While it feels like tempting the fight gods to even acknowledge it, Tony Ferguson and lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov are finally set to step into the Octagon to face off in the main event of UFC 249. This is the fifth attempt to get the men in the cage together, with the four previous attempts falling apart after an injury, a lung issue, a bad weight cut and another injury sustained while walking on a set for a media obligation. On April 18 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, the two are scheduled to throw down after a four year odyssey.
Ferguson (25-3) is riding a 12-fight winning streak dating back to 2013. Nurmagomedov (28-0) has never lost in his professional career and has barely been pushed during his dominant run in the UFC. Championship fights are rarely as intriguing or as necessary as this bout.
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Also on the card, former strawweight champions Jessica Andrade and Rose Namajunas rematch after their stunning fight at UFC 237. Namajunas lost the title after Andrade scored one of the most violent slam knockouts in UFC history. The winner could be in line for a shot at champion Weili Zhang, who is coming off a Fight of the Year candidate win over Joanna Jędrzejczyk.
The action all goes down The card as it currently stands is as follows:
UFC 249 fight card
- Khabib Nurmagomedov (c) vs. Tony Ferguson — Lightweight championship
- Jessica Andrade vs. Rose Namajunas — women’s strawweights
- Calvin Kattar vs. Jeremy Stephens — featherweights
- Islam Makhachev vs. Alex Hernandez — lightweights
- Makhmud Muradov vs. Karl Roberson — middleweights
- Shamil Adburakhimov vs. TBA — heavyweights
- Uriah Hall vs. Ronaldo Souza — middleweights
- Lyman Good vs. Belal Muhammad — welterweights
- Ben Rothwell vs. Gian Villante — light heavyweights
- Ottman Azaitar vs. Khama Worthy — lightweights
- Sijara Eubanks vs. Sarah Moras — women’s bantamweights
