The UFC’s upcoming card in Columbus, Ohio could be the next major sporting event to be affected by nationwide concerns over the coronavirus outbreak.
On Tuesday, Ohio governor Mike DeWine recommended no spectators be allowed to attend indoor sports events – college, high school, or professional.
However, there have been no specific guidelines yet laid out. And with UFC on ESPN 8 set to take place in Ohio’s capital city, that leaves open the question as to whether the event will proceed as scheduled.
In a statement to MMA Junkie on Tuesday, Ohio Athletic Commission executive director Bernie Profato issued the following statement to MMA Junkie:
“Any issues will go through the Governor’s office and will be enforced by the Athletic Commission. We have not (sat) down with the UFC to discuss any alternatives yet.”
The UFC has not commented on the developing situation as of this writing.
UFC on ESPN 8 is scheduled to take place Saturday, March 28 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. The card will air on ESPN. The main event features a heavyweight matchup between Francis Ngannou and Jairzinho Rozenstruik.
Friday, UFC president Dana White spoke on coronavirus concerns at the UFC 249 on-sale press conference. While he said the organization is monitoring the situation, he also told TSN in a later interview, “I don’t give a (expletive) about the coronavirus.”
The UFC’s next five cards take place in Sao Paulo, Brazil, London, Columbus, Portland, Ore., and Lincoln, Neb. As of now, all UFC events will continue as scheduled.
However, other organizations such as ONE Championship, KSW, ARES, and Rise FC have all cancelled upcoming fights due to the outbreak.
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