Photo by Gabe Ginsberg/FilmMagic
As the coronavirus pandemic continues to keep the world of sports under quarantine, most major mixed martial arts (MMA) promotions are making the necessary adjustments. That includes Bellator MMA, which recently postponed its events though the month of May.
Following the lead set by Scott Coker is Professional Fighters League (PFL) CEO Peter Murray, who delayed the start of his 2020 season on Monday. Probably because it’s difficult to stage live sporting events when most stateside arenas are closed to the public.
“The Professional Fighters League is continuing to monitor the COVID-19 global crisis closely and assessing its impact on the PFL 2020 Season,” Peter Murray, CEO of Professional Fighters League wrote. “The health and safety of our fighters, fans, partners, and league personnel remain our top priority.”
Sadly, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) does not share this outlook and is working feverishly to cobble together a UFC 249 pay-per-view (PPV) fight card, which as of this writing is still scheduled for April 18 at a city and venue to be named.
“In light of this unprecedented pandemic, we are adjusting our plan for the rest of this year and look forward to starting our next season as soon as it is feasible,” Murray continued. “We are committed to continuing to evolve and grow the sport of MMA.”
A timeline for the start of the promotion’s 2020 season has yet to be established.