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UFC President Dana White Addresses Coronavirus Impact on UFC Events

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Dana White defies the broader sports shutdown, confirming the UFC will push forward with its upcoming fight schedule despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

While major professional leagues, including the NBA, NHL, and MLB, have hit the pause button on their seasons, UFC President Dana White confirmed in a March 13, 2020, statement that the promotion intends to operate without interruption. White dismissed the “panic” currently gripping the sports world, asserting that the organization will continue to hold events by navigating local government regulations to ensure fighters remain active and paid.

• UFC Fight Night: Lee vs. Oliveira will proceed on March 14 in an empty 16,000-seat Nilson Nelson Gymnasium in Brasilia after local authorities banned mass gatherings.
• The promotion is actively exploring relocating events scheduled for Columbus and Portland to the UFC APEX in Las Vegas to bypass state-level assembly restrictions.
• UFC 249, featuring the lightweight title clash between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson, remains officially set for April 18 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

We’re not stopping. We’re going to keep going.

Operational Shifts in Brazil

The immediate fallout from evolving health mandates forced an abrupt change for UFC Fight Night in Brasilia. After Federal District Governor Ibaneis Rocha issued a decree prohibiting public gatherings, White confirmed the promotion would proceed inside a closed-door environment. The 16,000-seat arena will be restricted to essential personnel only, including the fighters, their corners, and the production crew required to broadcast the Boxing and MMA card. This pivot stands in direct opposition to the path taken by the NBA, which suspended its season entirely following positive tests within its ranks.

Infrastructure and APEX Contingencies

To sustain its domestic schedule, the UFC is preparing to leverage its own controlled production environment in Nevada. The promotion is evaluating the relocation of upcoming events previously slated for public arenas in Columbus, Ohio, and Portland, Oregon, to the UFC APEX in Las Vegas. By utilizing this private facility, the UFC aims to circumvent state-level gathering limitations that have complicated access to traditional venues, keeping the fight clock running while the MLB and other organizations wait for government clarity.

The Status of UFC 249

White maintains that the organization’s marquee event, UFC 249, remains on schedule for the Barclays Center on April 18. Despite New York officials implementing new gathering restrictions, the promotion has not yet declared a change in venue for the lightweight title fight between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson. The UFC continues to evaluate local regulatory shifts in real-time, holding firm to the current date while finalizing safety protocols to keep the sport operational.

The promotion’s ability to keep the lightweight championship on track hinges on the next round of health directives from New York officials. If the Barclays Center becomes untenable, White will need to secure a new jurisdiction or facility to host the card quickly, as the April 18 date remains the most critical marker on the current UFC calendar.