Back in business? Tony Ferguson vs. Justin Gaethje targeted for UFC's return to action on May 9

After being forced to abandon this weekend's card, UFC boss Dana White has doubled down on his plan to continue to stage live fights during COVID-19 restrictions by announcing details of an event to take place next month.

Several high profile fights were revealed by White late on Tuesday for the card, which will take place at a location to be confirmed. The event will take place on the May 9 date originally reserved for UFC 250 in Brazil and, while several of the fights have yet to be made official, the card contains fights from other recent cards which had been affected by federal rules related to restricting movement during the pandemic.

Per White, the (most recent) UFC 249 headliner for the interim lightweight title between Tony Ferguson and Justin Gaethje will top the card. The fight will form one of three title bouts on the card, with Dominick Cruz set to challenge Henry Cejudo for the bantamweight championship and Amanda Nunes due to defend her featherweight title against Felicia Spencer. 

The card comes after Russian champion Khabib Nurmagomedov withdrew from the original UFC 249 event against Ferguson after citing health and safety concerns related to the pandemic. The revised event also takes place during Ramadan, further ruling out any potential change of heart by Nurmagomedov. 

It will also represent the latest injury return for former 135lbs champion Dominick Cruz, who hasn't fought since a December 2016 defeat to Cody Garbrandt. Injury has limited Cruz to just five fights since October 2011.

Felicia Spencer, meanwhile, comes into her title bout against UFC double-champ Amanda Nunes on the back of a 2-1 run with the UFC after a successful spell in the all-women's fight league Invicta FC. 

Further fights announced by White include another attempt to schedule the heavyweight slugfest between Francis Ngannou and Jairzinho Rozenstruik, as well as a potentially enthralling contest between fan-favorites Donald Cerrone and Anthony Pettis. 

As for where this is happening, White remains steadfastly tight-lipped, but speculation has suggested that Florida – the state that recently deemed WWE an 'essential business' so it can continue to operate – as a potential host. Texas and California have also been mooted.

The situation remains very fluid. Reporting suggests that the fights announced by White are at various stages of completion so one may expect some additions and subtractions by the time the card, White hopes, goes ahead. However, don't bet against a few more twists in the tale before the May date comes and goes.