WWE resumes live shows in Florida, opening the door for potential UFC events

The UFC may potentially have found a new location for upcoming events.

After Dana White was forced to pull the plug on this weekend’s UFC 249 and suspend all scheduled events indefinitely, there may be a fresh opportunity to hold live fight cards without the need to go around state governance.

According to ESPN, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said professional wrestling promotion WWE has now been branded as an “essential business” in Florida, and the company will be allowed to resume live shows, just as long as events aren’t open to the general public.

Florida’s stay-at-home order initially prevented all live sporting events as they weren’t regarded as “essential businesses,” but the decision was reversed in an April 9 memo from Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office, outlining the “Additions of Essential Services.” Included in the list are “employees at a professional sports and media production with a national audience – including any athletes, entertainers, productions team, executive team, media team and any others necessary to facilitate including services supporting such production.”

White is currently in the process of building Fight Island – which he hopes will be up and running by next month – in an undisclosed location, with the intentions of shipping international fighters over to train and compete.

But with these new advancements for professional sports in the state of Florida, the UFC could potentially follow the WWE’s lead in resuming their live slate of events, though the Florida State Boxing Commission, which oversees combat sports in the state, would also need to approve any proposed event, as well.