As the sports industry began to spiral into panic, postponing games and cancelling seasons, the world as we know it seems to be changing not just every day, but it seems to be forming a new landscape every couple of hours. Fight fans held our collective breath, because on the horizon, was UFC 249 Tony Ferguson vs Khabib Nurmagomedov. Like a regulator in the old west, while the world as everyone knew it was changing, Dana White, president of the UFC mounted up and went into battle mode. He rode fast and hard until he was asked respectfully asked to stand down.
As things stood between Ferguson and Khabib going toe to toe, this fight had been set up five different times over the last five years. From Liver failure, a torn ACL due to tripping on a cable, plus a plethora of other “WTF” moments. This fight has grown to that of mythic proportion. So, this time, as the fight grew closer, all fight fans wanted was these two combatants to be wrapped in bubble wrap. Just get these two guys to the cage. Then like an asteroid hitting the Earth, the pandemic Covid-19 covered the world in a fallout of uncertainty.
Amongst the ruble, Dana White assured the fight community this fight was still happening. He kept the game plane as close to the chest as possible. UFC employees either have exceptionally good poker faces or they too legitimately did not know the details. Every day as the fight clock ticked down to UFC 249, Uncle Dana (as fight fans have been known to call him) would tell every form of media out there that he was working on it and the fight was happening. But first up, UFC Fight Night Brazil.
On March fourteenth, the UFC held the event in an empty arena. It had a solid line up headlined by Charles Olivera and Kevin Lee. It had an octagon, television cameras, a referee, and commentators. What it did not have was fans in the seats. As eerie and uncertain as it was among, everything else happening out in the world, UFC Fight Night Brazil proved things could still happen that felt normal.
In the days after the fight, as travel bans and restrictions to public places seemed at times come out of nowhere, Uncle Dana assured fight fans, he had a plan and he was working it out. What he meant by “working it out” was buckle up, hold on and trust me. There is no bigger fight fan on earth than Dana White. He just happens to have the benefit of being the president of the largest fight organization of all time. So, when he said strap in, we did. One of, if not the biggest, fight of all time was still happening. Social media ran through rumors like Lard-Ass at the pie eating contest in “Stand By Me.” The fight was to be held at the UFC performance center in Vegas; the fight was going to be on native land; the fight was happening in Abu Dhabi. The wildest of rumors, the fight was happening on a private island. Yeah, like Dana White called up Johnny Depp and asked if he could rent his island, build a cage, fly in some fighters, and hold a fight.
Amidst all these rumors of where the fight was happening, Khabib Nurmagomedov, who had be training in the United States for his upcoming bout, decided to return to Russia. It could have been to finish up his camp. It could have been Khabib wanted to be home, near friends and family among an everyday changing landscape of how the world was dealing with covid-19. Whatever the reasoning, the decision was made and Khabib flew home. He still appeared to be training and holding up his end of the pre-fight game, but Russia had other plans. Travel restrictions had grounded the fighter known as the eagle. Kahbib would not be making it to the fight.
Within days of this news becoming a reality, the UFC and Uncle Dana tried to keep the dream alive by announcing Justin Gaethje had agreed to step in and fight Tony Ferguson. Gaethje is and always will be one of the blue-collar fighters that doesn’t care where or when, give him a mouthpiece and lock the cage door. The matchup is great because Ferguson is the exact same way. The man known as “El Cucuy” is always down for a good scrap, and he always wants to go toe to toe with another alpha cut from the same cloth.
Behind the scenes every step of the way, Uncle Dana still had our backs, when he was thrown a curve ball, the pandemic Covid-19, he sung and knocked it to left field for a base hit. Khabib cannot leave Russia. Ok, Dana is going to steal second base with, Gaethje. Back to rumors of where the fight was happening, the UFC complex, Abu Dhabi, Native American land, an island? There was a pitch and the batter swung and while Dana checked the pop fly on his way to third base, it turns out all the rumors were true. Yes, at one time the fight was going to be held at the performance center in Vegas, possibly overseas, ninety percent sure we’re holding it on Native American soil, and the best of all, one hundred percent true the UFC, or more likely Uncle Dana made some phone calls an convinced WME the entity that owns the UFC to purchase an island.
As Uncle Dana rounded third and sprinted for home, the world continued to wake up every day to a new normal. And then, while sliding into home plate, because UFC 249 was happening, Uncle Dana did what he had to, what he always does, he sat down an had to be honest to the fans. In an Instagram post he delivered the news that all fight fans dreaded; UFC 249 was not happening.
On April ninth Dana White sat in his office and laid if out for the fans. With disappointment on his face but a slight twinkle in his eyes and that trademark troublemaker grin, he assured us all the rumors where true and yes once we come out of this there will be a fight island. It has been purchased and the plans for a venue were being drawn up as he spoke. He also thanked Tachi Palace Casino Resort. Apparently, the powers that be, who run the central California resort had supported Uncle Dana’s idea to give fans a fight. Somewhere to sit with a drink, an event to call your friends about, share on social media, something even if for a brief few hours in April, to take our minds off the world outside.
Unfortunately, no official arrangements had the chance to be made before the governor of California allegedly called Disney, who owns ESPN, and has exclusive rights to air the UFC, and talked them into calling Dana White and respectfully asking him to stand down and stop pushing for the event.
Stand down. That is how Dana White described it in his video to the fans. As if he were our general, going into battle for the good of his people. Dana White was looking for a fight, had it, until Disney tagged him out. Dana could have just hidden behind a press release and said, “Hey guys, I tried, I’m sorry,” but that wouldn’t be his style. Like Will Smith say’s in Men In Black “the difference between me and you is, I make this look good.” When being asked to stand down and admit defeat, Dana makes it look good.
Can you imagine having to give in to this request after all the work put it by you and your te