PERTH, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 11: A general view of the Octagon during the UFC 221 event at Perth Arena on February 11, 2018 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
When will live mixed martial arts fights return to television?
With the world at a complete standstill due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, many mixed martial arts fans are wondering when their favorite sport will return.
The buildup and hype of ‘Fight Island’ and everything UFC 249 related felt too good to be true. It almost felt like that commercial, as if we had it, and then didn’t. You know the one.
UFC President Dana White vows to be the first back when sports return, but the lingering question still remains; When will that be?
In speaking with many fighters online (because I’m social distancing), many are not training the way they normally would. With gyms being closed, many don’t have the opportunity to properly train at home.
And if fighters can’t train, coaches and managers are not likely to let their fighters sign a contract to compete in professional mixed martial arts as soon as things open back up.
So, again… when will things return to normal?
We may see higher level organizations such as the UFC return in late May or early June, simply because they have the funds to get things done…. like ‘Fight Island.’ Most organizations however, especially on the regional level may not be back until July at the earliest. Greg Sirb, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Athletic Commission recently said that he did not expect to see things return until the summer, which leads me to believe that we may even see a shift in the number of promotions that will continue to put on shows.
The most popular online casino in Canada lists props for each major UFC event, so once action does resume, the site would be a good place to check which fighters are favored in upcoming contests.
