Khabib Nurmagomedov is making is long-awaited UFC return on Saturday night after the COVID-19 pandemic had kept him in Russia and led him to be scratched from a main card against Tony Ferguson earlier in 2020.
Rather than seeing Ferguson at UFC 254 as he once expected, Nurmagomedov gets Justin Gaethje, who upset Ferguson in a short-notice bout in May. Gaethje declined the interim title belt he earned then, saying he would wait for the real one after defeating Nurmagomedov.
Nurmagomedov and his undefeated UFC record stand in the way of that lightweight title grab — and Gaethje enters Saturday as a major underdog as a result.
Below is all of the information you need to for watching the main card with Nurmagomedov and Gaethje, as well as the five other headlining fights.
MORE: Save over 25% when you buy UFC 254 and an ESPN+ Annual Plan for only $84.98
What time does UFC 254 main card start?
- Date: Saturday, Oct. 24
- Early prelims: 10:15 a.m. ET
- Prelims: 12 p.m. ET
- Main card: 2 p.m. ET
- Live stream: ESPN+
Because the event is taking place in the United Arab Emirates, it will be shown much earlier in the day than UFC fans are accustomed to. For East Coast fans, that means waking up a shade after 10 a.m. for early prelims and then arriving at the main card at 2 p.m. West Coast UFC viewers, meanwhile, will be done with everything early enough to get lunch afterward.
How to watch UFC 254: Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Justin Gaethje
In the United States, the UFC Fight Pass prelims, beginning at 10:30 a.m. ET, will be simulcast on UFC Fight Pass, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ in English and Spanish. The prelims will continue on ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 12 p.m. ET, followed by the main card pay-per-view on ESPN+, beginning at 2 p.m. ET.
In Canada, the early prelims are on TSN and UFC Fight Pass. The prelims are on TSN and RDS, and the main card pay-per-view is available on Bell, Rogers, Shaw, SaskTel, Videotron, Telus, Eastlink, and UFC PPV on UFC Fight Pass.
How much does UFC 254 cost? PPV price for Khabib vs. Gaethje
In the U.S., the UFC 254 main card is available via pay-per-view on ESPN+, which also requires a subscription. The PPV price for UFC 254 is $64.99 for current subscribers. New subscribers can pay a bundle price of $84.98 for the UFC 254 pay-per-view and an ESPN+ annual subscription, which offers a savings of over 25 percent.
Click here to learn about the different pricing and bundling options with the ESPN+ platform.
Where is UFC 254?
UFC 254 is being held at the Flash Forum in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. UFC president Dana White has made “Fight Island” a staple host for his league since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Khabib Nurmagomedov record
- Name: Khabib Nurmagomedov
- Nationality: Russian
- Born: September 20, 1988
- Height: 5-10
- Reach: 70 inches
- Total fights: 28
- Record: 28-0
Justin Gaethje record
- Name: Justin Gaethje
- Nationality: American
- Born: Nov. 14, 1988
- Height: 5-11
- Reach: 70 inches
- Total fights: 24
- Record: 22-2
UFC 254 fight card
Main card
- Khabib Nurmagomedov (c) vs. Justin Gaethje for Nurmagomedov’s lightweight title
- Robert Whittaker vs. Jared Cannonier; Middleweight
- Alexander Volkov vs. Walt Harris; Heavyweight
- Jacob Malkoun vs. Phillip Hawes; Middleweight
- Lauren Murphy vs. Liliya Shakirova; Women’s flyweight
- Magomed Ankalaev vs. Ion Cutelaba; Light heavyweight
Preliminary card
- Stefan Struve vs. Tai Tuivasa; Heavyweight
- Nathaniel Wood vs. Casey Kenney; Bantamweight catchweight
- Alex Oliveira vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov; Welterweight
- Da Un Jung vs. Sam Alvey; Light Heavyweight
Early prelims
- Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Sergey Morozov; Bantamweight
- Liana Jojua vs. Miranda Maverick; Women’s flyweight
- Joel Alvarez vs. Alexander Yakovlev; Lightweight