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Khabib Nurmagomedov Confirms He Won't Make UFC 249

Khabib Nurmagomedov Confirms He Won't Make UFC 249

The Russian is meant to be facing Tony Ferguson on April 18th but it won't be happening now that Khabib has to stay in his home country.

Ryan Sidle

Ryan Sidle

Khabib Nurmagomedov has now officially ruled out taking part in UFC 249, just days after he hinted that he wouldn't be fighting Tony Ferguson on an Instagram live.

UFC 249 is still set to go ahead despite most other sports being cancelled or postponed in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The main event was due to be Khabib's lightweight title defence against Ferguson, which was the fifth time the duo had been paired to meet in the octagon.

Earlier this week the Russian suggested on an Instagram live he wouldn't be able to leave his country and now he's confirmed the news on his own social media account.

In a post he wrote, "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."

In the past one or other of the two men have had to back out of the fight on each of the previous four occasions they were meant to fight.

It's either been because of an injury, illness or a problem with weight cutting, and it's two pull outs each, but the most recent occasion is definitely the bizarrest of their problems.

Such is the ridiculous past of the fights thats should have been one of their other previous supposed bouts was also cancelled on April 1st.

UFC president Dana White has been insistent on the UFC 249 going ahead, despite no other events taking place at the moment, even though he has neither a location or a main event now.

There has been talks that Ferguson could now face Justin Gaethje.

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