That victory for Gaethje clears the path for an undisputed title bout against UFC Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.
While an exact date for the title unification bout isn’t known at this time, it could happen this Summer and at “Fight Island” according to UFC President Dana White.
“I expect [Nurmagomedov vs. Gaethje] to happen this summer,” White said while appearing on ESPN 1000 (via Damon Martin of MMA Fighting). “I don’t know if it will be the first one but it will be on ‘Fight Island’ unless miraculously the world comes back together faster than I think it’s gonna.”
There is no date set yet for the official launch of “Fight Island,” but White did say he expected to have the location operational by next month.
If the bout does come together as White hints is may, it would mean that the bout would be the second straight title unification fight for Nurmagomedov, as his last bout against former UFC Interim Lightweight Champion Dustin Poirier at UFC 242 was also a unification bout.
