White Has Message For ‘Front Lines’ Of Coronavirus Battle

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President, Dana White, wants mixed martial arts (MMA) fans to know that come hell or high water, the UFC 249 pay-per-view (PPV) event is going to take place on April 18.

Since it won’t be happening in Brooklyn, New York, thanks to the recent coronavirus ban, White and Co. will have to take his team — as well as the fighters competing at UFC 249 — and ship them to another part of the world.

Which will directly affect front lines and first responders.

“I wanted to take a minute to send a special thank you to everybody working on the front lines to battle the COVID-19 pandemic,” White tweeted on Thursday. “Thanks to hospital employees, healthcare workers, grocery store employees, emergency services and everybody who is doing their part. Remember to thank those around you and be safe out there.”

I’m not sure I understand the decision to move forward when the rest of the country — and many parts of the world — are required to stay put. A live UFC event means airline travel, hotel stays, and in many cases, trips to the hospital.

The last thing we need is a fighter taking up space in the nearest medical center because they botched their weight cut, something that happened to UFC 249 headliner, Khabib Nurmagomedov, ahead of UFC 209 back in 2017.

The show must go on, I guess.