Behind-the-scenes at UFC 249, the world's first major sports event in a COVID-19 era — which was held in a spookily empty 15,000 seat arena
Alan Dawson
UFC 249.Photos by Getty Images, AP Images, and Reuters Connect
- The UFC became the first major sports organization to restart operations in the United States on May 9 after a two-month, coronavirus-enforced hiatus.
- One fighter and two cornermen tested positive for COVID-19 during fight week so while that bout was canceled, the rest of the show went ahead as planned.
- There were many coronavirus-related safety measures the UFC implemented, including temperature checks, antibody tests, and regular sanitization of the Octagon.
- People at UFC 249 were asked to sign a waiver which released UFC from any responsibility if someone got infected with the coronavirus, as reported by ESPN.
- Reuters also reported that any fighter who criticized the UFC's safety protocols regarding the coronavirus could be docked of their entire pay.
- The UFC boss Dana White addressed this in a post-event press conference saying it's actually a "disparagement" clause, meaning you just cannot criticize the company for no good reason.
- Go behind-the-scenes with the following photographs — seeing some of the UFC's most famous faces in a way you might not have seen before.
- Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.
The only thing left to do after each fight was finished, was for the winner to commemorate the bout with a selfie, like Vicente Luque did with his two masked cornermen here after destroying Niko Price's eye with a hellfire overland left.
Source: Insider.
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But the interview, conducted by MMA reporter Megan Olivi, was done in another room to abide distancing measures.
Henry Cejudo flexed his biceps for the camera with his freestyle wrestling Olympic gold medal from the 2008 games around his neck, and UFC world title belt strapped around his waist.
Henry Cejudo talked to Dana White through the Octagon fence after saying he was retired from the sport following a convincing UFC bantamweight title defense against Dominick Cruz. Cruz later claimed that the referee stunk of "alcohol and cigarettes."
Source: Insider.
Justin Gaethje shook up the MMA world when he battered Tony Ferguson, finishing the unpredictable fighter in the fifth. The win tees up a UFC lightweight unification title fight with Khabib Nurmagomedov later in the year.
Source: Insider.
The fights themselves were a roaring success. Francis Ngannou scored his fourth successive first round knockout, and is now on the cusp of a UFC heavyweight title shot.
Source: Insider.
The UFC's US broadcaster, ESPN, reported that participants, including media, were asked to sign a liability waiver. "The waiver includes the assumption of risk for participants if they test positive for the coronavirus and releases UFC from any responsibility in case of infection."
Source: ESPN.
The UFC boss Dana White addressed this in a post-event press conference saying it's actually a "disparagement" clause, meaning you just cannot criticize the company for no good reason.
Source: MMA Fighting.
One leak from UFC 249's fight week was an event participation agreement. This said that fighters taking part on Saturday could be docked of their pay if they publicly criticized the UFC's COVID-19 precautions.
Source: Reuters.
There was a hand sanitizing station for anyone who wanted to use it.
Credentialed reporters like this author could tune in to the media scrums remotely but there were a few journalists who attended in person. They had a media room to themselves, and were positioned on separate desks.
A cameraman, photographer on her computer, and media members socially-distant on separate tables were seen wearing masks behind-the-scenes.
Photos by Jasen Vinlove / USA Today Sports and AP Photo/John Raoux
The Octagon, fence, and canvas was kept sanitized between fights.
Photos by Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images and AP Photo/John Raoux
UFC commentators Dan Cormier, Joe Rogan, and Jon Anik were kept on separate broadcast tables to honor social distancing.
The Octagon walk could get weird as Sam Alvey proved ahead of his light heavyweight fight against Ryan Spann when he gestured at the empty arena, and high-fived thin air.
Staff sanitized warm-up mats. Athletes were kept in separate rooms while others isolated in the UFC host hotel, one mile away. When a fight finished, the athletes warming up entered the arena with the next competitors escorted from the hotel, to the venue.
… but there were many familiar faces cage-side like the UFC commentator Joe Rogan, president Dana White, broadcaster Megan Olivi, and Octagon announcer Bruce Buffer.
Photos by Jeff Bottari / Zuffa LLC and Douglas P. DeFelice / Getty Images
The 15,000 capacity arena, which has once been an entertainment home for Elton John, Rihanna, and Ariana Grande, may appear empty at first glance …
Ronaldo 'Jacare' Souza was the only athlete earlier in the week to test positive for the coronavirus, and so his fight against Uriah Hall was canceled. His two cornermen also tested positive. The remaining 22 athletes at UFC 249 tested negative, so they could fight.
Source: Insider.
But before media and broadcast crews could gain entrance, they had to take a COVID-19 coronavirus antibody test and get their temperatures checked.
Photos by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images and Jasen Vinlove / USA Today Sports
It was so empty inside that you wouldn't even know there was an elite sporting event going on.
The UFC held its behind-closed-doors pay-per-view show at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville on Saturday, May 9. There were no fans, the production crew was reduced from 120 to 80, and few media were allowed in.
Source: Insider.
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