A lightweight unification bout between undisputed champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and interim title holder Justin Gaethje is expected to take place on “Fight Island” this summer, UFC president Dana White said Tuesday.
“I don’t know if it will be the first one, but it will be on Fight Island, unless miraculously the world comes back together faster than I think it’s gonna,” White said on ESPN 1000 Chicago.
Fight Island was the undisclosed location that White referenced last month when he previously said UFC had “secured an island” on which to hold fights during the coronavirus pandemic. Per White, the infrastructure on the island is currently being built and should be set in time for events next month.
“Hopefully it will be done by mid-June, and I could put on a fight that weekend that it’s done or end of June,” White said.
Gaethje (22-2) recorded a fifth-round technical knockout of Tony Ferguson on Saturday at UFC 249 at VyStar Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Jacksonville, Fla.
Ferguson originally was due to oppose Nurmagomedov (28-0) in that fight, but the latter was unable to leave his native Russia to travel to Florida for the event due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.
–Field Level Media (@FieldLevelMedia)
