This past weekend, undefeated UFC lightweight Khabib Nurmagomedov was set to step into the Octagon to fight Tony Ferguson in a highly anticipated interim lightweight title showdown. Unfortunately, the morning of weigh-ins, Nurmagomedov was forced to be hospitalized and subsequently forced out of the bout.

Following his withdrawal, Nurmagomedov’s manager shed some light on the situation in an interview with MMAFighting:

“Two days before the fight he had a little flu, but he took his vitamin C, and he was feeling alright,” he said. “It was something very minor, and he didn’t even need to go to a doctor. Vitamin C, rest and sleeping. When you cut weight your immune system goes down. The weight cut, I’m telling you, it was the same as every time, and every time he makes weight. The last time he fought Michael Johnson, he makes weight. But I think this time, something different. The pain was coming from his liver, but I think the dehydration for sure, and I think it was part of the process.”

During a new interview, Tony Ferguson expressed his lack of faith in the story provided by Nurmagomedov’s manager in an interview with MMAJunkie, saying:

“I knew his manager wrote it. His manager does all of his stuff. He writes from the wrong account sometimes; he writes from his account on Twitter, and it’s funny, because he’ll say something that he’s talking like Khabib, but it will be through his account, and I’m pretty sure he forgets that it’s his, and he’ll delete it.

“The apology wasn’t directed toward me. It was kind of like beating around the bush, like I’m still champ. No, you’re no (expletive) champ, dude. You’re a disgrace to the 155-pound division and your camp, and very disrespectful and selfish for not getting that (expletive) right and on time.”

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 3/10/2017.