Justin Gaethje has officially replaced Khabib Nurmagomedov in the UFC 249 main event and will face Tony Ferguson for the interim lightweight title.
Ferguson was supposed to face the undefeated Russian, with Khabib's lightweight title on the line, on April 18th but the current Covid-19 pandemic has put an end to the fight.
With just 12 days left until the event White has confirmed that Gaethje will, as expected, replace the Eagle, and face Ferguson for the interim version of the lightweight belt.
The event was originally supposed to take place in New York, in Brooklyn's Barclays Center, but laws in the state mean that it can't take place there.
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UFC were hoping that their headquarters in Las Vegas might have been able to hold it behind closed doors but again Nevada state stopped that happening.
That has left the event in limbo and White has yet to announce where it will even take place, and a lack of a venue is partially to blame for Khabib not taking part.
There were rumours that the event could happen in the United Arab Emirates so the Eagle travelled to the Middle East. When the country started the shut their borders he travelled home to Russia, only for Europe and the US to also close their borders.
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Though it's a shame we once again aren't getting Ferguson vs Khabib the replacement fight should be an exciting one, with both men known for their aggression and hard hitting styles.
Gaethje is also extremely excited for it, based on his reaction to the announcement on Twitter:
Gaethje was expected to take on Conor McGregor in the future but he could now be on his way to fighting for the undisputed title against Khabib, if he beats El Cucuy.
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Who wins at UFC 249? Let us know in the comments.
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