Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson has been handed a major lifeline as Belarus has officially offered to host the blockbuster title fight, with UFC considering the proposal as 'plan B'.
Hopes that the UFC championship contest between Nurmagomedov and Ferguson could still happen on April 18 appeared to evaporate when the Russian fighter confirmed he was stuck at home.
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However, the eagerly-awaited bout has been resurrected as Belarus authorities have tabled an offer to stage the fight.
Belarus' main football league has continued amid the coronavirus outbreak and President Alexander Lukashenko is now hoping to land Nurmagomedov vs. Ferguson.
The executive director of the Belarus Federation of Hand to Hand Fighting & MMA, Maxim Korolkov, has spoken to the UFC about hosting UFC 249 and says they're being considered as 'plan B'.
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"We offered specific arenas which could host the UFC," Korolkov said via RT Sport.
"One of them is the Minsk Arena which can hold 15,000 people. We received an oral reply [from the UFC].
"Firstly, we were thanked for the offer. Secondly, our proposal was included as a conditional 'plan B'.
"They already have venues for this tournament. Dana White does not want to report this, but they have well-developed options.
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"In any case, they are grateful and ready to consider our option with Minsk for future UFC tournaments."
The Belarussian MMA chief has also suggested that fans could even be in attendance just like their football matches.
UFC 249 was originally scheduled for Brooklyn, but the New York governor banned sporting events in the state, prompting the promotion to move the event elsewhere.
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Dana White is hellbent on running the show despite the global pandemic.
Will UFC 249 take place in Belarus? Stay tuned to SPORTbible for all the latest updates.
Featured Image Credit:Topics: Khabib Nurmagomedov, UFC News, Tony Ferguson, Fight News, UFC, MMA, UFC 249, Dana White
