WHITE DEFENDS SWITCH TO USA

UFC president Dana White has defended the decision to switch this weekend’s London event to the USA.

The UFC were scheduled to return to the O2 Arena on Saturday night for UFC Fight Night 171, with a headline welterweight clash between Brit Leon Edwards (below) and Tyron Woodley.

But President Trump’s travel ban due to the coronavirus, which now includes the UK, has seen the plug pulled with the entire show now set to be staged on the other side of the Atlantic.

UFC Fight Night 170 took place in Brasilia at the weekend behind closed doors. And White is adamant they will press forward with their busy schedule, despite calls to postpone upcoming events.

“Unless there’s a total shutdown of the country where people can’t leave their houses and things like that, these fights will happen,” said White (top).

“We’re gonna move on. These guys will compete. We will find venues, and we will figure this thing out.

“I mean, the only thing that’s gonna stop us is a complete government shutdown where everyone is confined to their homes. I talked to the President and the Vice President of the United States about this and they’re saying, ‘Be cautious and be careful but live your life and stop panicking’.”

White is confident ‘Rocky’ Edwards will still lock horns with the former welterweight champion, and said: “The fight will go on. We’re working on finding a new venue, likely in the United States. I have my matchmakers working right now to put together the undercard. The bottom line is that fight is happening, and the main event will go on.”

The UFC had hoped to host their next three events at their Apex facility in Las Vegas, although the Nevada Athletic Commission’s decision to suspend all combat sports has scuppered that plan.

Despite last-ditch talks with the UFC, Edwards, 28, who is on the brink of a title shot having won his last eight, was unable to reach an agreement to save his clash with American Woodley.

Edwards said: “I have been dreaming of headlining a UFC show in my home country since I started this sport. This cancellation is truly heartbreaking.

“But I know that the whole world is hurting right now and this is bigger than me, this is bigger than sports.”