UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov will fight in 2020 after all. UFC president Dana White announced on Tuesday that Nurmagomedov is set to face challenger Justin Gaethje in the fall.
White told CNN that the fight will take place on October 24th, although the venue is still to be determined.
“It’s going to happen, tell you right here right now. That fight is going to happen,” said White.
There were rumors that Nurmagomedov might retire from MMA after his father and trainer Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov died earlier this year. The 31-year-old Dagestan native hadn’t fought since September when he submitted Dustin Poirier in the third round and defeated his lightweight belt for the second time.
Khabib Nurmagomedov (28-0) as previously set to fight Tony Ferguson, who was first in line to have a shot at UFC lightweight championship. However, the fight was postponed and then called off due to coronavirus pandemic.
Ferguson ended up fighting Justin Gaethje in May, with Gaethje winning the fight by TKO in the fifth round.
Gaethje is currently 22-2 in his career and has won 19 of his fights by knockout.
