Floyd Mayweather last summer -- but he will still get a marquee opponent in the main event. It's probably still a bit disappointing for Nurmagomedov, though, as the two top fighters have exchanged jabs through social media over the past few months in the build up to UFC 223.

Featherweight champion Max Holloway will take on Nurmagomedov in Ferguson's place as he aims to add a second title to his own collection -- and hopefully a rematch with McGregor down the road when he does decide to return.