UFC finally postpones next 3 scheduled events amid pandemic

UFC has postponed its next three scheduled events through April 11, finally giving up on President Dana White's plan to keep fighting amid coronavirus pandemic.

UFC will t hold its show scheduled for Saturday, which was initially slated to be held in a full arena in London. UFC also won't hold shows scheduled for March 28 and April 11.

“It's just impossible,” White said on ESPN, UFC's brocast partner. “We can't do it.”

White insists he will hold UFC 249 on April 18, although he doesn't have a venue for it. Lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov is scheduled to fight Tony Ferguson in promotion's biggest pay-per-view show of spring.

“We’re hoping that this all clears up by April,” White said. “This fight is going to happen. crowd, whatever it takes. Probably t even in United States, but this fight will happen.”

UFC finally joined nearly every or major worldwide sports organization in postponing its events only after White on Monday heard about White House's recommendation to avoid garings of 10 or more people.

For most people, new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older ults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

vast majority of people recover from new virus. According to World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover.

White h vowed for past week to keep staging fights while public health crisis worsened, and UFC held a 12-fight card in Brasilia, Brazil, last Saturday in an empty arena. White said it would take “a total shutdown of country” to prevent him from staging fights while NBA, NHL, MLB, NASCAR and NCAA all postponed or canceled events.

UFC's plans to hold this week's show in London became unfeasible due to travel restrictions, but White found ar home for show: He said he has a deal in place to hold Saturday's event at FireLake Arena in Shawnee, Oklahoma, at Grand Casi Resort Hotel, which is owned by Citizen Potawatomi Nation.

UFC only decided t to do it after White House's recommendations.

“We have card, we have fighters, we have everything,” White said. “We've complied with everything that government and se doctors said to do."

UFC's plan to hold shows on March 28 and April 11 in an empty arena in Las Vegas also were scrapped because of Neva State Athletic Commission's decision to prohibit combat sports shows until at least March 25. White attempted to find new homes for those shows before bowing to public health concerns.