Coronavirus' Impact on MMAReport: Dana White Discusses Coronavirus Plans, Procedures on Fighters-Only Call
The
Ultimate Fighting Championship held its first of two meetings
briefing fighters about plans in place.
On Friday, MMA Junkie reported several of the discussion topics that UFC President Dana White talked about in a meeting among fighters. MMA Fighting also reported additional information from other fighters following the invite-only meeting. White first gave a statement to his roster, and then answered questions the athletes submitted with topics ranging from fight camps to “Fight Island.”
White made certain to repeatedly elucidate that the fighters were
not obligated to compete under these circumstances. If they do not
feel comfortable taking a matchup during the coronavirus pandemic,
they will not be penalized or negatively impacted in any way. He
also explained that in the event any fighter on the roster is
struggling financially or with their health, the UFC would take
care of them.
Of the fighters that choose to compete, those affected by event cancellations would be given priority for upcoming card placement. The promotion intends on putting fight cards every Saturday starting on May 9. The UFC is contractually obligated to air 42 events throughout the calendar year, and eight have taken place so far in 2020. As of May 9, there will be exactly 34 weekends left in the year, so if the UFC wants to hit that mark, there will be a fight card every weekend for the remainder of the year.
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The U.S. Government is providing tax relief on your upcoming tax returns due to the financial impact of Coronavirus. Find out what additional savings you qualify for your 2019 federal tax return by clicking here.
Fighters may be forced to make difficult decisions if they take bouts in this time, as some venues may limit the number of people that can be in the building at once. This could hamper fighters and their respective teams, as fighters may not be granted three corners under these conditions. Additionally, despite the fighters not likely enduring standard training camps, the organization will be averse to making catchweight bouts as they “have less meaning,” according to White.
The UFC is working with Nevada to get facilities opened to its fighters. Currently, the meals provided by the UFC Performance Institute are not available, but the issue affecting it should be rectified soon. Meanwhile, the state has indefinitely banned all gatherings and events, and although the Nevada State Athletic Commission was slated to meet at the end of March, the meeting was scrapped. White was not optimistic about “International Fight Week” taking place in Las Vegas in July, but still explained that most fight cards will still take place in the U.S. even if not in Las Vegas.
Finally, the promotion is still gung ho on “Fight Island,” filing for trademarks for “Fight Island” as well as “UFC Fight Island” earlier on Friday. Although the initial plan for the private island was to allow international fighters to compete that would otherwise be affected by the U.S. travel ban, fighters from the U.S. will also be allowed to compete at these events as well. White additionally informed the fighters that a full complement of medical staff members as well as local hospitals would be available for treatment following these fight cards.
Sherdog recommends all readers comply with CDC guidelines and remain as isolated as possible during this urgent time. Visit the Centers for Disease Control at CDC.gov or the World Health Organization at Who.int for the latest information on the coronavirus and learn what you can do to stop the spread.
The U.S. Government is providing tax relief for you due to the economic effects of the coronavirus. H&R Block helps you find out what tax savings you qualify for by clicking here.
On Friday, MMA Junkie reported several of the discussion topics that UFC President Dana White talked about in a meeting among fighters. MMA Fighting also reported additional information from other fighters following the invite-only meeting. White first gave a statement to his roster, and then answered questions the athletes submitted with topics ranging from fight camps to “Fight Island.”
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Of the fighters that choose to compete, those affected by event cancellations would be given priority for upcoming card placement. The promotion intends on putting fight cards every Saturday starting on May 9. The UFC is contractually obligated to air 42 events throughout the calendar year, and eight have taken place so far in 2020. As of May 9, there will be exactly 34 weekends left in the year, so if the UFC wants to hit that mark, there will be a fight card every weekend for the remainder of the year.
RELATED LINKS SPONSORED BY H&R BLOCK:
The U.S. Government is providing tax relief on your upcoming tax returns due to the financial impact of Coronavirus. Find out what additional savings you qualify for your 2019 federal tax return by clicking here.
Fighters may be forced to make difficult decisions if they take bouts in this time, as some venues may limit the number of people that can be in the building at once. This could hamper fighters and their respective teams, as fighters may not be granted three corners under these conditions. Additionally, despite the fighters not likely enduring standard training camps, the organization will be averse to making catchweight bouts as they “have less meaning,” according to White.
The UFC is working with Nevada to get facilities opened to its fighters. Currently, the meals provided by the UFC Performance Institute are not available, but the issue affecting it should be rectified soon. Meanwhile, the state has indefinitely banned all gatherings and events, and although the Nevada State Athletic Commission was slated to meet at the end of March, the meeting was scrapped. White was not optimistic about “International Fight Week” taking place in Las Vegas in July, but still explained that most fight cards will still take place in the U.S. even if not in Las Vegas.
Finally, the promotion is still gung ho on “Fight Island,” filing for trademarks for “Fight Island” as well as “UFC Fight Island” earlier on Friday. Although the initial plan for the private island was to allow international fighters to compete that would otherwise be affected by the U.S. travel ban, fighters from the U.S. will also be allowed to compete at these events as well. White additionally informed the fighters that a full complement of medical staff members as well as local hospitals would be available for treatment following these fight cards.
Help Prevent the Spread of the Coronavirus
Sherdog recommends all readers comply with CDC guidelines and remain as isolated as possible during this urgent time. Visit the Centers for Disease Control at CDC.gov or the World Health Organization at Who.int for the latest information on the coronavirus and learn what you can do to stop the spread.
The U.S. Government is providing tax relief for you due to the economic effects of the coronavirus. H&R Block helps you find out what tax savings you qualify for by clicking here.
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