Fighters campaign to step in on three days notice to save UFC Dublin’s main event

Oh MMA Gods, what have we done to anger you.

Joe Duffy has been pulled from the main event of UFC Dublin after being diagnosed with a concussion. The UFC frantically searched for a late replacement so as not to further jeopardise the card that had already been heavily hit by the withdrawal of Stipe Miocic and subsequent scrapping of his co-main event with Ben Rothwell earlier this month. Norman Parke, who faces Reza Madadi at UFC Dublin, offered to take the five round fight with Dustin Poirier but claims that The Diamond refused. https://twitter.com/norman_parke/status/656950539004047361 https://twitter.com/DustinPoirier/status/656955258296541185 British lightweight Ross Pearson offered to take the fight at 170 lbs but that fell on deaf ears. https://twitter.com/RossTheRealDeal/status/656951187632164864 Conor McGregor's training partner and current TUF 22 contestant Artem Lobov also campaigned to UFC president Dana White to award him the fight. https://twitter.com/RusHammerMMA/status/656950063785254912 Company man Benson Henderson also offered to step in and save the card. https://twitter.com/BensonHenderson/status/656997077235339264 The Irish Dragon Paul Felder was another fighter who actively campaigned to fill in for Duffy. https://twitter.com/felderpaul/status/656959226074562560 But the fight was officially scrapped and Paddy Holohan steps into the main event for the first time in his UFC career.