These will be the first two UFC events with a full house in attendance since March 2020.
Face coverings/masks may not be mandatory for fans who want to go to the next two UFC pay-per-views, but the UFC is providing them.
The promotion announced on Tuesday that free face coverings will be distributed to anyone who wants them at UFC 261 on April 24th or UFC 262 on May 15th. These are the first two UFC shows with full capacity attendance since UFC 248 last March, about a week before the global shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mask-wearing has been (among pretty much everything else) a very divisive topic in the United States throughout the pandemic, with some states still keeping restrictions in place and others never even implementing a statewide mandate in the first place. Texas lifted their face covering requirements and Florida never even had a mandate to begin with, but private businesses are still permitted to implement their own requirements.
Additionally, the UFC have partnered with CLEAR’s Health Pass for a COVID-19 health questionnaire. Details are in the press release below:
Health Pass is a free, mobile experience by CLEAR that securely connects a user’s verified identity to multiple layers of COVID-19-related health information to help reduce public health risk.
Ticket holders will be able to use Health Pass to connect their identity with a securely linked, confidential COVID-related health questionnaire. All ticket holders are required to complete this questionnaire in advance, creating a seamless and expedited entry into VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena for those who are issued a green notification on their Health Pass app. Learn More Here.
Ticket holders who receive a red notification will not be permitted entry and will be advised to seek medical guidance, as well as information on how to obtain a refund.
Ticket holders who opt not to use the electronic version of CLEAR will be directed to a kiosk outside of VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena to complete a hard copy of the health questionnaire.
So for those curious as to what the UFC intended to do from a health and safety perspective for returning fans, you just about have your answer. Maybe the media wasn’t being crazy about it after all.