Khabib won't fight at UFC 249, says he's staying in quarantine

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UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov confirmed Wednesday he will not be fighting Tony Ferguson at UFC 249 on April 18.

"Staying home in quarantine and reading the reaction of people to the situation around my fight, it turns out that the whole world should be in quarantine," Nurmagomedov wrote on Instagram.

"Governments of all countries, famous people around the world urge people to follow all safety requirements in order to limit the spread of the disease, to save people," he continued. "And Khabib is the only one relieved of all obligations and must demonstrate free will and train flying around the world, for the sake of fight?"

Nurmagomedov was slated to meet Ferguson in the pay-per-view headliner before the coronavirus pandemic uprooted the event from its planned venue in Brooklyn. UFC president Dana White insisted the fight would happen on the originally scheduled date, but it appeared unlikely Nurmagomedov would be able to attend once he returned home to Russia last week and his home country instituted travel restrictions.

The 31-year-old asked fans who wanted his fight with Ferguson to move forward to "put yourself in my shoes."

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

It's currently unclear if UFC 249 will take place on April 18. A new location has yet to be confirmed.

The promotion reportedly offered Ferguson a new opponent for the event in lightweight contender Justin Gaethje, but there's been no word regarding whether either fighter will accept the bout.