It appears MMA fans will have to wait even longer to see UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov square off with Tony Ferguson.
The UFC 249 main event is now in limbo, as Nurmagomedov is finishing up his training camp in Russia and may not be able to leave the country due to travel restrictions amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Nurmagomedov-Ferguson is one of the most anticipated bouts in UFC history, as it's been called off four times previously. On Monday, the MMA world reacted to the likely cancellation of the lightweight title fight.
Scale of 1-10 how depressing is this? https://t.co/VzIw5esaPF
— Ben Exotic (@Benaskren) March 30, 2020
Had to check the date and see if it was April 1st, but it’s definitely not. Can’t believe that this will be the 5th time that this fight fell though. Not sure if we should try and make it happen a 6th time, or just accept that this fight is truly cursed 😔😔 https://t.co/Q0659GkfyY
— Chase Hooper (@chase_hooper) March 30, 2020
I'll fight pic.twitter.com/DKpqclZZMr
— The Diamond (@DustinPoirier) March 30, 2020
I want to see this fight SO BADLY. But I want to see it with the crowd going nuts, the lights, the whole production. Some of that production is what makes these fights so incredible! I’m willing to wait for Khabib vs Tony until they can really do it right 🤷🏻♀️ https://t.co/m4vic5nj76
— Lauren Murphy (@LaurenMurphyMMA) March 30, 2020
Just call the event off. We want Tony x Khabib. Let it happen in a few months time. https://t.co/eoudg5EqAJ
— Jim Edwards (@MMA_Jim) March 30, 2020
I have an idea... Hear me out on this one...
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) March 30, 2020
Re-book Khabib vs Ferguson after Ramadan when there's the possibility that some semblance of societal normalcy is restored.
We've waited four years, we can wait another five months. https://t.co/A2svmqT6hH
America will be a complete shit show by mid-april, we will be feeling the full horror of the pandemic. Everybody will be heartbroken, extremely stressed, and still quarantined... I LOVE MMA but I just don't think paying $70 for a short notice interim title fight is what we need
— E. Casey Leydon (@ekc) March 30, 2020
Can someone smarter than me ( @arielhelwani ) explain why @TeamKhabib didn’t get out of Russia and go where @danawhite expected the card to take place before it was too late? The travel ban in Russia was announced a few days before it went into action.
— Devin Powell (@DevinPowellMMA) March 30, 2020
How can it even be suggested Khabib or Tony fight anyone else? This isn’t a normal fight. It’s a once in a lifetime match up to determine the lightweight GOAT. If you can’t get Tony to Russia, you delay the damn fight.
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) March 30, 2020
I have actually come around to this viewpoint. The MMA gods tried to warn us. Little stuff at first. Then major stuff. Booking this fight again is how you finally set off a damn supervolcano that blankets the earth with ash. https://t.co/K9DDhWSXb6
— Ben Fowlkes (@benfowlkesMMA) March 30, 2020
