Lynch's Mailbag: Will Khabib-Ferguson still take place in April?
Welcome to Lynch's Mailbag, a weekly feature by senior MMA news editor James Lynch.
Send James a DM @LynchOnSports or an email at james.lynch@thescore.com to submit questions for next week's article. The following questions have been edited for clarity and grammar.
With the coronavirus forcing the UFC to postpone its schedule, do you think Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson will still happen on April 18? - @Dendeweg
I believe this lightweight title fight will take place, I just don't see it happening April 18. Based on everything we're hearing about the coronavirus, things could get worse before they get better.
At the time of writing this, the UFC has exactly one month to secure a location for the fight. The United States government recommended against gatherings of more than 10 people so it seems nearly impossible to put on a fight card. There's been speculation about the UFC hosting an event overseas, but I'd imagine there will be further travel restrictions put in place as the virus continues to spread.
Where are the likely destinations for Nurmagomedov-Ferguson? - Peter Johannes
I've heard rumblings of hosting an event in Russia or possibly Dubai. But like I mentioned in the question above, I see this being extremely challenging with less than four weeks to make this happen and with potential travel restrictions in place. The UFC will try its best, but I think April 18 seems unlikely.
Will you ever entertain the thought of Nurmagomedov-Ferguson again if it's canceled for the fifth time? - Nate Lahey
I do believe this bout will eventually happen. It's the biggest fight the promotion has scheduled at the moment and the UFC is likely making this its biggest priority.
With scheduling currently on hold, expect this fight to take place closer to August. Nurmagomedov is Muslim and will observe Ramadan from April 23 to May 23rd, meaning he won't be able to properly train due to fasting. I know this fight seems cursed but have some faith; it will happen.
Who are the UFC's five most well-rounded fighters? - @Yusuf233Yusuf
Great question but a tough one. Jon Jones would be at the top of my list. The light heavyweight champion is dangerous wherever the fight takes place. What puts him in the top spot is his unpredictability in the Octagon. I know he hasn't put forth dominant performances in his last two fights, but we can't ignore his body of work throughout his career.
The second would be two-division women's champion Amanda Nunes. "The Lioness" has an exceptional ground game, but we've also seen an evolution in her striking, as showcased in her TKO victory over Cris Cyborg at UFC 245. Lightweight champion Nurmagomedov is on another level with his grappling and has dominated the majority of his opponents - he'll take the third spot.
The last two are tough to pick, but I'll go with women's flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko and featherweight titleholder Alexander Volkanovski.
What are your thoughts on the path that the UFC has taken so far in regards to the coronavirus? - Andrew Sztein
I absolutely understand why people are upset about the UFC not only hosting an event last weekend in Brazil but also hoping to resume action in empty arenas in the coming weeks.
It's a tricky situation. Unlike professional sports leagues where athletes are currently being paid to sit on the sidelines, fighters only collect a paycheck when they step into the Octagon.
The UFC waited until the last minute to make the right call. However, fighters are going to struggle financially and there is no plan in place to help them out.
What are your thoughts on the UFC's coronavirus response compared to Bellator's? - Nate Lahey
I commend Bellator for canceling their March 13 event at the last minute. However, I think most forget or haven't realized that the venue's decision to close its doors forced Bellator's hand. It's tough to say if the California-based promotion would have made that call on its own.
Like I mentioned above, I don't blame MMA promotions for trying to keep events going with fighter's pay in mind. But if we're comparing these responses to other those of other sports, both were behind the curve.
If Julian from "Trailer Park Boys" ever put down his drink, do you think he could have been an MMA fighter? - Aaron Weinbaum
Great question, Aaron, and if anyone is looking for a hilarious show to binge on during this slow period, "Trailer Park Boys" would be an excellent choice. Julian appears to be in decent shape, and I'd peg him as a light heavyweight based on his physique.
Drinking rum and cokes 24 hours a day can take a toll both in sugar and alcohol intake. Who knows? If he cut out the booze, he could probably slim down to middleweight and would pack a serious punch. His ground game would probably need serious work.