The arduous search for a main event for UFC 230 at Madison Square Garden

MSG - Middleweight Square Garden?

A string of confirmed and rumoured middleweight bouts came up in quick succession, with the matchups giving almost a tournament-like feel in terms of the effect the results would have on the division.

The early confirmations included recent title challenger Yoel Romero facing off against destructive up-and-comer Paulo Costa, unbeaten striker Israel Adesanya versus Derek Brunson and Jacare Souza facing off with David Branch.

A rematch between former champions Chris Weidman and Luke Rockhold was rumoured and later officially announced, before Romero pulled out from his fight against Costa.

While initially targeted for UFC 231, the possibility of Robert Whittaker defending his title against Kelvin Gastelum at MSG a month earlier were immediately out the window due to the Australian's hand injury.

A new 165lbs division?

The big news came when the much-anticipated return of Nate Diaz was announced, with Dustin Poirier named as his opponent.

However, despite the fanfare around the comeback of Diaz and the fight of the year potential with the Diamond, it was initially announced as the co-main event.

The drama continued at the 25 year anniversey press conference where Diaz, who turned up late, got up and left as the promo for the newly-announced Khabib Nurmagomedov-Conor McGregor was played.

During the aftermath, Diaz tweeted that he would no longer be fighting at MSG, with Poirier following suit.

I’m not fighting on that show fuk the @ufc

— Nathan Diaz (@NateDiaz209) August 3, 2018

I ain't fighting on that show either F the ufc

— The Diamond (@DustinPoirier) August 3, 2018

The drama was then reignited at the end of September when Diaz and Poirier claimed to confirm the rumours of an inaugural 165lbs title fight between the two, implying that it would be the main event.

I hear UFC is searching for a main event when they have one already. It's me vs Nate. 165 pound title. A main event for the people. Stop searching, Dana. We got this. Let's go.

— The Diamond (@DustinPoirier) September 25, 2018

I’m Happy to announce that I’m bringing a new weight devision to the Ufc
I’ll be fighting the main event November 3rd in nyc against Dustin Poirier for the first ever 165lb belt superfighter devision
I’m happy to be apart of history @ufc @danawhite

— Nathan Diaz (@NateDiaz209) September 26, 2018

The unorthodox social media double hype machine of the two continued a few days later, where Diaz yet again claimed to be dropping out of the fight, only for Poirier to chime in once more.

Ufc just told me that Dustin doesn’t want to fight at 165lbs
I b bak next year ...✌🏼

— Nathan Diaz (@NateDiaz209) September 28, 2018

Hold that noise. I'm 100% down https://t.co/tucv55JMqi

— The Diamond (@DustinPoirier) September 28, 2018

Interim light heavyweight title..?!

Further news that helped fuel additional main event-related rumours emerged just days before the latest Diaz-Poirier rumblings.

In what has since been left to being a simple coincidence, it was annocunced that Jon Jones would be free from suspension from the 28th October - just five days before UFC 230.

It seemed to be too perfect and a huge coincidence. One of the few (now) available 'draws' was suddenly back in the game.

While Daniel Cormier was quickly ruled out as a potential opponent for Jones' return, calls for an interim title fight with Alexander Gustafsson heightened.

Congratulations @jonnybones I’m really glad u are back! @dc_mma is aiming for Brock.. so let’s give the fans another legendary fight for the belt 👊🏻 @ufc @danawhite @ Allstars Training… https://t.co/bVhqjxZmLG

— Alexander Gustafsson (@AlexTheMauler) September 20, 2018

However, despite the dates lining up, it was swiftly and vehemently denied by Dana White and subsequently rumoured for UFC 232 instead.

Gustafsson was reportedly keen to make the fight happen at MSG, but another rumoured opponent then surfaced for the Swede.

Despite pulling out from UFC 230 due to an eye injury, Yoel Romero emerged as a contender for the main event for an interim light heavyweight title showdown with the Mauler.

That has also effectively been quashed, with the rumours of a Jones-Gustafsson matchup at the end of the year taking apparent preference.

.... vacant women's flyweight title..?

Finally, the announcement was all but official. The main event of UFC 230 at Madison Square Garden. Would it be the return of Jon Jones? The birth of a new division? The return of a legend?

No, it would be #1 ranked women's flyweight Valentina Shevchenko against TUF alumni and #4 Sijara Eubanks.

It was not quite the level of main event many were hoping for, or indeed expecting.

Shevchenko was originally set to take on former strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk for the vacant title at 125lbs at UFC 231 in Canada, with Eubanks facing off against #9 Jessica Eye at UFC 232.

The belt was on the line at UFC 228, the event headlined by Tyron Woodley and Darren Till.

The implication was that the women's flyweight title was not enough to headline on its own, with Till being brought in at the expense of interim champion Colby Covington, who was only out for another couple of months.

So, the title has gone from seemingly being too weak to headline the card in Dallas, to headlining the prestigious Madison Square Garden card.

There is surely more to come from this bizarre series of events, with this fight not even being officially announced yet, and Diaz and Poirier continuing to be relatively puzzling on social media.