Al Iaquinta needs knee surgery. | Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com
Al Iaquinta will likely be sidelined until mid-2016 as he recovers from knee surgery.
The Serra-Longo Fight Team product will have cartilage from a cadaver inserted into the back of his kneecap, UFC Tonight reported on Wednesday. As a result, Iaquinta will be out of action a minimum of six to eight months.
That procedure nixes a potential showdown with Khabib Nurmagomedov. The American Kickboxing Academy product reportedly wanted to face Iaquinta at UFC 196 in Las Vegas on Feb. 6, but “The Ultimate Fighter 15” finalist will not be ready to fight by then.