UFC president Dana White has insisted he still plans to go ahead with Khabib Nurmagomedov v Tony Ferguson in April.

The MMA company have recently had to cancel three events between March 21 and April 11 due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

According to ESPN, White stressed in an email that although they always try to keep their events on, this was a very different set of circumstances.

He said: "As you've heard me say, I've been in the fight game for 20 years, and this is what we do. We find a way to keep our events going no matter what. 

"But this is different. The whole world is being affected right now and nothing is more important than the health and safety of you and your families.

"Now, they're saying there should be no more than ten people, and that's impossible. We can't do it. We've complied with everything the government and doctors have said to do, we have no choice but to postpone these fights."

However, Nurmagomedov and Ferguson are hoping to take to the octagon on April 18 at UFC 249, with the bout set to take place in New York.

And White remains confident that the fight will go ahead, even if it has to be staged outside the US following Donald Trump's announcement about restricting the number of people at mass gatherings.

"Tony Ferguson versus Khabib Nurmagomedov is still on. That will happen," White added.

"We're going to follow these guidelines, not have more than 10 people in a room. We're hoping this all clears up by April, and this fight is going to happen. Whatever it takes, probably not in the United States, but this fight is going to happen."