Whether or not UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov could have made it out of Russia in time for UFC 249 just became a moot point. UFC president Dana White has made the news official, that the fight card will go ahead without the Dagestani title holder. Instead, an interim lightweight title fight will headline the upcoming PPV offering.
Top-ranked Justin Gaethje (21-2) will step in for Nurmagomedov to take on the man who was supposed to challenge for the ‘Eagle’’s belt—‘El Cucuy’ Tony Ferguson (25-3). Ferguson and Gaethje will fight for an interim lightweight title at UFC 249, in a location yet to be announced.