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White: Khabib and Gaethje set for June 'Fight Island' battle

Dana White expects a UFC lightweight unification bout between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Justin Gaethje to be staged on 'Fight Island' next month.

By Peter Thompson
Khabib Nurmagomedov

Jacksonville, May 13: Dana White expects a UFC lightweight unification bout between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Justin Gaethje to be staged on 'Fight Island' next month.

Gaethje turned his attention to a showdown with undisputed champion Khabib after beating Tony Ferguson at UFC 249 last weekend to take the interim title.

Khabib was due to fight Ferguson in Brooklyn last month, but that battle could not go ahead due to the coronavirus pandemic - with the Russian stuck in Dagestan.

Gaethje grasped his chance to replace Khabib and he is now set to get his shot at the 31-year-old.

UFC boss White revealed what has been christened 'Fight Island' - a secretive location off the coast of the United States - remains under construction, but should be ready for the pair to lock horns by the end of June.

He told ESPN 1000 Chicago: "I don't know if it will be the first one [bout], but it will be on Fight Island, unless miraculously the world comes back together faster than I think it's gonna."

White added: "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."

Conor McGregor called out Gaethje with a social media rant on Monday (May 11), but White said the Irishman will have to wait.

He added: "Any time Conor McGregor is fighting, it's exciting, but yeah, I'm very excited for Gaethje versus Khabib.

"I think stylistically it's a great matchup. I'm looking forward to it."

Story first published: Wednesday, May 13, 2020, 7:28 [IST]
Other articles published on May 13, 2020