The UFC is so concerned about making money it doesn't care if fighters get the coronavirus and 'die,' a Bellator MMA athlete says
- The UFC's approach to the restarting its combat calendar in the middle of a pandemic has been rebuked by a fighter from a rival organization.
- Bellator MMA champion Patricio Freire is one of the best mixed martial artists on the planet and said the UFC doesn't seem to care if its athletes get the coronavirus, so long as the UFC makes money.
- Bellator has paused operations and paid athletes who were due to compete at canceled events the money they would have received had they shown up and won.
- UFC, meanwhile, is "inhuman," according to Freire.
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The UFC is so concerned about making money it doesn't care if fighters get the coronavirus and die, an athlete from a rival organization said.
Patricio Freire, a 32-year-old two-weight champion in Bellator MMA, features prominently in Insider's top-15 list of the best mixed martial artists in the world today.
The UFC is a money-first and fighter-last company, according to Freire, who told MMA Fighting this week that the way Bellator MMA has conducted itself through the coronavirus pandemic has been far more fighter-friendly.
The UFC's approach, by contrast, "seems inhuman," Freire said.
The worsening spread of the coronavirus halted all major sports in mid-March, beginning with the NBA temporarily halting its league, followed by soccer leagues in Europe, and then the 2020 Olympic Games.
The UFC initially postponed three of its events, but was determined to proceed with its UFC 249 card originally scheduled for April 18.
It tried to put the show on native American land but Disney, which owns the UFC's broadcast partner ESPN, ordered UFC boss Dana White to cancel his plans because of mounting political pressure from California governor Gavin Newsom.
White recently acknowledged that trying to restart combat sports in the middle of a pandemic is "very expensive" but is determined to salvage UFC 249 by pushing the event to May 9, potentially in Florida.
While UFC's strategy has appeared chaotic, and even apparently includes the leasing of a private island, its combat sport rival Bellator MMA has canceled shows and paid the fighters who were due to compete at scheduled events the money they would have earned had they shown up and won.
Freire is one of those fighters. "If it was my money, if I were a billionaire, I would do what Bellator is doing."
"I can't say a date that might not be cleared. 'Oh, I'm going to rent an island.' Is that even doable? And who are you taking to an island? How is that going to be?
"I would do just like Bellator … when the government opens everything, when you can bring in fighters from other continents, Okay. If that possibility is real, let's have an event. There's no debate.
"[UFC] is only making noise for the media, creating a mess and making money."
He added: "My impression is that fighters come last [with the UFC's approach]. Fulfilling contracts come first, making money.
"Bring entertainment for those at home, and f--- the fighter if he's going to catch the virus or die. It seems inhuman."
Freire is keen to compete again, but only when it is safe to do so
Prominent athletes like Tony Ferguson and Justin Gaethje are currently preparing to fight at a May 9 event which could be canceled at the last minute, like UFC 249 on April 18 was, at a location which is yet to be disclosed.
Should the new UFC 249 event take place in Florida in two weeks, it will do so in a state with 27,791 confirmed cases of the coronavirus already.
Though Freire can seemingly relate to the desire to compete at a moment's notice, saying he's "ready" to fight right now, he would only do so when it is safe.
"I'm training twice a day," he said. "The only thing I'm not doing is having contact in the gym, so I'm not sparring or training wrestling and jiu-jitsu."
Freire was supposed to defend his Bellator title in the quarterfinal of the Bellator's coveted lightweight grand prix against Pedro Carvalho on March 13, but it was on a show Bellator canceled.
MMA Fighting reports that Bellator is considering restarting its combat calendar in "June or July" at a ViacomCBS-owned studio in Hollywood. It is, as of today, unclear if the Freire vs. Carvalho fight will be rescheduled for one of those months.
Regardless, Freire says he's "in great shape, fast, and strong."
He said: "If they say we're cleared to go, I'll start sparring and be ready the next day."
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