There will be a Bellator MMA card on Friday, just without any fans.
In response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the promotion announced on Thursday that the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut will be closed off to fans. This came after an initial report from TSN’s Aaron Broensteter.
“Out of an abundance of caution for all parties, #Bellator241 on Friday, March 13 at Mohegan Sun Arena will be closed to the public,” Bellator president Scott Coker tweeted. “Refunds for ticketholders will be available at their original point of purchase.”
Media won’t be allowed into Bellator 241, either.
The state of Connecticut just announced a ban on public gatherings larger than 250 people, so this was an inevitability.
This leaves the UFC as the only major MMA promotion not to release an official statement on its upcoming shows, although it has been reported that Saturday’s UFC Brasilia card will also be behind closed doors.
Bellator does not have another event scheduled until May 9th in California, a state that has been among the hardest hit by COVID-19 cases in the United States. The California State Athletic Commission has cancelled all combat sports events through the month of March, while Governor Gavin Newsom has also banned mass gatherings of more than 250 people, and that ban is likely to extend beyond March.
Major sports organizations such as the NHL, MLB, MLS, and NBA have suspended their respective seasons, while the NCAA has cancelled its upcoming college basketball and college wrestling tournaments.
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