Khabib Nurmagomedov has flown back to Russia from America despite UFC president Dana White insisting his clash with Tony Ferguson is still going ahead on April 18.
The Russian had been training for his lightweight title defence alone at the American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, California, amid the coronavirus outbreak.
While the pandemic has forced countless sporting events across the world to be cancelled or postponed, White remains adamant that Nurmagomedov and Ferguson will still lock horns as planned on April 18 - albeit in a behind-closed-doors event.
Yet Rizvan Magomedov, the champion’s manager, claims his fighter has now returned to his native Russia because of the virus.