Ferguson signs; Khabib fight official for April 18

It’s official. UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson will meet in the main event of a UFC pay-per-view event on April 18.

Ferguson and his representatives from Ballengee Group met with UFC executives on Friday in Las Vegas, where he formally agreed to the 155-pound title fight. Nurmagomedov signed his contract for the bout earlier this week. The event will take place at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

UFC president Dana White told ESPN earlier this week the promotion was targeting the matchup for its April date in New York. Ferguson wanted the fight but needed Friday’s meeting before officially locking it in. Both White and Ferguson’s management confirmed the bout.

This is the fifth time the UFC has booked a meeting between Nurmagomedov (28-0) and Ferguson (25-3), dating back to 2015. Each of the previous four bookings fell apart for various reasons. Nurmagomedov pulled out in 2015 and 2017 due to injury and weight issues. Ferguson withdrew in 2016 and 2018 due to injuries.

Nurmagomedov, of Dagestan, is 12-0 in the UFC. Ferguson, a former interim titleholder, has won 12 in a row. ESPN.com ranks Nurmagomedov and Ferguson the Nos. 1 and 6 pound-for-pound fighters in the world, respectively.

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