Khabib Nurmagomedov defended his UFC lightweight title against Dustin Poirier at UFC 242 in Abu Dhabi. Getty
Khabib Nurmagomedov defended his UFC lightweight title against Dustin Poirier at UFC 242 in Abu Dhabi. Getty
Khabib Nurmagomedov defended his UFC lightweight title against Dustin Poirier at UFC 242 in Abu Dhabi. Getty
Khabib Nurmagomedov defended his UFC lightweight title against Dustin Poirier at UFC 242 in Abu Dhabi. Getty

UFC 249: Khabib Nurmagomedov pulls out of Tony Ferguson clash, refusing to leave Russia in coronavirus pandemic


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Khabib Nurmagomedov has pulled out of his high-profile clash with Tony Ferguson on April 18, saying he was not prepared to travel amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Lightweight champion Nurmagomedov was due to have headlined the UFC 249 event in a bout against Tony Ferguson but said in a post on Instagram he was not willing to leave Russia. It is the fifth time the proposed fight has been postponed.

"I understand everything and I'm definitely upset more than you to cancel the fight, probably like all others, I had many plans after the fight, but I can't control it all," Nurmagomedov wrote.

UFC has already postponed three events after officials were unable to find venues to stage bouts amid restrictions put in place to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.

The UFC had still not disclosed a venue for the Khabib-Ferguson fight, but president Dana White has spoken of his determination to organise the card.

Reports have said the fights were expected to go ahead without fans.

White said in an interview last week he wanted the fight to go ahead to try and restore "some normalcy" to US sport, which has been locked down since the coronavirus pandemic erupted.

"I'm gonna try to pull off Tony vs. Khabib on April 18 and try to get some normalcy back into this country," White said.

"I have four or five locations right now. We're getting this deal done."

Nurmagomedov last fought in September, when he successfully defended his lightweight crown against Dustin Poirier in Abu Dhabi to move to 28-0 in professional mixed martial arts.

He has been slated to face Ferguson, the No. 1-ranked challenger whose record sits at 25-3-0, four times previously, but the fight never materialised for a variety of reasons.

Tearful appearance

Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday. 

Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow. 

She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.

A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.

Scoreline:

Everton 4

Richarlison 13'), Sigurdsson 28', ​​​​​​​Digne 56', Walcott 64'

Manchester United 0

Man of the match: Gylfi Sigurdsson (Everton)

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UAE v Zimbabwe A

Results
Match 1 – UAE won by 4 wickets
Match 2 – UAE won by 5 wickets
Match 3 – UAE won by 25 runs
Match 4 – UAE won by 77 runs

Fixture
Match 5, Saturday, 9.30am start, ICC Academy, Dubai

Best Foreign Language Film nominees

Capernaum (Lebanon)

Cold War (Poland)

Never Look Away (Germany)

Roma (Mexico)

Shoplifters (Japan)

Your Guide to the Home
  • Level 1 has a valet service if you choose not to park in the basement level. This level houses all the kitchenware, including covetable brand French Bull, along with a wide array of outdoor furnishings, lamps and lighting solutions, textiles like curtains, towels, cushions and bedding, and plenty of other home accessories.
  • Level 2 features curated inspiration zones and solutions for bedrooms, living rooms and dining spaces. This is also where you’d go to customise your sofas and beds, and pick and choose from more than a dozen mattress options.
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MATCH INFO

Norwich 0

Watford 2 (Deulofeu 2', Gray 52')

Red card: Christian Kabasele (WatforD)

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets