UFC 249: Fight Card & Khabib-Ferguson Cancellation
- Originally slated to feature Khabib Nurmagomedov versus Tony ferguson, the May 9 event in Jacksonville, Florida, will now showcase Tony Ferguson against justin gaethje.
- The UFC lightweight championship was to be defended for the third time by Nurmagomedov against Ferguson.The UFC had postponed the event due to COVID-19, but now UFC 249...
- The Nurmagomedov-Ferguson matchup has been canceled five times, earning a reputation as one of the most ill-fated bouts in combat sports history.
UFC 249 delivers a new main event: tony Ferguson versus Justin Gaethje, after Khabib Nurmagomedov was forced to withdraw. The fight card is officially set for Jacksonville, Florida, on May 9th—but the absence of Nurmagomedov marks the fifth cancellation of a highly anticipated bout with Ferguson. News Directory 3 brings you the latest on these changes and the implications for the UFC lightweight championship. Get the full story, from travel restrictions to the history of this cursed matchup, to understand why this fight continues to evade fans. Discover what’s next for these elite fighters and whether we’ll see a sixth attempt to stage Nurmagomedov vs. Ferguson.
UFC 249: Ferguson vs. Gaethje Set After Nurmagomedov Pulls Out
Updated May 31, 2025
UFC 249 is back on, but with a different main event. Originally slated to feature Khabib Nurmagomedov versus Tony ferguson, the May 9 event in Jacksonville, Florida, will now showcase Tony Ferguson against justin gaethje. The change comes after Nurmagomedov withdrew due to travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The UFC lightweight championship was to be defended for the third time by Nurmagomedov against Ferguson.The UFC had postponed the event due to COVID-19, but now UFC 249 is set to proceed with Gaethje stepping in.
The Nurmagomedov-Ferguson matchup has been canceled five times, earning a reputation as one of the most ill-fated bouts in combat sports history.
Previous cancellations include:
- 2015: khabib withdrew from The Ultimate Fighter 22 Finale due to a rib injury.
- 2016: Tony withdrew from UFC on Fox 19 due to a lung issue.
- 2017: Khabib was hospitalized due to weight-cutting problems, canceling UFC 209.
- 2018: Tony tore his lateral collateral ligament after tripping over a cable, leading to the cancellation of UFC 223.
Both Nurmagomedov and ferguson are considered top pound-for-pound fighters and among the greatest lightweights. Each fighter had a 12-fight winning streak in the UFC before the cancellation.
What’s next
UFC officials have not announced plans to reschedule Nurmagomedov vs. Ferguson, but fans hope to see the fight booked for a sixth time in the future.