Al Iaquinta Explains Why He Would Beat Khabib Nurmagomedov In Rematch

It was a wild week for the UFC and Al Iaquinta.

It’s been documented that the main event of the UFC 223 pay-per-view event went through three officially changes.

The UFC attempted to book Khabib Nurmagomedov against Tony Ferguson and Max Holloway in the main event for the lightweight title.

However, those fighters weren’t able to make the fight due to weight cutting issues or injury. Thus, they got Iaquinta to step in on short notice to take on the undefeated champ in the headliner.

As many believed would happen, it did, Khabib ended up winning the fight along with the undisputed UFC lightweight title.

However, Iaquinta stated in a recent interview that he’s down for a rematch and believes he could win the second fight with the newly crowned champion.

“I think so,” Iaquinta told TMZ Sports when asked if he would beat Khabib in a rematch (transcript courtesy of Bloody Elbow). “(At UFC 223), I was fighting in the mindset of trying to go in there just like I (would).”

“A lot of people thought I just had a one-shot chance, and after the first two rounds I kind of went back into that mindset where I was just trying to catch him with one punch, rather than beat him.”

Also, Iaquinta stated that he believes that his overall skill set is enough to make the outcome of a second fight much different. He also thinks a full training camp would help as well.

“My wrestling’s good,” Iaquinta said. “I got in on a deep single-leg, and I almost think I should’ve tried to finish it. But I pulled out and started punching because I wanted to get that knockout shot.”

“(If) I’m in shape for five rounds, and I am able to really let it go and exert myself with the wrestling exchanges and scrambles, I think it (will be) a totally different fight.”