UFC 249 fighters First Obviously
The things we do for money and that applies to all parties involved here. With fighters being squeezed to fight, whether through necessity or the full force of their paymasters. UFC 249 is one of the tiny minority of sporting events taking place during the current calendar month?
Now I’m not quite sure when the sport became more important than peoples health? And in an ever-changing environment that is in constant flux, when we are dealing with an unseen un-quantifiable enemy. How important is it really? Well, fighters have to fight to put food on their tables right, so the sooner we get this show on the road. The sooner these guys and gals can get back to doing what they do best. But as these fighters have zero safety net, something the UFC has fought tooth and nail to ensure. Well, then they really have no other choice.
Caught between the desire to compete, a boss who is willing to pull out all the stops to get their promotion pulling in the cash. And a complicit fan base who just wants to see some fights, right, who is the potential big loser here? The World Health Organisation and National Governments are struggling to contain a pandemic that has shut the entire world down.
UFC sure as hell don’t have a clue what they are dealing with, offering to test fighters and teams in the lead up to fight night. When no other major sporting organization is holding events. They manage to strike a deal with the Santa Rosa Indian Community of the Santa Rosa Rancheria to hold what may be the first of many shows in the coming weeks and months.
MMA Fighting in The Age of Pandemics
If you have been following the spread of this pandemic you would have heard that people are now known to be most infectious when they are Asymptomatic, meaning when they are not showing any actual signs of being infected.
When the UFC have to go to such lengths as avoiding the sports sanctioning bodies to get this show on the road. There isn’t just a whiff of desperation, there a bloody stench. Not only having fighters competing with all manner of staff being brought in to work in closed quarters. But making the fighters train, to go into the hot and sweaty gyms where all manner of germs normally exist anyway. But now we have the added worry of COVID-19, a disease that may not just end a career, but someone’s life.
No matter if every single one of the people involved were just fine and dandy in the lead-up. What happens when they have to jump in public planes trains and automobiles to make it to the venue. We know how Dana White will be making his way to the show and it doesn’t involve queuing up.
To me, this whole thing stinks of corporate greed. You have a group of multi-million dollar investors who are voracious for their investment to keep paying out. And from the comfort of those mansions and Beverly hills homes, no matter what it takes, they want this show back on the road.
I mean, my heart goes out to these fighters, what a situation to be in. They want to compete, but they also want to keep their health. They have a boss who is no doubt applying unbelievable pressure to get the party started. We will look after your health, its what we do. Fighters safety is one thing, but a global pandemic that is changing the very fabric of society is totally different.
Dana White Taking a Gamble
The UFC president Dana White is a big-time gambler, both in his private life where he has been known to get kicked out of casinos for taking too much from the house. And in the risks, he along with the Fertitta brothers have taken to get the UFC to where it is today. But in this instance, he is gambling with people’s lives. Not just the fighters, but every member of staff who will be drafted in to run this event. Just because someone else may be doing something similar does not make it right.
But only time will tell whether or not this gamble paid off. Who were the winners and who were the losers? And who managed to make it through unscathed. UFC 249 takes place April 18th 2019 at the rumoured venue of Tachi Palace Casino Resort in Lemoore, California. In an event that will be sanctioned by the promotion itself.