For weeks now, the coronavirus has played havoc with the UFC’s schedule, forcing the organization to indefinitely postpone three events and putting one of the biggest events of the year, UFC 249, in jeopardy. On Wednesday, Nurmagomedov himself put the final nail in the coffin for that proposed dream fight by releasing a statement, presumptively pulling out of the fight.
Dana White is seemingly still intent on moving forward with UFC 249, but even if he is able to pull it off, it may only be a brief reprieve for the UFC President, as some marque fighters are starting to follow suit with Nurmagomedov and rethink fighting amidst a global pandemic.