Fans react to Dana White finally canceling UFC 249 amid coronavirus pandemic
Despite Dana White’s best efforts, UFC 249 was officially canceled on Thursday amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The bout was initially scheduled to be held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. When that venue canceled after the coronavirus outbreak erupted in the United States, White was sent scrambling to find a new location for the fight — and even looked into holding it at the UFC facility, a casino on tribal land in California and even on a private island.
When news that the fight was finally canceled broke on Thursday afternoon, fans immediately turned to social media. Some were sorry to see the bout canceled, as it would have provided the first true live sporting event in weeks. Others, naturally, took shots at White for trying to force something despite every other sports league in the country shutting their doors due to the pandemic.
So ... is the Mortal Kombat island show still happening? https://t.co/sD69sN0zq3
— Jon Benne (@LordBenne) April 9, 2020
RIP Fighter Fest https://t.co/dP5mOghdZE
— Andrew Hammond (@ahammTNT) April 9, 2020
“Stand Down” https://t.co/A4KB8AoOl6 pic.twitter.com/lastc67yrK
— Dave DuFour (@DaveDuFourNBA) April 9, 2020
send Dana White to that "private island" and leave him there 🤡 https://t.co/B6Y89dAf8l
— Andy Deossa 🇨🇴 (@Andy_Deossa) April 9, 2020
Who'd have thought that the rogue reservation plans and secret fight island wouldn't work out 🤷♂️🏝️👊 #ufc249 https://t.co/lmP4iO6quk
— JosephConroy (@JosephConroy) April 9, 2020
Dana White, everybody.
— Adam Silverstein (@SilversteinAdam) April 9, 2020
Grand opening, grand closing. https://t.co/UbXgLyPbls
— Andreas Hale (@AndreasHale) April 9, 2020
What's maddening about this is that it should have been done last month. Instead, fighters kept getting strung along and led to believe they would compete, so they trained, cut weight and now...nothing. #UFC249 https://t.co/fQbekuvzK9
— Trent Reinsmith (@TrentReinsmith) April 9, 2020
This stinks. Was really looking forward to having a live sporting event to watch https://t.co/aTKXrtyuhi
— Brian Rauf (@brauf33) April 9, 2020
Disney popped up at Dana's door like pic.twitter.com/PoT0FBYiDA
— BUM CHILLUPS (@edsbs) April 9, 2020
You mean adults got involved and made the only correct decision?
— MMAFA (@MMAFA) April 9, 2020
Sucks to hear about #UFC249. I was looking forward to watching some fight, so long as everything was done with fighter safety in mind. However, I understand the current circumstances have prevented that. You have to give kudos to @danawhite for trying, but this is probably best.
— Brad Gilmore (@bradgilmore) April 9, 2020
#UFC249 cancelled WOW . Respect to @danawhite for trying his hardest to bring sports back to the world . Can’t wait until everyone can return back to their normal lives . Hang in there folks ! 🙏🏾
— Derek Brunson (@DerekBrunson) April 9, 2020
Just waiting to find out how this is MMA media's fault. Or it might be mainstream media's fault. Definitely not Dana White's fault. https://t.co/Z9ArNqx0C7
— maggiehendricks (@maggiehendricks) April 9, 2020
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