The coronavirus has wreaked havoc across the MMA landscape, with many promotions either canceling/postponing events or running them in an empty arena setting.
UFC President Dana White spoke with President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence before deciding to continue on with all UFC cards.
”I talked to the president and the vice president about this, and they’re taking this very serious,” White said on ESPN SportsCenter (via Steven Marrocco of MMA Fighting). “They’re saying, ‘Be cautious, be careful, but live your life and stop panicking.’ Everybody is panicking, and instead of panicking, we’re actually getting out there and working with doctors and health officials and the government to figure out how to keep the sport safe and continue to put on events.”
This weekends UFC Fight Night Brasilia card will run in an empty arena setting, while UFC Fight Night Columbus and UFC Fight Night Portland have been moved to the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.
White says the promotion is also working with the Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC) to ensure the health of the fighters and fans.
“We’re working directly with the Nevada State Athletic Commission and executive director Bob Bennett,” he said. “We’re always looking out for the health and safety of our fans, our athletes, whatever it might be. Obviously, this thing is going on, we’re going to do the same thing: We’re going to make sure two healthy athletes are competing.”
Next weekends UFC Fight Night London card is expected to go on without interruption right now, while UFC 249 could be in question after the ban placed on gatherings by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.
