UFC says it’s COVID-19 prepared
Fighters taking part in Saturday’s UFC 249 card in Jacksonville, Fla., have been tested on arrival and many have been isolating in their rooms as the mixed martial arts promotion prepares to get back to business in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The event was scheduled for April 18 in New York, but postponed due to the coronavirus.
With lockdown restrictions being lifted in some American states, the stage is set for the UFC’s return at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, with an interim lightweight title bout between Tony Ferguson and Justin Gaethje topping the bill. The usual media-day mingle between fighters, journalists and camera crews was replaced by an online event at the hotel housing the fighters, with Ferguson appearing on webcam wearing a black facemask as he fielded questions.
“I don’t feel any different ... I’m not paying attention to anything else besides smiling and making sure that people understand that we’re here for everybody else,” Ferguson said. “Obviously it’s a little bit more quiet, and obviously we don’t have any fans. The only reason everything else is like this, the only reason we’re fighting, is for the fans. Nothing else is changing.”
Henry Cejudo, who puts his bantamweight title on the line against Dominick Cruz in the co-main event, said he was tested within 15 minutes of arriving at his hotel. He said the lack of a crowd would not bother him, saying: “It doesn’t matter if there’s two people in the stands, or nobody in the stands or two billion people in the stands. I’ve got to get the job done.”