Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
The UFC says they are coming back to Vegas sooner than many expected.
UFC president Dana White has revealed that the promotion will return to the fight capital of the world, Las Vegas, on May 23rd to host a Fight Night card.
The UFC will host their first event in almost two months this weekend, UFC 249 in Florida, after having to cancel several cards due to the coronavirus outbreak. That card is just the start of the hectic schedule White and his UFC team have put together for this month, with four cards taking place between May 9th and 23rd.
Talking in a recent Q&A with Sports Illustrated, White discussed how busy the promotion have been during the COVId-19 outbreak.
“While everybody was f—king lying out by the pool, hanging out and doing whatever the f—k they’re doing in quarantine, we were in here f—king grinding, man. Fighting crazy wars every day to put on this first event. We pulled it off. We were gonna be able to hold this thing earlier, and they asked us to stand down. … Now we’re going Saturday, Wednesday, Saturday. And I don’t think I’ve told anybody this yet: We’re gonna come back to Vegas and put on a fight May 23.”
With almost all other major sports around the globe being cancelled or postponed until further notice, the UFC has faced criticism for starting to host events again with lockdowns still in place around the world. White thinks the criticism has led to him being “mischaracterized” as a COVID-19 denier.
“One hundred percent. Absolutely. That’s what I’m always painted as. … Corporate greed. … I’m a f—king money monger. I’m this and that. I’m like: Do you f—king people understand that I don’t have to do this? I could’ve f—king retired five years ago.
“I’m not doing this because I need the money. I haven’t laid off one employee. Everybody is getting paid. Fighters that were supposed to fight: If they didn’t get their fight, they’re getting some money, too. It isn’t like we’re about to go bankrupt over here, and if I don’t pull off this fight on May 9 we’re f–ked.”