Ultimate Fighting Championship President Dana White said it would take a “total shutdown” of the United States to prevent events in his fighting league from taking place during the coronavirus outbreak.
“Unless there’s a total shutdown of the country where people can’t leave their houses and things like that, these fights will happen,” White said Saturday night on ESPN’s SportsCenter. “We’re gonna move on. These guys will compete. We will find venues, and we will figure this thing out. I mean, the only thing that’s gonna stop us is a complete government shutdown where everyone is confined to their homes.”
Nationally, the virus has caused widespread cancellations and suspensions of expos and sporting events. The NCAA on Thursday canceled men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, and the NBA, MLB, and NHL all suspended games until further notice.
Some states and countries have banned large gatherings, including sporting events or church services.
UFC Fight Night 170 was held behind closed doors in Brazil on Saturday.
The Nevada Athletic Commission reportedly held an emergency meeting over the weekend and discussed whether to allow UFC to hold future events at its facilities.
