Conor McGregor will likely have to wait until next year for a shot at the UFC lightweight title.
The Irishman had hoped to fight the winner of champion Khabib Nurmagomedov's defence against Tony Ferguson which was due to take place on April 18.
But the Russian was forced to pull out of the bout due to the coronavirus crisis with Justin Gaethje stepping in to take on Ferguson for the interim 155lb belt in a location yet to be revealed.
The winner is likely to take on Nurmagomedov in September, leaving McGregor's hopes of avenging his 2018 defeat by the champion in limbo.
The Dubliner was last in action in January when he stopped Donald Cerrone in just 40 seconds and had held talks over a summer clash with Gaethje, but that fight is now redundant.
"Everyone felt that if Conor was going to get a shot at Khabib that Gaethje should get it before Conor," UFC president Dana White told ESPN.
"It couldn't have worked out any better, it's the fight that makes sense between two of the best guys in the world.
"Khabib is out so the winner will get a shot at him.
"Conor really wants that rematch with Khabib but Khabib and either Tony or Gaethje won't fight until September.
"Nobody saw this coming, it's something you couldn't have predicted but we'll get it figured out."
The UFC also plans to host fight cards on a private island as well at their as-yet-unnamed venue in America.
"I locked this venue [in America] up for two months," White added. "I have this venue for two months, and I'm setting up shop here. We're going to be pumping out fights every week.
"I'm also a day or two away from securing a private island... we're getting the infrastructure put in now, so I'm going to start doing the international fights, too.
"I won't be able to get all of the international fighters into the U.S. so I'm going to start flying them off into the island and do international fights there.
"As of April 18, the UFC is back up and running."
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