BRASILIA, Brazil — The UFC staged a full fight card in an empty arena Saturday night in Brazil's capital city, sticking to its plan to keep fighting in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.
The UFC has not cancelled any events in the wake of the pandemic, going against the plans of nearly all major sports leagues and organizations. UFC President Dana White has claimed the sports world is “panicking” with its cancellations, and he remains determined to stage four more shows over the next five weekends.
The London show is likely to be held in the U.S., but Europe-based fighters are unlikely to be able to compete on the card. White's matchmakers are putting together a new undercard for the show, which is slated to be headlined by American welterweight Tyron Woodley against Britain's Leon Edwards. The show in Brasilia was likely a boon for ESPN, as it filled a yawning void of live sports during what's usually one of the busiest weeks of the international sporting calendar. The fights were initially scheduled to be aired in the U.S. on the ESPN+ subscription service, but instead filled nearly six hours on ESPN.