POST IT NOTES
**We have an interview on the site with Josh Gross of The Athletic discussing the UFC’s position to push forward with their schedule and hold fight cards during the pandemic. In this conversation, we look at the history of Dana White, the reaction from fans, the measures in place, and other concerns that arise from this story.
MMA NEWS
**ESPN’s Marc Raimondi and Brett Okamoto have a Q&A posted what is known about the protocol for UFC 249. In the piece, they report that fighters and corners have been told that they will be tested for COVID-19 with tests being sent to their homes in advance of the card. UFC president Dana White has avoided answering this question when asked in various interviews and just stated how health and safety is something they are on top of. It’s a question that no matter the answer you will receive criticism. For UFC to go ahead and test individuals, there is such a short supply of tests that earmarking ones for fighters and cornermen is not an essential priority. On the other hand, no testing for the virus brings its own set of risks.
Dana White has said that there will be drug testing for the events, with USADA director of communications Adam Woullard issuing this statement to ESPN:
With all consideration to athlete safety and logistical challenges, we’re going to do everything in our power to conduct UFC event testing. Just like the referees in the Octagon, our doping control officers are an essential part of a fair fight.
The events will take place on tribal land that is outside the jurisdiction of the California State Athletic Commission, which has eliminated all combat sports events in the state through the end of May. On Thursday, Mike Heck at MMA Fighting spoke with Brian Dunn from the Association of Boxing Commissions, who stated these shows would be listed as ‘sanctioned’ and extended this listing for the future shows on the private island the UFC plans to run international events on:
After speaking with UFC officials, the ABC board of directors determined this event could be listed as sanctioned. When the UFC does international events, they regulate themselves using Nevada Athletic Commission inspectors, and this event on sovereign land is no different.
I was told that in addition to all usual medical testing requirements, they would screen everyone for COVID-19, have additional doctors and had made pre-arrangements with the nearest hospital to assure the immediate treatment of injured athletes.
There will also be select media in attendance for this event. It puts reporters in a difficult spot because I cannot imagine too many employers would be willing to place reporters in a potential danger zone for a sporting event. It’s a subject every reporter has to assess for themselves because it is important that media is on the ground to observe and report, if for no other reason than as a public service for other fighters scheduled to travel and understand the practices and measures in place.
**The UFC 250 card that was originally set for Sao Paulo, Brazil on Saturday, May 9th has been severely impacted by visa problems for multiple fighters. Guilherme Cruz at MMA Fighting reports that seven fights that were originally set for the card cannot compete due to consulates in Brazil shut down amidst the COVID-19 crisis and therefore, unable to secure visas to fight at the event’s new location in the U.S. The biggest name affected is Jose Aldo, who’s removal from the card was initially reported by Combate and was set to challenge UFC bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo in the main event. The Combate report stated that Dominick Cruz has verbally agreed to step in and fight Cejudo, but that fight has not officially been announced.
Other fighters unable to compete on May 9th include Ketlen Vieira, who was set to fight Marion Reneau, Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua and opponent Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, as well as Bethe Correira, Carlos Felipe, and Augusto Sakai.
**The Wall Street Journal has written about the UFC’s financial incentives to move ahead with its 2020 schedule. In the report, they noted media analyst Brandon Ross, who believes the UFC could earn $750 million this year just by putting on their scheduled 42 events this year.
Ever since the UFC and ESPN+ made their deal for the streaming platform to become the exclusive distribution arm of their pay-per-views, the UFC is guaranteed a certain amount regardless of buys. Bloody Elbow’s John Nash estimates that figure to be around $20 million per pay-per-view. Now, it’s also believed that if buys exceed a certain threshold, the UFC does profit in that with ESPN+, so is still the incentive to put the biggest fights possible on but it’s not feast or famine with the UFC completely reliant on buys as they were in the previous era.
The UFC has maneuvered their business just like WWE where there is less risk when it comes to revenue because they have so much fixed income from their television rights fees and in UFC’s case, for their U.S. pay-per-view distribution.
In 2019, the UFC ran 42 total events including 12 pay-per-views (it would have been 13 but the UFC 233 pay-per-view in January 2019 at the Honda Center was canceled). Thus far, in 2020 they have run eights shows including three on pay-per-view. The pandemic has led to three UFC cards being postponed with the March 21st show in London, March 28th in Columbus, and April 11th show in Portland.
**Joe Rogan spoke about his concerns over the UFC running events and is unsure if he will be part of the broadcast for UFC 249.
**The New York Times reported on the UFC’s plans to stage its upcoming events from the Tachi Palace Casino Resort in Lemoore, California. The location of the UFC’s upcoming U.S.-based events was first revealed by Sherdog founder Jeff Sherwood on Monday night. The casino is on tribal land and therefore, not under the auspices of the California State Athletic Commission, who have canceled all combats sports events through the end of May.
A statement was issued by the CSAC regarding the UFC’s plan to move forward with its UFC 249 event on April 18th and subsequent shows in Lemoore, California:
The commission echoes the guidance of California Governor Gavin Newsom, the Department of Public Health, local health officials, and the recommendations of the Association of Ringside Physicians regarding the cancellation of events where people may be at risk of contracting Covid-19 and encourages the industry to do the same. The commission will not participate in the U.F.C. event on April 18, regardless of the event location.
**On Tuesday night, 30-year old Bellator fighter Isaiah Chapman was shot and transported to a hospital where he was pronounced dead in Akron, Ohio. MMA Fighting is reporting that police have arrested 29-year old Christopher Blouir and have charged him in connection to the murder. Chapman began fighting professionally in February 2012 for NAAFS out of Ohio where he went 5-1 in his first six fights. He fought once for World Series of Fighting (which was later re-branded as the PFL) and would also fight for Honor FC before joining Bellator. In his promotional debut with the promotion last October, he was submitted by Patchy Mix at Bellator 232 in Uncasville, Connecticut.
Chapman leaves behind three young children and a Go Fund Me has been set up to assist with funeral expenses and help out his family. We send out condolences to his family and friends.
**UFC lightweight Justin Gaethje spoke to ESPN’s Brett Okamoto about taking the short-notice five-round main event fight with Tony Ferguson on April 18th at UFC 249. The clip is very telling with Gaethje not hiding the significance of how big an undertaking this is for him:
Me being a realist, I have to be real and very honest when you ask me that question. I know that I have 18 to 19 minutes of pure hell, pure fury and I know I hard I hit. But after that, it’s going to be extremely tough to fight with Tony Ferguson in that space. I think I’m 90% right now and I think I’ll be closer to 95%. I have made some big sacrifice. In the last ten days, I’ve lost 12 pounds and I have not cheated one time. When I go in there, I will give 100% as I do every time. Humans recognize effort and I will give max effort.
**Kevin Iole of Yahoo Sports has a story with additional details of what measures the UFC is attempting to have in place for UFC 249 and subsequent fight cards at their ‘undisclosed location’ believed to be in Lemoore, California at the Tachi Palace Casino Resort:
-Advanced medical screening for everyone
-No overlap of fighters at the location between fight cards
-Working to put treadmills in every fighter’s room and portable saunas, outdoor running track built
-Cooks and kitchen staff running a restaurant
-Housekeepers won’t enter the rooms or touch the doorknobs, leave a basket provided for new towels
-Most likely UFC will self regulate the show
-Level 1 trauma center on fight nights for fighters
-Twice the normal number of doctors working the shows
-Never a group of ten or more people in the same room
**Sports Business Daily looks at the UFC’s decision to run shows and the impact the coronavirus is having on parent company Endeavor.
**Dutch broadcaster Talpa Network will not be running the UFC 249 card next weekend. Irish reporter Andy Stevenson reached out for a statement to inquire about the network’s decision being based on ethical reasons with the UFC holding a card during the ongoing pandemic:
In consequence of the coronavirus and the measures of the RIVM, we have adjusted the programming of SBS6, Net5, Veronica, and SBS9. We are temporary not broadcasting any live sports events on our channels due to the current health measures and the cancellation of live sport events all over the world. We do not think the live UFC matches are a good fit within this custom programming. That is why we also have decided not to broadcast them via KIJK.nl.
*****
upNXT 4/8/20: FakeOver Tampa
Braden Herrington and Davie Portman review the April 8th WWE NXT featuring two matches from what would have been TakeOver: Tampa including Tommaso Ciampa vs. Johnny Gargano in their final encounter (aka The Final Beat).
https://www.postwrestling.com/2020/04/09/upnxt-4-8-20-fakeover-tampa/
*****
REWIND-A-DYNAMITE 4/8/20: TNT Championship Tournament Begins
John Pollock and Wai Ting review AEW Dynamite featuring Cody vs. Shawn Spears in the first match of the TNT Championship tournament. Plus, news on WWE’s next set of TV tapings and more.
https://www.postwrestling.com/2020/04/09/rewind-a-dynamite-4-8-20-tnt-championship-tournament-begins/
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POST INTERVIEW: Josh Gross, Senior Writer at The Athletic
John Pollock chats with Josh Gross of The Athletic about the UFC’s decision to move forward with UFC 249 and continue its schedule of fight cards.
https://www.postwrestling.com/2020/04/08/post-interview-josh-gross-senior-writer-at-the-athletic/
*****
TIGER KING: Murder, Mayhem and Madness Review
John Pollock & Wai Ting review the 2020 Netflix true-crime documentary series, Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness showcasing the unbelievable world of Joe Exotic and colorful characters such as Carole Baskin and “Doc” Antle.
https://www.postwrestling.com/2020/04/08/tiger-king-murder-mayhem-and-madness-2020-review/
*****
POST INTERVIEW: Jim Ross, “Under the Black Hat”
On today’s show, John Pollock speaks with Jim Ross about his new book Under the Black Hat: My Life in WWE and Beyond.
https://www.postwrestling.com/2020/04/07/post-interview-jim-ross-under-the-black-hat/
*****
REWIND-A-RAW 4/6/20: “Drew Big for Just One Night!”, WWE 24 Edge
John Pollock and Wai Ting review WWE Raw after WrestleMania 36 and WWE 24 Edge: The Second Mountain. Plus, UFC 249 goes on and Firefly Fun House discussion.
https://www.postwrestling.com/2020/04/07/rar-4-6-20-drew-big-for-just-one-night-wwe-24-edge/
*****
REWIND-A-RAW 4/6/20: “Drew Big for Just One Night”, WWE 24 Edge
John Pollock and Wai Ting review WWE Raw after WrestleMania 36 and WWE 24 Edge: The Second Mountain. Plus, UFC 249 goes on and Firefly Fun House discussion.
https://www.postwrestling.com/2020/04/07/rar-4-6-20-drew-big-for-just-one-night-wwe-24-edge/
*****
WRESTLEMANIA 36 NIGHT 2 POST SHOW
John Pollock & Wai Ting are back to review WWE WrestleMania 36 Night 2 featuring John Cena vs. “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt in a Firefly Fun House match, Brock Lesnar vs. Drew McIntyre for the WWE Championship, and Edge vs. Randy Orton.
https://www.postwrestling.com/2020/04/05/live-link-wrestlemania-36-night-2-post-show-1015pm-et/
*****
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