UFC boss Dana White believes he can get Fight Island going in June.
The UFC has been pushing through with plans to hold events amid the coronavirus pandemic. The promotion is set for UFC 249 on May 9. The card will be held inside the Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida.
Dana White Expects Fight Island In June
Speaking to ESPN’s Brett Okamoto, White said he anticipates hosting UFC events on a private island starting in June (h/t Marc Raimondi).
“Fight Island should be up and running in June. So I should be able to start running international events in June. From May 9 to May 23, we’ll knock out four shows. And then in June we can start international stuff on the island.
“I’m not in a big hurry to get fans back in the arena. I know we can do this thing safely with no fans. We have a good plan in place. I don’t know when the whole fan thing is going to start again.”
The UFC is gearing up for three events in May. The headliner for their May 9 show is scheduled to be an interim lightweight title bout. Tony Ferguson will collide with Justin Gaethje. The co-main event will see bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo put his gold up for grabs against Dominick Cruz.
On April 18, the UFC was supposed to hold an event. The promotion attempted to hold the UFC 249 card on tribal land in California. This would’ve allowed the UFC to avoid adhering to the California State Athletic Commission and a stay-at-home order. Pressure from Disney, ESPN, and the state of California forced the event to be pushed back.
