The TakedownKhabib vs Tony Ferguson truly is the fight that’s cursed as coronavirus threatens UFC 249
- UFC president Dana White hints highly anticipated match-up could be in danger – for a fifth time
- UFC’s March events in Brasilia and Ohio under threat of cancellation as governors announce bans on large gatherings
ESPN reporter Marc Raimondi was booed by the crowd at the UFC 249 presser in Las Vegas last weekend when he asked if the coronavirus could put Khabib Nurmagomedov vs Tony Ferguson in jeopardy.
The fight between the UFC lightweight champion and the former interim champion has been scuppered four times already, and nobody wanted to hear that. “It’s a legitimate question,” Raimondi repeated, slightly tongue in cheek, as UFC president Dana White smiled.
“When it comes to safety of the athletes and the fans and everything else, no matter where we go or what we do, we’re always concerned,” White said. “We’ve been thinking about this for weeks. [UFC] Dr [Jeffrey] Davidson has been involved. I don’t know what else to say other than that.”
“We’re not cancelling the event,” White added, however. But now, just a few days later, he gave an indication the situation may have changed.
“What if Covid-19 cancels Tony vs Khabib?” was the punchline twist on a popular meme posted by the UFC president on his Instagram story on Wednesday night.