Dana White’s decision to host UFC 249 in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic hit a major bump in the road yesterday when Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza and two of his cornermen tested positive for covid-19 less than 24 hours before the event takes place in Jacksonville, Florida, but nonetheless the UFC President is confident the show will go on.
White himself had come into contact with ‘Jacare’ and everyone else of the card yesterday during the post-weigh-in staredowns as he shared fist-bumps with all the fighters while standing inbetween them, but he appears unconcerned and has instead chosen to hail the news as a sign that the healthy and safety procedures the promotion had implemented as being a success.
“We administered 1,200 tests this week, on 300 people,” UFC president Dana White told ESPN. “It’s not unexpected one person would test positive. The system works. And what’s good about this, is now we know Jacare tested positive, he’s doing what he needs to do and we’re in a position to help him if he needs it.”
White is backed up by the Florida State Athletic Commission who have given the event the greenlight to continue tonight in Jacksonville, while echoing White’s sentiments that the “system works.”
In addition, White also informed ESPN that the positive tests won’t have any impact on the other two events currently scheduled to take place in Jacksonville this coming Wednesday and Saturday.
