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Dana White has been scrutinized because of his desire to push through with UFC events during the coronavirus pandemic but he insists the organisation\u2019s return this weekend is \u201cas safe as it can possibly be\u201d.<\/p>\nDana White has been scrutinized because of his desire to push through with UFC events during the coronavirus pandemic but he insists the organisation\u2019s return this weekend is \u201cas safe as it can possibly be\u201d.<\/p>\n
All eyes will be on the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida, on Saturday night as the UFC becomes the first high-profile sport on US soil to make a comeback \u2013 albeit behind closed doors.<\/p>\n
UFC 249 was scrapped a week before it was supposed to take place in Brooklyn on April 18 while the card has been reconfigured, with Tony Ferguson and Justin Gaethje\u2019s clash for the interim lightweight title topping a 12-fight bill.<\/p>\n
It is the first of three fight cards in eight days at the venue and while there is some unease about a return to business, with the US suffering nearly 75,000 coronavirus-related deaths, White tried to play down concerns.<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe we can pull this off and do it safe,\u201d the UFC president told CNN. \u201cI don\u2019t think you\u2019re going to see crowds back at live sports for a while.<\/p>\n
\u201cListen we have families, too. I have a family; I don\u2019t want to hurt my family. I don\u2019t want to die.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis isn\u2019t just some crazy, this is a well thought out plan. We\u2019ve had very, very smart people, doctors and people that have been involved with the UFC for a very long time working on this thing non-stop since it started.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe believe that we have this thing in a place where it can be as safe as it can possibly be.\u201d<\/p>\n
The current arrangement is thought to be a stopgap solution as White is developing plans to hold a number of cards from June on a \u2018fight island\u2019 at an unknown location.<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cThe island was a concept we came up with where we could get people in from anywhere in the world. It\u2019s basically for our international fights.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can bring people from whatever it might be, to this island, set up the infrastructure, where we can do the proper, you know, everything is clean, you know, the testing and everything that we need will be done there.\u201d<\/p>\n