Dana White confirms Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson is still a go, event will be closed to fans

UFC president Dana White confirmed Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson for the lightweight title is still a go and the event will be closed off to fans.

Despite White trying his best to keep UFC events from being scrapped, the UFC was forced to suspend its operations due to the coronavirus outbreak, which led to UFC London, UFC Columbus, and UFC Portland being postponed. UFC 249 will not be allowed to take place in Brooklyn, New York, but White has remained adamant that the card, featuring the main event for the lightweight belt between Nurmagomedov and Ferguson, will still go on.

Speaking to Kevin Iole on Instagram Live, White confirmed that Nurmagomedov vs. Ferguson is still a go. According to White, the location of the bout has been selected and the event will be closed off to fans, but White did not let it be known just yet where that location is.

Dana White tells Kevin Iole that Khabib/Ferguson is still happening on April 18. pic.twitter.com/nDC3GNcwbn

— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman) March 23, 2020

“Khabib vs. Tony is on. April 18, it’s happening. I do (know where the fight will take place) but I’m not ready to tell you yet. I know lots of things. There’s not going to be any fans there. It’s going to be a closed event,” White said.

Despite most major sports leagues including the NBA and the NHL fully suspending their operations during the coronavirus outbreak, White has remained steadfast that the show will go on with the UFC despite the rest of the world shutting down its doors. In particular, White has remained adamant that Nurmagomdov vs. Ferguson, of any fight the promotion had booked for the next months, will still go on.

Nurmagomedov and Ferguson have been booked to fight three times in the past but the fight has always fallen through. The UFC does not want the fourth time this fight has been booked to not be the charm, and White is doing everything in his power to make it happen.

Where do you think Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson will take place as Dana White says?