The Ultimate Fighting Championship has finally been forced to back down in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Las Vegas-based promotion has elected to indefinitely postpone its next three events – UFC Fight Night 171 on March 21, UFC on ESPN 8 on March 28 and UFC Fight Night 172 on April 11 – the United States and the rest of the world race to battle the coronavirus outbreak. UFC president Dana White revealed the decision in an email to company employees, which was initially revealed by statistician Michael Carroll. At the moment, UFC 249 is still scheduled for April 18, though a location and venue have yet to be determined.