Fighters see UFC 249 as chance to spread hope, inspiration

When UFC les rth America's major sports back into action Saturday night with a pay-per-view show in Florida, Tony Ferguson and Justin Gaethje kw y can't do anything tentatively.

“We’ve got to go out re and keep sports alive,” Ferguson said Tuesday after he flew into Jacksonville and was quickly tested for COVID-19.

24 fighters at UFC 249 all realize y ded ar risk to ir alrey hazardous professions when y agreed to compete amid growing coronavirus pandemic. While UFC has strict safety protocols in place, one can be certain of dangers involved when mixed martial arts promotion returns from an eight-week break with three shows in eight days in Jacksonville.

Ferguson and Gaethje both believe ir risks are outweighed by sporting rewards y will reap and example y will provide when y fight for interim UFC lightweight title in a fan-free arena.

“We’re going to bring a sense of rmalcy to people,” Gaethje said in a phone interview. “I’m proud to be a part of it. It’s opportunity to inspire. People need to be inspired right w. y need to t let mselves become depressed (or) emotional because y can’t control what’s going on right w. We’ve got to ride it through. y need to be inspired, and we can do that.”

“I honestly h reservations," Ferguson ded. "Fighting is very dangerous, so I think we’ll be just fine.”

UFC never wanted to stop competition while pandemic grew, and president Dana White was never short of fighters willing to compete while he scrambled desperately to keep holding fight cards amid unprecedented public health crisis. w that White has found a state and an athletic commission willing to host him, UFC 249 will be followed by ditional shows on May 13, May 16 and probably May 23 from Jacksonville.

“re’s t very often you’re going to get to fight for a world title, much less during a pandemic when re’s zero sports going on and you’re going to be only one on TV,” Gaethje said. “You have to face your fears. You’ve got to go out re and take chances when y’re presented. ... We get to put paychecks in our own pocket, and we get to put a paycheck in every UFC employee’s pocket that’s going to work this event, and we get to inspire people to t give up right w.””

While many athletes around world have voiced concerns about being compelled to play ir sports in such uncertain times, UFC's fighters — who typically don't get paid unless y compete — have been almost unanimously er to return.

Even seasoned veterans like ex-champion Dominick Cruz have jumped at opportunity despite being well aware of health risks involved. Like Gaethje, Cruz sees UFC 249 as an opportunity to overcome fear.

“Realistically, anybody can contract this virus,” said Cruz, who will return from a three-year c absence to fight bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo on Saturday. “I think that’s partially point, is understanding that anybody out re can get this, but you can’t just freeze up when you see something that’s scary. You’ve got to take precautions, be as safe as possible, but live your life. That’s what I’m doing.”

Some MMA fighters prefer to train in busy gyms with several teammates, while ors work out with only ir coaches and sparring partners. necessary changes over past two months haven't bored Cejudo, an Olympic gold medal-winning wrestler and champion of two UFC divisions.

“I really don’t kw difference between COVID-19 quarantine and me in my training camp,” Cejudo said. “I’m a professional. I train each and every day. I try to do everything right. This whole quarantine, I think by time U.S. comes back toger, I’m just t going to kw difference.”

Cruz feels particularly strongly about symbolic importance of UFC's return to competition. former 135-pound champion wants to reclaim belt to use it as an instrument for social change, even citing Muhamm Ali's activism against Vietnam War as his inspiration.

“What’s value of championship belts or Olympic gold medals when re’s 33 million Americans that just filed for unemployment benefits, that can’t see ir families since mid-March?” Cruz said. “re’s vaccine for COVID-19 coming, probably end in sight. So I’ve been (contemplating) question of what’s value of belts or even Olympic gold medals unless you use it to make a difference in lives and service of humanity?"

But after listening to Cruz's passionate thoughts about state of world during ir joint phone interview, Cejudo brought discussion back to usual MMA levels of discourse.

“You'd better sign up for those unemployment checks, because I'm taking you out,” Cejudo said. “Dominick, you sound like Miss Universe.”