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UFC 249: Rose Namajunas withdraws; event planned on tribal land

April 9 (UPI) -- Rose Namajunas has withdrawn from her bout against Jessica Andrade at UFC 249.

Sources told ESPN, MMA Junkie and Brazilian news outlet Combate that Namajunas pulled out of the fight for undisclosed reasons. She was set to take part in the co-main event on the April 18 fight card.

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UFC president Dana White announced the full 12-fight card Monday on social media. The event was originally planned for New York City, but was moved due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Sources told the New York Times and Sherdog.com that the UFC now plans to stage the event at the Tachi Palace Casino Resort near Lemoore, Calif. The casino is on land belonging to the Tachi-Yokut Tribe. White previously said he also secured an island as a possible venue.

On Monday, the Association of Ringside Physicians called for an indefinite suspension of all combat sports events due to the pandemic. The California State Athletic Commission has also canceled all fights through May 31. White will have to find ringside physicians to work at the event, against the Association of Ringside Physicians' recommendations. By holding the fight on tribal land, the UFC is not subject to the California order for people to stay home.
The Tachi Palace Casino Resort has hosted previous mixed martial arts bouts.

Namajunas (8-4) hasn't fought since losing to Andrade in May at UFC 237. Andrade (20-7) lost the women's strawweight title belt to Zhand Wieli last August.

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Tony Ferguson and Justin Gaethje have an interim lightweight title bout scheduled to headline UFC 249. The main event will be available starting at 10 p.m. EDT on April 18 on pay-per-view through ESPN+. The preliminary matchups will start at 8 p.m. on ESPN.

The UFC 249 fight card also includes Francis Ngannou against Jairzinho Rozenstruik; Vicente Luque against Niko Price; Greg Hardy against Yorgan De Castro; Jeremy Stephens against Calvin Kattar; Uriah Hall against Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza; Sijara Eubanks against Sarah Moras; Alexander "The Great" Hernandez against Omar Morales; Marlon Vera against Ray Borg; Michael Johnson against Khama Worthy; and Ryan Spann against Sam Alvey.

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