UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov has spoken out on his UFC 249 status.
Nurmagomedov is scheduled to put his lightweight gold on the line against Tony Ferguson on April 18. It looks like those plans have been derailed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Nurmagomedov is in Russia, where a travel ban is in effect.
Khabib Speaks Out On UFC 249 Status
If Nurmagomedov can’t get out of Russia to fight later this month, he won’t be taking the blame. Here’s what “The Eagle” had to say in a statement posted on his Instagram account.
“Staying home in quarantine and reading the reaction of people to the situation around my fight, it turns out that the whole world should be in quarantine, governments of all countries, famous people around the world urge people to follow all safety requirements in order to limit the spread of the disease, to save people, and Khabib is the only one relieved of all obligations and must demonstrate free will and train flying around the world, for the sake of fight?
I understand everything and I’m definitely upset more than you to cancel the fight, probably like all others, I had many plans after the fight, but I can’t control it all. The greatest countries and the largest companies of our time are shocked by what is happening, every day the situation changes unpredictably. But Khabib still has to fight, is that what you saying?
Take care of yourself and put yourself in my shoes.”
UFC 249 was originally set to be held inside the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. An executive order limiting the gatherings of events put a halt to that plan. The UFC quickly realized they couldn’t hold the card in their Apex facility in Las Vegas due to the NSAC suspending all sporting events.
UFC president Dana White has claimed that he has four or five potential new locations for UFC 249. If Florida was one of those spots as reported by MMAFighting’s Steven Marrocco, then you can rule that one out. The state is under a stay-at-home order as of April 1.
