On Twitter UFC president Dana White has announced Tony Ferguson against Just Gaethje for the interim lightweight title.
The bout will take place on April 18 at a location still to be announced. Gaethje replaces lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov who due to travel restrictions is stuck in his native Dagestan.
There was a point in March where Nurmagomedov was training at the American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, California. When the original location for UFC 249 of Brooklyn, New York was scrapped, Nurmagomedov went back home on the strength of conversations he had with the UFC that the event would be taking place outside of the United States.
The most recent rumor now has UFC 249 taking place on tribal land somewhere in the western part of the United States. Just days ago rumors had UFC 249 taking place in Florida, which held an mma event on March 21st.
Ferguson (25-3) is on an incredible 12-fight win steak. The fighter nicknamed “El Cucuy” has already won and interim title submitting Kevin Lee at UFC 216. Ferguson has followed up his title winning performance with TKO wins over former champion Anthony Pettit and fan favorite “Cowboy” Cerrone.
Gaethje (21-2) the former WSOF lightweight champion who defended his belt six times before vacating the title when he signed with the UFC. Inside the octagon “the highlight” has been apart of six epic encounters. The Trevor Wittman protégée has won three straight by first round knockout.
We’ve now officially seen Nurmagomedov vs. Ferguson be booked and fail to happen five times.
