Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) president, Dana White, was adamant that UFC 249 would go down on April 18, despite COVID-19 forcing the promotion to close down for a few weeks. And now it seems he has found a location.
According to the outspoken head honcho, while he couldn’t reveal where exactly the lightweight title fight between division champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov, and Tony Ferguson would go down, he has a place locked up. And it will be behind closed doors.
White teased a looming announcement during a Instagram live chat with Kevin Iole via (MMA Junkie).
“I do (know where it is),” White said. “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 has caught some criticism from the “wimpy media” for insisting on keeping the show going despite pretty much the entire world being on a lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak that it still going strong.
Interestingly enough, Khabib recently packed up and took his training camp back home to Russia, which could lead many to believe that is where the title fight will take place. Or somewhere nearby.
Furthermore, White remains firm in his stance that none of his employees or fighters are doing anything to make this event happen under any obligation, and are doing so on their own accord.
“Everybody who is going to be involved in this thing is going to be because they want to be, not because they have to be or they have to do anything,” White said. “Believe me: We didn’t just start thinking about safety when the coronavirus popped up. Health and safety, these are things that normal businesses that are out there right now don’t necessarily have to think about on a daily basis.
“Healthy and safety is something we’ve been doing long before the coronavirus and we’ll be doing it long after the coronavirus is gone. This is just normal (expletive) for us.”
That being said, until White reveals the location and the state or country actually approves it, we will still be left on the edge of our seats.
Fingers crossed?