Al Iaquinta competed in the main event of UFC On Fox 31, defeating Kevin Lee in a rematch by unanimous decision.
UFC Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, who fought Iaquinta for the title at UFC 223, would congratulate Iaquinta on the win via Twitter.
Congratulations @ALIAQUINTA
— khabib nurmagomedov (@TeamKhabib) December 16, 2018
I know how strong you are, that's why I was waiting for your fight. #truetalker
Iaquinta is expected to move up in the rankings after a win over the #4 ranked Lee, which means a second shot at Nurmagomedov may be possible in the future. However, it could be awhile before a potential rematch happens, as Nurmagomedov is still awaiting punishment for the UFC 229 post-fight brawl.
Former WSOF Lightweight Champion Justin Gaethje, who was linked to Iaquinta for a potential bout earlier this year, would also take to Twitter to issue a challenge to him:
Yeah I want that little raging bitch
— Justin Gaethje ---- (@Justin_Gaethje) December 16, 2018
Gaethje and Iaquinta were rumored to be fighting earlier this year at UFC Fight Night Lincoln, but Iaquinta would withdraw from the bout and was replaced by James Vick. Gaethje would remain on the card and score a first round knockout victory over the replacement fighter.
