Getty The Octagon is lit up in purple and gold for a 9 second moment of silence for Kobe Bryant during UFC 247 at Toyota Center on February 08, 2020.
On March 12, it was announced by UFC president Dana White that Brasilia’s UFC Fight Night 170 would be fought behind closed doors, without an audience. The only individuals allowed in the Ginásio Nilson Nelson sporting arena are officials, employees, and fighters and their teams.
During the event, one UFC employee took it upon himself to increase the excitement inside the empty arena. Here is a video UFC matchmaker Mick Maynard:
U̶F̶C̶ ̶M̶A̶T̶C̶H̶M̶A̶K̶E̶R̶
HERO.
@MickMaynard2 is carrying the voice of millions tonight 😂👏 #UFCBrasilia
Maynard tweeted this before the fights began:
I’m going to take on the responsibility of being the “every fan” tonight. I will be leading the chants woooooooo, yell to kick him in the nuts, stand him up, whistle at the octagon girls and of course chant ooo vai morrer
His tweet reads, “I’m going to take on the responsibility of being the “every fan” tonight. I will be leading the chants woooooooo, yell to kick him in the nuts, stand him up, whistle at the octagon girls and of course chant ooo vai morrer.”
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It’s Unclear What Will Happen With the Next Scheduled UFC Events
During the March 12 announcement, White revealed that London’s UFC Fight Night 171 would take place as normal. However, the BBC reported that the UK may ban public gatherings as early as next weekend. UFC Fight Night 171 is scheduled to take place next Saturday, March 21. The UFC has not commented on this situation.
The two events after that, UFC on ESPN 8 and UFC Fight Night 172, have both been moved to the UFC Apex Center in Las Vegas. But, the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) announced on March 14 that they are banning combat sports events in the state until March 25.
UFC on ESPN 8 is scheduled for March 28, three days after the timeline announced, but it’s possible that the NSAC will extend the ban for longer.
Is UFC 249 In Danger of Being Canceled?
One of the anticipated fights of the year is scheduled to take place in the main event of UFC 249. UFC Lightweight Champion Khabib “The Eagle” Nurmagomedov is set to defend his belt against the No. 1 contender, Tony “El Cucuy” Ferguson.
UFC 249 is booked to take place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. on April 18, however New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo banned public gatherings of more than 500 people.
And with the uncertainty around the NSAC ban and how long it’ll last, the option of moving UFC 249 to the Apex Center is questionable. If UFC 249 is canceled, this will be the fifth time a match between the two lightweight fighters has been scratched.
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