Dana White reveals why he allowed Justin Gaethje's parents into the Covid-free bubble at Fight Island
The interim UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje has come a long way from a small city named Safford in Arizona state, Unite States to the Yas Islands in Abu Dhabi. Heading into the biggest fight of his life against the undefeated and undisputed king of the 155lbs division, Khabib Nurmaomedov in the main event of UFC 254 set to take place this weekend, Justin Gaethje had just one request to Dana White, and the latter willingly obliged.
Due to COVID 19 based restrictions in Abu Dhabi, the UFC has had to adapt very strict measures to keep their staff and fighters safe as they continue to hold events at the Yas Islands without any fans in attendance. However, for Justin Gaethje, the UFC frontman had to make one exception. During a recent interview with BT Sport, White revealed that he allowed Justin Gaethje's parents into the Covid-free bubble at Fight Island.
Explaining why he allowed Gaethje's parents to accompany the lightweight, White said that most fighters that headline pay-per-views, namely the likes of Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov have certain special demands such as letting their teammates fight on the same card as them or for other arrangements; and Gaethje had requested White to let his parents accompany him because he's come a long way in his journey with the UFC to be where he's at currently and his parents have been a part of that journey "since day one" and that they deserve to be there at Abu Dhabi to watch their son fight for the title against one of the greatest fighters in the history of the sport.
Justin Gaethje is being considered as Khabib Nurmagomedov's toughest challenge yet and rightly so. "The Highlight" has received a total of nine Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night awards in just seven fights in the UFC and his last fight at UFC 249, he brutalized Tony Ferguson who was on an unprecedented 12 win streak inside the Octagon.