White expects Khabib-Gaethje this summer on Fight Island

UFC president Dana White thinks the lightweight title unification bout between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Justin Gaethje will take place this summer on Fight Island.

"I don't know if it will be the first (event on the island), but it will be on Fight Island, unless miraculously the world comes back together faster than I think it's gonna," White said Tuesday during an appearance on ESPN 1000 in Chicago.

Gaethje finished Tony Ferguson in the UFC 249 main event Saturday in Jacksonville to capture the interim belt and earn a shot at Nurmagomedov. It was the 31-year-old's fourth straight victory.

Nurmagomedov was scheduled to defend his title against Ferguson on April 18, but he was forced to withdraw from the bout due to travel restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic. Gaethje stepped up on short notice and the card was later postponed to this past weekend.

The Russian titleholder usually doesn't compete during the summer months because he observes Ramadan, which runs until May 23 this year. But he recently said he's willing to return to the Octagon as early as July.

Nurmagomedov last fought in September when he earned a submission win over Dustin Poirier. He's undefeated at 28-0 and is currently ranked as the No. 3 pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC.

Fight Island's infrastructure is currently under construction, according to White. He said earlier in May that he expects the venue to be ready to host events by the end of June.