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There was a lot at stake when the Ultimate Fighting Championship on Saturday touched down in Jacksonville, Florida, for UFC 249. For one, the promotion was planting a flag as the first major sporting organization to resume live events during the COVID-19 pandemic—a controversial move which only became more contentious after it was revealed that event participants, including members of the media, were required to sign waivers preventing them from criticizing the company’s health protocols under threat of financial penalties.