Dominick Cruz believes UFC 249 should go ahead as planned on April 18.
Despite the coronavirus pandemic putting a halt to life and sports around the world, UFC president Dana White has been adamant about going ahead with UFC 249.
Many observers and media members have criticized him for doing so as they feel he isn’t taking the coronavirus seriously nor is he caring for the health and safety for his employees and fighters. But as far as Cruz is concerned, if UFC 249 goes ahead, it will be done so following all the rules:
“Some people are saying, ‘You’re supposed to be on lockdown,’” Cruz told MMA Fighting. “As far as I know, when this fight goes forward, they’re going to follow the rules of the lockdown — and I don’t know anything. The UFC hasn’t told me anything. Nobody knows anything.
“If you follow the protocols, this fight can happen safely. I believe that, in the right venue, on television, because there’s not going to be anybody in the venue. So I believe that it’s possible, but at the same time, I think it’s a way to hype up the entire world if you think about it.”
Cruz is set to commentate on the card as well and believes there is a huge opportunity for everyone involved in UFC 249 — such as the number of eyeballs on UFC fighters:
“This is a real opportunity, especially with being the fastest growing sport in the world,” Cruz said. “In fighting, we personify the idea of, you get hit, you get back up and keep moving. If there was ever a sport that makes sense to air during this virus, it would be an MMA fight where the world is frozen, but you can’t kill us completely. You still have some entertainment going on, and we’re staying safe when we do it. We’re not letting the virus completely ruin every ounce of everything in the world, and I see it as somewhat of a motivation. We can still live life, we can still grow, we can still fight for things.
“The entertainment that will be seen from that fight card when all other sports are shut down, think of how many eyes are going to be on it. People are begging for entertainment in the sports realm, and if you can have it where just two people can show up safely, be televised, maybe have someone commentating to explain to the world what’s going on in this sport, this could be the most seen fight in the history of ever. It has the possibility to do that, and I see that as a huge motivation for all of the world right now, being as we’re all in a pandemic and trying to stay in. We’ll all have something to look to that’s still going, that’s still thriving, that’s still growing, that still has drive and vision. And that would be fighters in these moments.”
For now, the expected lightweight title headliner between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson seems to be off. Whether Ferguson fights a short-notice opponent such as Justin Gaethje or we get an entirely new main event remains to be seen at this point.
Do you agree with Cruz?