UFC Matchmakers Engineered Vagaev-Izagakhmaev Bout as Payback Over Fighter Signings

UFC matchmakers orchestrated the Vagaev vs. Izagakhmaev pairing as retaliation after Hamzat Chimaev and Khabib Nurmagomedov bypassed them to sign their respective fighters directly through organizational bosses. Matchmakers first attempted to pit Vagaev against Gasanov, and after both accepted, removed Gasanov from the card on the grounds he could not complete doping testing in time. Vagaev was then told no opponent existed at his weight class unless he moved to 170 lbs and accepted Izagakhmaev — a move that also saddled Izagakhmaev, another fighter the matchmakers are reportedly unhappy with, with a difficult bout.