To meet public health guidelines, with the current coronavirus pandemic, the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT Abu Dhabi) closed the 10-square-mile (25 km) island, which included sand, hotel and training facilities. and dining establishments for approximately 2,500 Yas Island athletes, coaches, staff, event staff, and employees.
“Zero positives on the island, 12,500 tests, 100 athletes, four title fights … are [Abu Dhabi] light years ahead of everyone else in what is happening with Covid, so it really was the perfect partnership. “
‘I never listen to the media’
While White was ahead of the game by bringing the UFC back as quickly as possible, he apparently received some criticism from the media for his sport’s quick return to the Octagon. Reflecting on recent events, his sense of vindication is palpable.
Leaning toward the camera, White, 51, exclaims; “Where are you now!?”
He added: “Why aren’t they writing the stories that they were wrong, and we could do this, and we could do it, and it’s been safe?
“I never listen to the media, never. The media will never determine how I run my business or how I live my life.”
Time never stands still, especially in the often fast-paced UFC world, with a night of fighting scheduled for the Apex in Las Vegas this weekend.
Nine fights are planned for the month of August, bringing the grand total from May to 21, which (coincidentally) is a synonym for Las Vegas. In a bleaker moment, White acknowledges that maintaining security on American soil is a constant cause for concern.
“It’s something that worries me every day,” admits White.
“Everything we have done has been successful; it has been safe. I think we have now shown ourselves that we can do this and can do it, because I am not afraid to spend the money. It is expensive to do this well.”
‘You have to have the bubble’
Despite the UFC, other major US sports are also trying to make a comeback.
The MLS and NBA have been using the Orlando bubble to try to protect themselves against coronavirus cases: the NBA is slated to return later this week, while the MLS has navigated some rough waters but continued its MLS tournament is Back; however, baseball came quickly in the face of major Covid-19 challenges.
The games were postponed days after the United States’ national hobby began its season at its many ball stadiums across the country.
White, who tells CNN Sport that he has not heard from any of the numerous commissioners, gives some advice that he would presumably have shared with anyone who has called.
“One thing I can tell everyone,” he adds. “This is not going to work out of a bubble. You have to have the bubble, you have to put the people locked up, the people cannot escape, the people cannot go home. You know, in Abu Dhabi, people [who worked with UFC] … I haven’t seen their families in two months. “
Russian Nurmagomedov reportedly returned to training after the death of his father and coach, Abdulmanap, 57, who died in a Moscow hospital due to complications from the Covid-19 infection.
“It was very hard on him,” says White. “His father was a hero to him. He loved his father; they had a very close relationship and it was very hard for him.”
Another notable update is that White offers his perspective on Max Holloway’s controversial split decision loss to Alexander Volkanovski, in his recent featherweight title fight at UFC 251. (How controversial?
“It is the difficult part of the sport,” says White.
“The referees will not always be perfect; the judges will not always be perfect, and I haven’t really talked about this publicly, but you probably have to fight again. I don’t know if you give these guys another fight with someone else, or what happens. but you definitely have to fight again. “
Conor McGregor
And no conversation with White is complete without talking about a certain Conor McGregor, who once again retired from the sport last month.
“Conor McGregor is retired,” says the UFC president, before quickly adding: “You never know.”
White is aware that a swan is always possible, when it comes to the former two-division UFC world champion, but he has big problems in mind.
“Listen, it makes a lot of sense for me to come back at the right time,” explains White.
“I still don’t know when the time is right. I’m trying to make it to January 1. That’s my goal this year, to make it to January 1 without anything exploding this year in 2020. I can’t wait for 2020 to gone. This will be the worst year ever. ”
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