Jacare Tests Positive For Coronavirus, UFC 249 Still On

Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC

Ronaldo Souza has tested positive for coronavirus leading into his middleweight bout with Uriah Hall tomorrow night (Sat., May 9, 2020) at UFC 249 live on ESPN+ from inside VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla., per a recent report by ESPN,

Souza was still allowed to attend the official UFC 249 weigh ins as the promotion awaited the results, but he wore gloves and kept his distance from Hall during staredowns. Check it out below:

Despite Souza’s positive test, UFC 249 is still moving forward as planned. This is in accordance with the Florida commission, which insists that the “system worked” in the case of Souza.

Bullet dodged?

While UFC 249 looks like it’s still going to happen tomorrow night this certainly isn’t a good look. Hopefully this is an isolated incident and no other fighters end up testing positive. If that should ever happen it would be hard to justify still hosting the event.

For now, UFC 249 will proceed with 11 total fights.

MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 249 fight card RIGHT HERE, starting with the ESPN+/Fight Pass “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. ET, then the remaining undercard balance on ESPN+/ESPN at 8 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

To check out the latest and greatest UFC 249: “Ferguson vs. Gaethje” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.