Mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov gives a press conference in Moscow on November 26, 2018. (Photo by Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP) (Photo credit should read KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty Images)
Khabib Nurmagomedov was told that Dubai would host UFC 249
UFC Lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov highlighted that Dubai was the venue for the 249 card.
The fight was supposed to take place in New York but those plans fell apart due to the coronavirus pandemic.
New York is the epicentre of the coronavirus in the US, and Dana White confirmed that the fight would be shifted away.
However, he never said where the fight would take place but was 99% locked on a location. Khabib pulled out of the fight and is stuck in Russia due to the pandemic, and he opened up on why he left the US:
“I come to the US, train 40 days. Then when everything go crazy, they say ‘US 100% no fight’”
“Then we move to Abu Dhabi, Dubai, why? They told me 99% it will be in Dubai.”
The champion went on to say that he was not to blame for the whole fiasco
“This is not my problem, I don’t make mistake.”
The interview was being taken by Will Harris on Instagram as he caught the champion live during a session.
Harris also sided with the champion and said that things aren’t right in the US.
The Anatomy of a Fighter producer went on to say that a 1,000 people had died recently, and Khabib added that the US was the No.1 place where the coronavirus was spreading.
Khabib also shared his travel from the US and how things were closing down all of a sudden
“We left San Jose, when we landed in Dubai at 8 PM. And they say till 12 AM, they closed gate.
“We try to go in, they say it is impossible, this is impossible.
“Then I say OK, we are going to go to Dagestan and keep training.
“All gate is closed, Russian gate closed, US gate closed. Everybody home, quarantine. All government, famous people.”
That has been the statement by Khabib all throughout his decision to pull out. He has maintained that it is not right to fight in this situation, but he was open to facing Tony Ferguson again later on in the year.
Khabib added that White still hasn’t told him of the location for the fight, and claimed the UFC couldn’t finalise a venue for over a month.
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