Relocated UFC 249 could 'bring sense of normalcy to people'

UFC President Dana White still wants “Fight Island.” He’s temporarily settling for a peninsula. UFC 249 will serve as first major sporting event to take place since coronavirus pandemic shut down much of country nearly two months ago. bouts Saturday night in Jacksonville — main event is set for pay-per-view — are expected to draw a large viewing audience considering sports-craved nation has seemingly grown tired of replays and video game events.

re’s thing virtual about reality of getting punched in face. “Right w re is Olympics. re is Wimbledon. re is NBA drafts. NFL drafts,” said lightweight contender Tony Ferguson. “re is () tennis. re is soccer, hockey. re is baseball. This what we bring to table man and we are going out re and do our best and we are going to keep sports alive.”

More like bring sports back to life. Ferguson and fellow lightweight contender Justin Gaethje will heline mixed martial arts card behind closed doors at Veterans Memorial Arena. “This is going to bring a sense of rmalcy to people,” Gaethje said. “Proud to be a part of it, you kw opportunity to inspire. People need to be inspired right w. y need to t let mselves become depressed, emotional because y can’t control what is going on right w.  “We have got to ride it through, and y need to be inspired in a way and we can do that. We have opportunity.”

UFC is returning after an involuntary eight-week break that upended White’s desire to keep fighting amid COVID-19 health crisis. series is holding three shows in eight days in a fan-free arena in Florida, where state officials deemed professional sports with a national audience exempt from a stay-at-home order as long as “ location is closed to general public.” UFC came up with a 25-p document to dress health and safety protocols. UFC executives and physicians consulted regulatory officials and outside experts to develop its procedures, which include testing everyone working event.
Those in attendance will, perhaps even referees, will have to wear masks and gloves. c floor, inevitably sprinkled with sweat and blood, will be disinfected regularly.

“It is going to be much more of an intimate situation, as weird as that sounds,” Gaethje said. “ fans are going to get to hear shots when we land our shots. y are going to hear breathing. y are going to hear talking from coaches. … I can’t wait to watch this fight when it is over because I kw that it cant disappoint.”

undercard will be brocast on ESPN, whose most recent live sports have been reduced to Korean baseball and cornhole. Or fights on card include:

—Henry Cejudo (15-2) will defend his UFC bantamweight champion against former titleholder Dominick Cruz (22-2). 
—Francis Nganu (14-3) fights undefeated Jairzinho Rozenstruik (10-0) in a heavyweight bout.
—Jeremy Stephens (28-17) and Calvin Kattar (20-4) in a matchup of fearweight contenders.
—Former NFL defensive end Greg Hardy (6-2) against unbeaten Yorgan De Castro (5-0) in ar heavyweight bout.
—And Donald Cerrone (36-14) takes on Anthony Pettis (22-10) in a welterweight fight.

UFC 249 was originally scheduled for April 18 in Brooklyn, N.Y. next two major events — UFC 250 in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and UFC 251 in Perth, Australia — alrey have been postponed because of global pandemic. White, meanwhile, continues to work to try to st international bouts on a private island. Unbeaten lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov initially was slated to fight Ferguson for lightweight title, but travel restrictions forced Nurmagomedov to be replaced by Gaethje. Ferguson and Gaethje will vie for title of “interim lightweight champion.”

“You will be recognized as . 2 man in world,” Ferguson said. “Khabib can’t fight right w, so se are two bdest men on planet in this weight class fighting this weekend for right to call mselves best and n ultimately challenge Khabib. “I think we are fighting for opportunity to represent America against Khabib and that is what I am fighting for.”