UFC’s secret island to host weekly fights during the lockdown

UFC president Dana White has finally revealed his masterplan to keep the MMA promotion up and running during the Covid-19 lockdown.

Fight fans have been chewing their nails down in anticipation of good news, and it seems they’ve now got it. And although the long awaited bout between lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson has been axed the show goes on.

Lonely island

In a move straight out of a super-villain’s handbook, White and the UFC are close to securing a private island to host UFC 249. The location is being kept secret right now as negotiations continue. However, keeping it under wraps also means that those lockdown flouting fans can’t make their way there unexpectedly.

All fighters, coaches, refs, TV crews and more will all be tested for Covid-19 before jetting to the island. With Khabib off the card, Ferguson will now face fan-favourite Justin Gaethe for the interim lightweight championship.

And this isn’t going to be a one-off either as the UFC also plans to host weekly fights from April 18 onwards.

Fighting fit

This is an incredibly savvy move from Dana White. With a captive audience stuck in their homes, desperate for some physical competitive sport to watch, the UFC will be the only show on the block. There will no doubt be millions more signing up for the UFC Fight Pass app to watch the fights.

And if the promotion can get its most popular fighter, Conor McGregor, into the octagon during this time then White and the UFC will be laughing all the way to the bank.

Watch this space.

***Update April 10: UFC 249 and all subsequent fight cards have been cancelled by broadcast network ESPN and parent company Disney. White insist that the UFC’s “fight island” will host the first bouts when the sport can resume again.***

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UFC 249 full fight card

Main Card

Tony Ferguson vs. Justin Gaethe

Jessica Andrade vs. Rose Namajunas

Greg Hardy vs. Yorgan De Castro

Vicente Luque vs. Niko Price

Jeremy Stevens vs. Calvin Kattar

Undercard

Francis Ngannou vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik

Uriah Hall vs. Ronaldo Souza

Alexander Hernandez vs. Omar Morales

Marlon Vera vs. Ray Borg

Michael Johnson vs. Khama Worthy

Sijara Eubanks vs. Sarah Moras

Ryan Spann vs. Sam Alvey