The UFC threw a line under pressure from UFC 249 on Thursday, the much-discussed event that the American martial arts organization wanted to keep on an Indian reservation in California next Saturday.
“We got a call today from Disney’s top bosses and ESPN’s top bosses, and the powerful people there asked me not to hold the event on April 18,” UFC boss Dana White told ESPN. He also reports that his union has shut down all games until further notice.
Disney owns ESPN, the sports channel that made an exclusive deal with the UFC last year for the pay-per-view rights to the battles of the MMA association. UFC 249 is also said to be broadcast via ESPN.
White has received a lot of criticism in the US in recent weeks, because the UFC was the last major sports organization to continue to organize matches in the corona crisis. Events on March 21, March 28, and April 11 were eventually canceled, but White made every effort to continue UFC 249.
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UFC boss Dana White. (Photo: Pro Shots)
UFC 249 was to take place on Indian reservation
The UFC boss reported on Monday that he had found a private island where athletes from outside the US could fight. It was then announced on Wednesday that UFC 249 would be held at the Tachi Palace Casino Resort.
That resort is located near the city of Fresno, California, on land owned by the Tachi Yokut tribe, a native North American people. The California State Athletic Commission has canceled all sports in the state until the end of May, but Indian reservations do not apply those rules.
Despite this, California politicians continued to pressure the UFC to cancel next Saturday’s event. California Senator Dianne Feinstein said in a statement on Thursday that she was “concerned” about reports that UFC 249 would continue. “That’s not the right decision now.”
White eventually decided to get a tarpaulin. “It’s been a fight from the beginning,” said the UFC boss, who promised his fans that there will be fights again soon. “We will be back first. And when the world is back to normal, there will be a big fight at the Tachi Palace.”
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