The UFC is "going ahead with its Fight Night card Saturday in Brazil but without spectators," while shifting two more fight cards to its UFC Apex facility in Las Vegas to "come in line with local authorities' restrictions on crowds," according to Mike Johnston of SPORTSNET.ca. The March 28 card slated for Columbus and the April 11 event scheduled for Portland "will take place in Las Vegas on the same dates without spectators." The UFC indicated that it would offer "refunds to ticket-holders who wanted them" for the Fight Night in Brasilia. Ticket holders for "both U.S. shows will be eligible for refunds" (SPORTSNET.ca, 3/12). In Las Vegas, Adam Hill notes this Saturday's card will air on ESPN and stream on ESPN+. A March 21 card in London "will proceed for now" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 3/13). UFC President Dana Whiteon Thursday said, "We’re always looking out for the health and safety of our fans, our athletes, whatever it might be." He added the athletes "want to fight. They want to compete and we’re going to do everything we can to keep them safe." White said he spoke with President Trump and Vice President Pence, who are “taking this very serious, and they’re saying be cautious, be careful, but live your life and stop panicking” (“SportsCenter,” ESPN, 3/12).
WATCHING THE CLOCK: MMA JUNKIE's Dave Doyle wrote prior to White going on ESPN Thursday night, the UFC, the sports company with the "loudest mouthpiece was quietest about its intentions" to deal with the coronavirus. Less than a week ago, White said in an interview with TSN, "I don’t give a (expletive) about the coronavirus." But the rest of the sports world "indeed gave a (expletive) about coronavirus and fell in line soon after the NBA’s unprecedented announcement." Saturday night’s event in Brazil will include 24 fighters representing 12 countries, with non-Brazilians "flying in from all over the world." Doyle: "All it takes is one of those fighters rolling on the mats in the gym with an infected fighter traveling to the show during the incubation period, becoming infectious during fight week, and setting off quite a chain reaction." But at this point, "whatever might come is too late to change perception." The UFC already is the "sports entity that took too long to respond in the face of a pandemic" (MMAJUNKIE.com, 3/12).
