'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
It is still not confirmed where UFC 249 will take place, but the manager of one of the headliners says it will not be in Saudi Arabia.
In the aftermath of the outbreak, UFC was forced to postpone three of their events till April 11. Fans were anxious that the restrictions will impact the highly anticipated fight between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson to be held on April 18 as well.
The MMA world has since been taking guesses about what the new venue will be.
Ali Abdelaziz replies to Israel Adesanya
Nurmagomedov is slated to fight Tony Ferguson at UFC 249 for the defense of his Lightweight belt, which was originally to take place at Barclays Center, Brooklyn. But the crackdown of gathering bans following the Covid-19 pandemic forced the whole event not only out of New York but probably of the entire United States.
UFC president Dana White has been adamant that the fight will most certainly happen. In fact, he has recently stated that he has four to five locations in mind for the event. But he is not going public about any details, which has led to even more speculation.
Middleweight Champ Israel Adesanya took a guess on Twitter, saying UFC 249 will be in Saudi Arabia. It has been a common guess of many in the last couple of weeks.
But Khabib Nurmagomedov's manager Ali Abdelaziz straightaway rejected the possibility, saying Adesanya was wrong.
Abdelaziz did not provide an alternative location for the fight either.
Among other leading options is Khabib's home country, Russia, where 'The Eagle' returned to a few days ago to continue his training. But with the Russian government imposing travel bans and closing borders to foreign individuals, that too seems unlikely at present.
With only three weeks remaining before the scheduled date of the fight, everyone is eagerly waiting for UFC to drop an announcement on the event any day now.
