UFC 249 Has More Questions Than Answers
By Yasir Ali
New York, NY (April 1st, 2020)– Currently scheduled for April 18, UFC 249 is still a go according to UFC president Dana White.
The event was originally going to take place in Brooklyn at the Barclays Center with a lightweight title fight between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson headlining. But the COVID-19 pandemic forced White to adjust his plans, in more ways than one.
Like Fight Night 170, the UFC has long planned to hold the event without fans, in accordance with both CDC recommendations regarding large gatherings and, now, laws against large gatherings in New York.
That left White scrambling to find a new location. As of March 25th, Florida was the favorite to be the replacement host, according to an article at SportsBettingDime.com. White has always stated that the event will stay on American soil, and Florida is one state that hasn’t yet implemented state-wide quarantines.
Then the UFC got more bad news. Nurmagomedov is stuck in his native Russia and will not be able to get to the US due to Russian travel restrictions. That announcement from the champion on Instagram left the UFC scrambling to find a new headliner. However, there is still a slight possibility Khabib Nurmagomedov will still be able to stay on the UFC 249 card, as Russia lifted the travel ban for private flights to the US earlier today.
Justin Gaethje was tipped as the early favorite to replace Khabib. But nothing has been set, and the event is now less than three weeks away. A cruel April Fool’s joke about Conor McGregor stepping in was an unwelcome development to already reeling MMA fans. However, there is still a slight possibility Khabib Nurmagomedov will still be able to stay on the UFC 249 card, as Russia lifted the travel ban for private flights to the US earlier today.
Ferguson vs Gaethje is not the fight that either the promotion or fans wanted to see, but at this point in time, with the sports world devoid of any meaningful competition, it’s one that people will still tune into. It’s also a fight that is likely to be action-packed, if it comes to fruition. Number-one contender Ferguson (25-3), winner of 12 straight, has finished five of his last six fights. Meanwhile, Gaethje (21-2) has won three straight, all by first-round (TKO).
Stay tuned for more developments on UFC 249 as they happen.
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