As the sporting world remains in lockdown, UFC president Dana White is adamant the show must go on, revealing his radical plan to keep MMA alive.
Two weeks before UFC 249, headline act Khabib Nurmagomedov confirmed he would be unavailable for his highly-anticipated fight with Tony Ferguson, the Russian stuckin his home nation due to travel restrictions.
Although a replacement was found for Nurmagomedov, the event will remain a bizarre experience for fans watching from home, with no spectators allowed.
Almost every other sporting event across the globe has been shut down – Wimbledon was cancelled for the first time since World War II, while the Tokyo 2020 Olympics were postponed 12 months.
But White has laughed at suggestions the UFC should also be cautious, arguing the coronavirus restrictions are too strict and "driven by fear".
"Everybody's running and hiding. I'm one of those guys that would rather get out there and find solutions. How do we figure this out? How do we beat this thing?" White queried in March.
UFC boss Dana White. Photo / Getty
"I think that the media has made this thing scary. People are buying all of the toilet paper there is. If you just look at a lot of things that are going on, it's wacky and totally driven by fear. It's very weird.
"I think that in a year or two, we're going to be like, 'Holy s***, we shut down the whole world for this thing?'"
As of Tuesday evening, nearly 11,000 Americans have died from the coronavirus.
"One thing is guaranteed – We're all going to die of something. You can't be somebody that's going to hide in your house for months," White told Yahoo! Sports.
"I don't think I'm a high-risk guy for this thing, and if I'm wrong, then the corona is going to get me. It is what it is. There's nothing you can do about it. I'm not going to refuse to live my life. I'm not going to hide.
"Whether you're a coronavirus expert or not, it's like hiding from cancer. You can't hide from this thing. If you are a high-risk person, this thing's going to get you."
Khabib Nurmagomedov is stuck at home because of travel restrictions. Photo / Getty
White inevitably copped a flood of backlash for the dangerous remarks, but has remained focused on ensuring the sport can continue amid the epidemic.
Speaking to TMZ Sports, White claimed the UFC will be "pumping out fights every week" over the coming couple of months. The 50-year-old also said American fights would take place in an unconfirmed venue in the US, while a "private island" would eventually host the international bouts.
"I am a day or two away from securing a private island … we're getting the infrastructure put in now, so I'm going to start doing the international fights too," White said.
