The next Ultimate Fighting Championship's 249th edition will take place May 9 in Florida without a live audience due to the coronavirus outbreak, UFC President Dana White announced Monday.
White told ESPN he has received approval to hold the UFC 249 match between lightweight fighters Tony Ferguson and Justin Gaethje at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida, without a live audience in attendance, and he has other fights lined up for later that month.
"They want to fight," White said. "People are hitting us up and want to fight. We're putting together three cards in a week. People who want to fight are going to get fights."
Russian lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov was set to face Ferguson in a fight originally scheduled for mid-April, but backed out over concerns about the coronavirus.
"Ferguson vs. Gaethje will be one of the most violent fights you'll ever see, I can guarantee that," White added. "They're two of the best in the world, and the winner will fight Khabib for the title. Khabib will be back in September-October."
The preliminary fights will feature a headline bout between welterweights Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone and Anthony "Showtime" Pettis, which will broadcast on ESPN channels starting at 6:30 p.m. ET, with the pay-per-view main card taking place at 10 p.m. ET.
"Sports play an important role in people's lives and can bring moments of escape in challenging times," the network said in a statement. "We look forward to bringing UFC to fans again."
"As we move step-by-step on the path toward economic recovery, we are proud to host these UFC events," Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said in a statement. "The UFC organization is a renowned entertainment brand that's presented a safe and sensible plan to use this Jacksonville location, and we are thrilled to have our city highlighted nationally on ESPN and ESPN+."
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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