The UFC is back in action next weekend with UFC 249, which kicks off a three pack of events happening for the promotion in a one week span in Jacksonville, Florida. The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has caused issues not just for the UFC and other MMA promotions, but for the drug testing coalition known as the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).
USADA, in a statement to MMA Fighting, says that they will have officers at all three events in Jacksonville to test all of those competing at the events:
?As we?ve stated, testing at UFC events is an essential part of a fair fight. We will have doping control officers at UFC 249, and will do everything in our power to conduct testing at future events, of course taking appropriate precautions to protect the health and safety of everyone involved.?
Despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, USADA has continued to test fighters, but while using new safety protocols to get the testing done. There is no word at this time as to what kind of additional safety protocols USADA officers will use during the three events in Jacksonville. The upcoming slate of UFC events in Jacksonville begins on Saturday, May 9 with UFC 249 and ends on Saturday, May 16 with UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Harris.