UFC confirms Khabib vs. Ferguson fight not to take place in New York

The much-anticipated UFC 249 lightweight title fight between Lightweight Champion of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Russian Khabib Nurmagomedov and American Tony Ferguson will not take place in New York due to the novel coronavirus outbreak, the UFC announced.

"Out of an abundance of caution and in line with recent guidance issued by the Center for Disease Control and New York State, the New York State Athletic Commission informed the UFC that UFC 249 cannot be held in NY,"  the statement reads.

In the statement released, the UFC says the event will go on but in a different city and venue to be announced. The event is scheduled to take place on April 18. The fight between the UFC lightweight champion and the former interim champion has been scuppered four times already.