He’s back! News broke Sunday night that Al Iaquinta will make his return to the octagon. The number 11 ranked lightweight will return to take on Paul Felder at UFC 223. The event will take place April 7th from the Barclay’s Center. The fight was originally scheduled to take place at UFC 218 but Iaquinta was forced to withdraw from the match up.
Perhaps it was for the better, as a now healthy Iaquinta will fight right in his back yard in Brooklyn, NY. The fight will be Iaquinta’s first in his home state. A contract dispute kept him off the first Madison Square Garden card last November. Both fighters have verbally agreed to the fight, with no official word from the UFC as of yet.
The highly anticipated match up has been on fight fans radar for some time now. Iaquinta comes into the fight riding a five fight win streak, including four knock outs. Raging Al stopped veteran Diego Sanchez back last April. Felder has a three fight win streak of his own, all by way of knock out. He last beat Charles Oliveira who was filling in for Iaquinta at UFC 218.
Felder, who has also thrown his hat in the announcing booth hasn’t been shy when commenting on Iaquinta. Felder went as far as questioning Iaquinta’s ranking and if his head was still in the fight game, or a career in real estate. Iaquinta, never shy himself made Felder aware he heard those comments loud and clear. If there’s one thing that doesn’t need questioning it’s where Iaquinta’s head is. With the contest now locked in it will be all business for Raging Al. Gear up to see a war between both of these heavy handed lightweights, and Iaquinta is always ready for war.
-Matt Pellicane
Iaquinta Nation 