President Trump congratulated UFC for restarting the sports activities world Saturday evening after a virtually two-month hiatus.
Trump’s taped message was performed throughout ESPN’s broadcast of the UFC 249 undercard from a fan-free enviornment in Jacksonville.
“I wish to congratulate (UFC President) Dana White and the UFC,” Trump stated. “They’re going to have an enormous match. We find it irresistible. We predict it’s essential. Get the sports activities leagues again. Let’s play. Do the social distancing and no matter else it’s a must to do. We’d like sports activities. We would like our sports activities again. Congratulations to Dana White and UFC.”
UFC 249 served as the primary main sporting occasion to happen for the reason that world pandemic shut down a lot of the nation almost eight weeks in the past. It was initially scheduled for April 18 in New York, however was postponed in hopes of serving to gradual the unfold of COVID-19.
The blended martial arts behemoth is holding three reveals in eight days in Jacksonville, the place state officers deemed skilled sports activities with a nationwide viewers exempt from a stay-at-home order so long as “the placement is closed to most people.”
The UFC got here up with a 25-page doc to deal with well being and security protocols, procedures that led to Jacaré Souza testing optimistic for COVID-19 on Friday. His middleweight bout towards Uriah Corridor was canceled late Friday. Souza’s two cornermen additionally examined as optimistic, the UFC stated in an announcement.
“All three males have left the host resort and can be self-isolating off premises, the place UFC’s medical staff will monitor their circumstances remotely and can present help with any obligatory remedy,” the UFC stated.
The optimistic outcomes certainly elevated the give attention to the occasion. Each different sport is watching carefully to see the way it performs out. White beforehand stated Trump needs the occasion to function a blueprint for the return of stay sports activities.
White didn’t wish to postpone any fights. He tried to host the occasion on tribal land in California and nonetheless hopes to create a “Combat Island” for future playing cards.
He settled for Jacksonville for at the very least every week — with no followers and social-distancing guidelines in place.
Judges and broadcasters have been separated. Fighters, trainers, referees, judges, UFC employees and even exterior media needed to endure COVID-19 testing to get inside Veterans Memorial Area.
However not everybody adopted the principles. White mingled and bumped fists with almost each fighter throughout official weigh-ins held inside a resort ballroom Friday.
Souza arrived sporting gloves and a masks whereas he awaited his take a look at outcomes. However he had alerted UFC officers {that a} member of the family in Orlando, the place he was testing, might need examined optimistic for the coronavirus. His opponent, Corridor, wore a masks and stored his distance. White stood between them with no masks.
Lots of these in attendance Saturday wore masks and gloves, though a number of have been seemingly exempt from the mandate. Referees, ring announcer Bruce Buffer, different officers contained in the octagon and the ring lady have been unmasked.
The cage ground was disinfected between bouts, and the padded elements of the octagon have been wiped down between rounds.
With out followers, sounds that normally could be muted or fully drowned out stuffed the empty enviornment. Each kick, punch, grunt and step contained in the octagon echoed. Commentators and digicam clicks might be heard throughout the best way. Teaching suggestions and exchanges have been prevalent, typically R-rated and even comical at instances.
“I don’t like folks anyway,” stated Ryan “Superman” Spann, who obtained a victory within the opening bout. “It’s wonderful. It was nothing. The world is my viewers.”