JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – After unfortunate news regarding the health of Khabib Nurmagomedov’s father, it looks like July is no longer an option for the UFC lightweight champion’s next fight.
Speaking to reporters, including MMA Junkie, post-fight at UFC on ESPN+ 29, UFC president Dana White said contracts were about to be issued for a title unification bout between champion Nurmagomedov and newly crowned interim champ Justin Gaethje for July, but the promotion is now targeting a September date.
“We were gonna send out bout agreements yesterday,” White said. “There were a couple of weird things that happened yesterday, so we didn’t end up getting it done apparently, but we’re talking about doing Gaethje vs. Khabib in September.”
“Because I talked to Khabib yesterday, and he said September. I’m ready to go in September.”
Reports emerged Wednesday that Nurmagomedov’s father and coach, Abdulmanap, was placed in a medically induced coma in Moscow after complications from pneumonia.
Nurmagomedov last competed last September when he submitted Dustin Poirier in the third round at UFC 242. He was scheduled to face Tony Ferguson on April 18, the originally scheduled date for UFC 249, before travel ban restrictions in Russia due to the coronavirus pandemic forced him out of the bout.
Gaethje stepped in and stopped Ferguson in the fifth round last Saturday at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena.
