UFC 249 has been cancelled.
The decision to cancel UFC 249 was handed done by ESPN officials. After receiving a bevvy of complaints, including from Disney executives, the biggest MMA promotion was forced to stand down.
Dana White had plans to continue the UFC’s planned schedule, but this turn of events changes things. Speaking with ESPN reporter Brett Okamoto, Dana White had this to say.
“Today, we got a call from the highest level you can go at Disney, and the highest level at ESPN … and the powers that be there asked me to stand down and not do this event [next] Saturday.”
That certainly has to sting. After talk of private islands being sought out to put on fights, Dana White has had to roll back his rhetoric. Even after it was discovered that the fights would take place on at Tachi Palace on a California Indian reservation, White has remained adamant about fight island being a venue in the future.
White also intends to put on UFC 249 at Tachi Palace when quarantine has ended.
“Tachi Palace in California, the Indian reservation, has had our back this whole time, has stood their ground and was willing to do this fight,” White told ESPN’s Brett Okamoto. “And let me tell you this: When the world gets back to normal, California, that [fight] will be at Tachi Palace.”
UFC president also went on the record stating that fighters and staff would be paid for their troubles.
“All of my fighters that are under contract with me, I want them to feel safe, take time with your families and enjoy this time,” White said. “Don’t worry about the financial part of this. You’re gonna get the fights in your contract, and I’m gonna make things right with the people who were willing to step up and fight next weekend on April 18.
“And I’m gonna take care of as many people as I possibly can and do whatever it takes to make these guys all feel comfortable.”
While many were perhaps excited about the event going forward, cancelling UFC 249 was certainly the right move. Would I have tuned into the show? Of course! That said, fighters and staff were at risk of contracting the sickness sweeping the globe.
So has Dana White learned his lesson? At this point it’s up in the air. With White still sounding gung-ho about fight island it leaves you with the impression that the UFC president would have gone through with the event during this global health crisis if ESPN and parent company Disney didn’t intervene.
“It’s all good. We’re going to get through this,” said White. “We’ll be the first ones back. Fight Island is coming, all the good stuff. It’s coming, man. We’ll get this thing squared away, get a date from ESPN, and we’ll be back first and we’ll get these fights going that everybody wants to see.”
Still, while fight island may sound a bit crazy, it’s definitely enticing.
What do you think about UFC 249 being cancelled?
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Managing Editor at Generation Iron, Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Sound Cloud for in-depth MMA analysis.
