UFC President Dana White (R) speaks with UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov (Photo by Isaac Brekken/Getty Images)
The UFC has had to postpone their next three events with Dana White coming out and explaining his reason to do so.
White had been adamant that UFC fights would go on and confirmed that this weekend’s event was set.
He was speaking to ESPN and said that they had a card ready, a location set but US president Donald Trump’s latest order has affected that.
The president’s new order has barred more than 10 people being in a room and the earlier order was not having more than 50.
White added that working in the previous order was difficult but they got the UFC Brasil event done, however, it was impossible to hold matches now.
The UFC president added that the Khabib Nurmagomedov vs Tony Ferguson fight at UFC 249 was still on, but it could take place in another location.
White was also asked why they were keeping events on in such a tough time, and he claimed that the UFC wants to hold fights.
The fighters want to get into the Octagon, and the UFC seems to be biting a little more than it can chew regarding the Khabib vs Ferguson fight.
White had barred fans from attending UFC fights and was refunding tickets, which was the right thing to do.
However, confirming that the April fight between Khabib and Ferguson is still on is a bit of a risky strategy.
The president knows he has to keep people interested, especially since events cannot take place for a few weeks.
However, predicting that the fight will go ahead, even possibly outside the US, is a big statement to make.
The worst would be having to back down from this as nobody knows how the pandemic will impact the world in the coming months.
Some regions are recovering better than others, but it is a Pandora’s box regarding some big countries like the US or England.
Measures have been put in countries such as Spain and Italy where people aren’t being allowed to leave homes.
It would have been best to keep all events on hold and not predict when matches can take place.
Several UFC stars have suggested that they are willing to fight. However, not having the right personnel in the arenas would be a disaster.
For all the criticism of White, we must remember he is one of the greatest businessmen of our times.
He turned the UFC into a multi-billion dollar promotion, and it keeps on growing each year. The boss would have a contingency plan if things don’t improve in a month.
However, it is important to keep people safe during this time. Thankfully, his decision to stop events for three weeks is a step in the right direction.
Everyone in the MMA world wants to see Khabib vs Ferguson. However, any decision regarding their fight should be taken in April and predicting something now is a little risky, to say the least.
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