White targets Arizona as venue for May 30 event

Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC

Dana White reveals the UFC’s contingency plan for their scheduled May 30 event. After three shows they proclaimed successful in Jacksonville, Florida over the past week, the UFC has one more planned event le…

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Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC

Dana White reveals the UFC’s contingency plan for their scheduled May 30 event.

After three shows they proclaimed successful in Jacksonville, Florida over the past week, the UFC has one more planned event left for the month of May. Originally set for May 23rd, the last card of the month was moved to May 30th with the venue still unspecified.

The said event was intended to take place at the UFC’s APEX facility in Las Vegas. But given Nevada’s ongoing mandate against live sports events, those plans remain up in the air.

For his part, UFC president Dana White is confident that the May 30 event will happen, whether it takes place in Las Vegas or somewhere else in the US. During Saturday’s post-fight scrum for the final event in Jacksonville, White broached the idea of staging the event in Arizona.

“That’s 100% where I’ll go,” White told reporters.

Last week, Arizona governor Doug Ducey gave the green light for professional sports to return in the state by May 16, provided that there will be no fans in attendance. In a statement sent by the Arizona Athletic Commission to Bloody Elbow, guidelines are already being drafted for the possible staging of sports events in the state.

Arizona’s Boxing & MMA Division has been contacted by UFC expressing interest in Arizona for a May 30 live event. The UFC has submitted their health and safety procedures that were used in prior events requiring social distancing and other enhanced safety protocols.

At the same time, our office has developed draft guidelines in conjunction with our Chief Ringside Physician, Dr. Ken Ota, along with guidance from Dr. Don Muzzi of the Association of Ringside Physicians.

The draft guidelines will be submitted for appropriate review before any live event can take place. The Division is working tirelessly to bring combat sports back to Arizona in a socially responsible fashion keeping all participants safe for a strong and cautious return.

Scheduled to headline the final May event is a welterweight tiff between former champion Tyron Woodley and Gilbert Burns.