When the UFC’s original backup plan for UFC 249 fell through and the executives at ESPN’s parent company of Disney put pressure on UFC President Dana White to cancel the April 18 event, the reactions covered the entire spectrum of emotion.
What might be simultaneously the wildest and least surprising reaction to the cancellation came from headliner Tony Ferguson, who made weight for the canceled event when he hit the championship mark of 155 pounds on the nose. Ferguson proved yet again that he is a rare breed.
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Now that Ferguson’s interim title fight with Justin Gaethje is back on, fans are even more excited to see these two men throwdown. As hard as it is to swallow that the most anticipated fight in recent memory will evade fans once again, there is no doubt that this replacement showdown will be full of fireworks from start to finish. Ferguson could win the interim belt for an unprecedented second time if he comes away with a victory. Gaethje, meanwhile, is looking to add a UFC crown to his mantel, which already holds a World Series of Fighting title. The best way to categorize both of these men is to simply say to expect the unexpected.
The co-headlining slot features a showdown for the bantamweight title. Current champ Henry Cejudo takes on former two-time titleholder Dominick Cruz. Cruz has been out of action since December 2016, when he fell short in a title defense against Cody Garbrandt. The injury bug has bitten Cruz a couple times since that loss. He has had bouts against Jimmie Rivera and John Lineker nixed. Cruz was forced out of the Rivera bout with a broken arm and the Lineker fight with an injured shoulder. This will be the first time Cejudo tries to defend his 135-pound strap after winning it nearly a year ago with a third-round TKO of Marlon Moraes. Cejudo was on the shelf with a bad shoulder, which is part of the reason why he relinquished the flyweight title.
With the cancellation of other recent UFC events, several fighters had already endured weeks-long training camps and were ready and more than willing to be included on this uniquely organized night of fights. In what is almost a “best of” compilation of fights that were supposed to take place over the last two months, the card is chock-full of fan-friendly fights. A pair of ranked featherweights will throw down when veteran knockout artist Jeremy Stephens squares off against the crisp boxing stylings of Calvin Kattar. Additionally, this event features a fight between perhaps the two scariest heavyweights currently on the UFC roster, as Francis “The Predator” Ngannou will stand across from Jairzinho “Bigi Boy” Rozenstruik in a fight that has the potential to end the moment these two are within an arm’s reach of each other.
Jacksonville, Fla., plays host to UFC 249 on May 9, as well as two subsequent cards in the week following the event. With Florida’s State Commission and their Department of Business and Professional Regulation opening the state to certain combat-sports events while adding a number of safety precautions, the Vystar Veterans Memorial Coliseum will serve as the venue. The early prelims begin at 6:30 p.m. ET on UFC Fight Pass, followed by the televised portion of preliminary action at 8 p.m. ET on both ESPN and ESPN+. The night culminates with the main card on ESPN+ pay-per-view at 10 p.m. ET. Combat Press writers Andrew Sumian and Matt Petela preview the action as they go Toe-to-Toe.
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