UFC 254 is set to take place this Saturday, Oct. 24, from “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi, and the card stands out for two distinct reasons.
There is a must-see fight in the lightweight championship unification bout, as Khabib Nurmagomedov seeks to extend his undefeated streak with a successful title defense against interim champ Justin Gaethje. Nurmagomedov has yet to taste defeat in his 28 professional fights, and the meeting with Gaethje has even more meaning since it is the first fight since the passing of Nurmagomedov’s father and coach, the legendary Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov.
In addition to an intriguing middleweight matchup pitting Robert Whittaker against Jared Cannonier, the UFC 254 card is a prime example of the evolving UFC business model during the pandemic.