As the rest of the sporting world comes to terms with the current coronavirus pandemic, others refuse to sit and wallow in despair at the thought of losing revenue and business. One of those sports is UFC whose president Dana White is so determined to resume his sporting calendar, that he has gone as far as securing a private island to host international fights.
An island out of the ordinary
April 18 will be the date that UFC gets back underway with White managing to find a location in the States. Headlining that night will be a fight for the interim title between Tony Ferguson - who is currently favorite with the bookies - and Justin Gaethje, which will be just one of 12 fights overall.
This location will also be holding weekly fights for at least the next two months, according to White. Not only will this be a boon for White, it will also be one for sportsbook and popular, new, slots & casino sites that will finally have something extravagant to get behind.
But, even more shockingly, an island - which nobody knows where or what it is - could become the host of international fixtures for those fighters that cannot travel into the United States. With the island’s infrastructure said to be close to being finalized, UFC could well be breaking new ground if the archipelago gets given the go ahead. This will mean that the UFC will be back up and running as normal - both in the US and internationally.
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White refuses to give in
Three events have been postponed in the wake of the pandemic - March 21, March 28 and April 11 - and, even as other leagues and sports remain committed to closing down, White has always maintained his desire and belief that the competition will be back in action in time for the next pay-per-view event of UFC 249, live on ESPN+.
Though Ferguson and Gaethje will be going head-to-head, undefeated lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov should have been fighting Ferguson. Yet, the Dagestan native was removed from the event when it became obvious that entering the States would prove to be a problem. Naturally, White has not revealed the new venue’s location and very likely will not do so either with fights held behind closed doors and without a live audience.
Health is number one priority
In any such scenario as the world currently faces, health and safety is clearly the paramount issue for organizers. Though unclear whether or not all athletes will be tested for COVID-19 before the fights take place, all necessary precautions have been taken according to White.
This decision will be praised by those wanting to experience the thrill of live sport, and it just shows how far some organizers are willing to go to give the people what they want. With little other sporting output to look forward to, Dana White’s ambition to bring something to our screens is welcomed, even if the idea of fighters on an island seems like an episode of the Hunger Games.
An idea never been broached before
It’s a huge risk that White will be taking, but it’s something that will be rewarded magnificently if everything goes swimmingly. With the main priority keeping people safe yet providing isolated sporting fans with some kind of entertainment, then what White is doing is going the extra mile for his sport. Nothing of its kind has ever been seen before with White’s ingenious idea transcending what was once thought possible.