Saturday night saw a major live sports event staged in America for the first time in weeks. But Dana White wanted some details kept quiet
On Saturday night, the Ultimate Fighting Championship became the first major organization to hold a live sports event in the US during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, rather than being hailed as an entertaining night of cagefighting designed to distract sports fans in self-isolation, the focus has instead fallen on the UFC’s questionable protocols, and the lengths the promotion is willing to take to ensure that no one involved in the event can speak out.
On Friday night – less than 24 hours before the start of UFC 249 – reports emerged that Ronaldo Souza, had tested positive for Covid-19, along with his two cornermen. His bout with Uriah Hall was subsequently canceled, but at that point, the damage had been done. Souza had been spotted walking around the hotel and interacting with fighters over the previous days, and had even fist-bumped UFC president Dana White during the weigh-ins, albeit with gloves on.
Related: Justin Gaethje shocks Tony Ferguson with KO at controversial UFC 249
