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Forget Fight Island, because Fight Peninsula (aka Florida) is ready right now to host professional prizefights according to new orders from Gov. Ron DeSantis that basically deemed professional sports as “essential services” in the state. The news was first reported by ESPN in regards to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) but is now confirmed to include Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) and boxing, too.
Per a memo sent by DeSantis’ office dated April 9, the following businesses are deemed essential in the state which means they now may proceed in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic:
“Employees at a professional sports and media production with a national audience — including any athletes, entertainers, production team, executive team, media team and any others necessary to facilitate including services supporting such production — only if the location is closed to the general public.”
So Dana White’s so-called Fight Island is officially yesterday’s news. Or perhaps its tomorrow’s news? Whatever the case, Fight Peninsula is what’s important today because it’s ready right this second.
Florida ‘Prepared to Regulate’ Professional Sports
Under the new order, boxing and MMA promoters, particularly the headstrong executives of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) now have a direct path to making fights happen during the COVID-19 outbreak. In fact, when asked specifically by MMA Fighting’s Damon Martin about when the state would sanction a UFC card during the pandemic under these new orders, the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation confirmed that to be the case.
“The [Florida State Boxing Commission] is prepared to regulate a professional sports production that is planned and executed in accordance with the conditions of the essential service approvals issued by the State Coordinating Officer,” commission officials revealed to MMA Fighting.
That has to be music to ears of UFC president White. After all, the UFC had initially planned to move forward with UFC 249 on April 18 before it was ultimately canceled even though the UFC never officially revealed the location. In the weeks prior to the cancelation, White was fighting against multiple setbacks on a daily basis including fighters dropping out of the event like flies and high-level state officials in California coming out against the idea of it happening at the rumored venue within that state’s borders. And in the end, White finally met an obstacle he could not overcome when high-level executives at Disney would not allow the event to take place.
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Would Disney Intervene Again to Halt Planned Florida Fights?
Whether the high-level Disney officials who made White postpone UFC 249 would do the same thing should White move his events to Florida instead of the rumored Fight Island location remains to be seen. Maybe professional fights won’t be around for some time due to social distancing, or maybe those same rules will be modified the way they have been in the world of pro wrestling.
Regardless, Fight Peninsula has a nice ring to it. Besides, if anything, Florida standing ready to host professional fights gives White and other top officials in the world of combat sports more options to continue their businesses during these tough times.
That might not be what top health officials around the world would prefer, but it would at least keep fighters and everyone else involved in those businesses busy with work that would pay them for their services.
That keeps the fight community fed and means more money in the hands of many who probably need it.
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Twitter: @Kelsey_McCarson