Saturday night’s would-be headliner between Derrick Lewis and Curtis Blaydes was called off the last-minute after Blaydes tested positive for COVID-19. The same thing happened to Kevin Holland, who was pulled from his December 5 headliner against Jack Hermansson.
There have been numerous cancellations because of the virus since the UFC went back in business in May. And for company president Dana White, it’s all part of the game in 2020.
“It’s all good,” White told the media when asked about the recent cancellations at the UFC Vegas 15 post-fight presser. “We got three fight (cards) left this year. And we’ll get through it. It is part of doing business these days. If you look back to the old days, we used to have to worry about injuries. Now, it’s injuries and COVID.
“But for me, COVID’s one of these things we’re all gonna get. We’re all gonna get it. I haven’t got it yet, I’ve been traveling, I’ve been living a pretty normal life.
“I haven’t got it yet, but it’s like the flu, it’s like the cold, we’re eventually gonna get it.”
Because of the Lewis-Blaydes cancellation, the co-main event bout between Anthony Smith and Devin Clark was bumped up to headline the card. “Lionheart” won the fight via first-round submission.
The UFC President has repeatedly downplayed COVID-19 and its effect for months, likening government lockdown to “hiding from cancer,” and saying the entire world “turned into pussies overnight.”
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