UFC News: Khabib on UFC 249: '100 people in the arena and let's go!'

UFC is cancelling the next three-fight card because of Coronavirus pandemic but company president Dana White is still confident that Khabib Nurmagomedov vs Tony Ferguson will go ahead as intended.

UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov is also confident that he will fight on April 18. He revealed during an Instagram live session with Ali Abdelaziz that Dana White assured him that he would find a venue soon.

UFC president Dana White has said that UFC 249 was going to take place and possibly outside of the United States. The fight was originally slated to take place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

”We will see,” Khabib Nurmagomedov said about the venue on Instagram live alongside his manager. “Next couple of days, Dana’s going to send us the location.”

”We need maximum 100 people inside the arena,” he said. “Close the arena, 100 healthy people come inside and make the show. Put the camera on pay-per-view, and everybody can fight. People who are quarantined and (are sitting) home, they’ll have fun and watch fights.

”I think we just need 100 people to make this fight. Put the camera on and show who’s the best lightweight of all time. This is a very important fight, and this is why I like the UFC’s politics. They always try to make the best versus the best.”

Khabib Nurmagomedov says fight with Tony Ferguson important for the lightweight division

Lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov said that this was an important fight for him and the lightweight division.

”This is a very important fight because the lightweight division has to move,” he said. “Right now, you have a couple of guys who have (six, seven-fight) win streaks. A lot of contenders are coming. I don’t want to hold the lightweight division. We have to fight Tony Ferguson and know who’s the next contender. This is very important, not just for me, (but) the UFC lightweight division. That’s why I really want to fight with him.” (H/T – MMA Fighting)