Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
“Listen, if you’re a fan, a media member, whatever you might be, do you want to bet against me? You want to bet that I can’t pull stuff off?
Dana White isn’t giving up on UFC 249 without a fight — no pun intended.
Although most major sports leagues have closed doors in an effort to stop the spread of coronavirus, Ultimate Fighting Championship will still be open for business.
The UFC has had to indefinitely postpone their next three events, but White is adamant that UFC 249, which features the highly anticipated lightweight title bout between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson, will still go ahead as planned on April 18.
“Khabib and Tony is going to happen,” White told TSN in Canada, per MMA Fighting. “We’re going to figure that out. We’re going to make it happen and then it’s just going to be a matter of how quickly we can get back to being normal.”
“Listen, again, 10 days ago I’d have told you things for sure. I don’t know. I’m sort of rolling with the punches here and have been since the beginning. I can’t honestly answer that question for you.”
Not one to be proved wrong in times of uncertainty, White has challenged skeptical fans and reporters to a friendly bet.
“We’re looking at a lot of different things,” White said. “Listen, if you’re a fan, a media member, whatever you might be, do you want to bet against me? You want to bet that I can’t pull stuff off?
“At some point you stop doubting me I’d imagine but maybe not. We’ll see.”
One thing is for sure, UFC 249 will no longer take pace at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center as originally planned, but Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov — father of Khabib Nurmagomedov — is confident the UFC will be able relocate to Dubai in time for April.
“Most likely it will be Dubai. Firstly, it’s easier to fight diseases because of the heat. And I think the Emirates will pay for the UFC fight faster and easier.
“Abu Dhabi may well be, but then, [that’s up to] Dana White. I can’t approve, but there are more chances there.”