Khabib Nurmagomedov returns to Russia to complete UFC 249 training amid coronavirus pandemic

Khabib Nurmagomedov is back home less than a month ahead of UFC 249.

Lightweight champion Nurmagomedov (28-0 MMA, 12-0 UFC) is scheduled to face Tony Ferguson (25-3 MMA, 15-1 UFC) on April 18, but once again they are encountering plenty of hurdles.

The matchup already has been canceled four times dating back to 2015, and while it looks like it may be in jeopardy once again, UFC president Dana White has offered assurances that the fight will happen, just likely not in the U.S.

The global coronavirus pandemic has forced the majority of MMA gyms across the world to close, including American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, Calif., where Nurmagomedov usually spends the latter parts of his training camps.

In a recent interview with UFC Unfiltered, Nurmagomedov training partner and former UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier said after the government’s ban on large public gatherings, the gym remained open for Nurmagomedov and a few training partners for two hours a day.

But now, Nurmagomedov has returned to Russia to close out his training camp, Russian outlet TASS reports.

And with Nurmagomedov’s coach Javier Mendez mentioning Abu Dhabi as a possible landing spot for UFC 249, Nurmagomedov certainly would be geographically closer to his potential fight location if that came to fruition. The same would not be true for the California-based Ferguson.

A new location for the event has yet to be determined.