Francis Ngannou and Jairzinho Rozenstruik were supposed to meet in the main event of UFC Fight Night Columbus, but the event was postponed due to the coronavirus.
The heavyweight fighter says he has been tested for the coronavirus and says others in the UFC may have been as well.
“There is a chance that I can be fighting on that card, but they have to settle everything down. Like, for now, it seems like they have a location, but they have to double check and see how they can handle this event safely for people. Because, first of all, it’s not just about (fighters). They are not just expecting to work with people that are fighting, they’re also trying to make things to care about our health. So, I got tested, they got me tested for the COVID-19, so I guess they tested other fighters, which is kind of like a positive thing, and like, makes you feel a little bit safe to get close or along with those people,” Ngannou said on Submission Radio (via Jordan Ellis of Low Kick MMA).
Ngannou didn’t reveal the results of the test and no other fighters say they have been tested at this time.
One thing the UFC star isn’t doing is panicking about the coronavirus, which Ngannou says too many people are doing.
“No. I mean, I won’t be concerned, because once again, okay, I don’t wanna say that COVID-19 is nothing, I don’t want to say it’s not bad, but technically I think it’s a flu that we have all the time. The only problem with it is that it’s contagious and it can spread very fast. But no, I won’t be concerned about it because even after I’ve had a test, I wasn’t very worried. I was like, okay, whatever it is, it’s gonna be okay. It’s not like bad. Because, I think the thing right now is just the panic. So, this thing has caused more panic then the real pain itself. We are just panicking,” says Ngannou.
There is no word yet on when Ngannou may fight again, but both he and Rozenstruik said they would compete next month at UFC 249.
