UFC restrict travels on struggle week to ‘ensure the integrity’ of COVID-19 protocols

The UFC has tightened COVID-19 protocols to defend athletes from likely COVID-19 publicity on fight 7 days.



a large long train on a stage


© Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC


The fight marketing lately carried out new journey limits to “ensure the integrity of UFC’s screening and protocols,” restricting where by and how fighters and their groups can travel immediately after they arrive in Las Vegas, the promotion’s dwelling and its foundation of functions since restarting its occasion program.

The new coverage was initial unveiled by Twitter consumer Alex Scaffidi. MMA Preventing verified it with two industry veterans who stand for UFC fighter and acquired the notice.

“To make certain the integrity of UFC’s [COVID-19] screening and quarantine protocols, no athlete or corner will be permitted to use any automobile not formally authorised or arranged by UFC as soon as the athlete or corner has checked in for Combat Week,” the recognize states. “This involves personally owned automobiles, rental vehicles, a friend’s vehicle, or journey share motor vehicles, this kind of as Uber or Lyft.

“This coverage applies to ALL athletes and corners, like these dependent in Las Vegas, as properly as these dependent outside of Las Vegas.

“In addition, any athlete or corner who leaves the resort residence with out coordinating with UFC Party Functions, which include post battle, will not be allowed again into the hotel.

“If an athlete or corner demands transportation for any reason through Struggle Week, which includes to go to the market place, the UFC Efficiency Institute, or UFC APEX, they will have to phone [name redacted] with UFC Occasion Functions.

“Thank you in advance for your cooperation.”

Veteran UFC strawweight Tecia Torres spoke to reporters right after UFC 256 about the constraints on fighters’ motion before the function at UFC APEX, the promotion’s are living celebration facility. The move will come as the state confronts a surge of COVID-19 conditions that’s led to a enormous uptick in deaths and infections. Positive COVID-19 cases have greatly altered a number of UFC struggle cards with quite a few fighters screening beneficial on struggle working day.

In the previous iteration of the UFC’s COVID-19 protocols, fighters arriving in Las Vegas were being required to quarantine in their lodge rooms until eventually they acquired the success of their 1st COVID-19 exam. Afterward, on the other hand, they were being permitted to go about ordinary combat 7 days proceedings, and there were no precise restrictions on their movement in the time involving their to start with detrimental check and a second test administered adhering to weigh-ins on Friday, which triggered yet another quarantine right until they were transported to the UFC APEX.

Prior to UFC 255, quite a few fighters had been seen at spots about Las Vegas, boosting issues of no matter if they could perhaps have been exposed to the virus, nevertheless COVID-19’s incubation time period may have dominated out a favourable in the remaining check with an normal of five times just before the virus builds up to detectable degrees.

UFC President Dana White has defended the promotion’s dealing with of protection above the COVID-19 virus.

“This thing is f*ckin wacky and you do the ideal you can,” he said just after a fighter had many adverse tests on combat week before a good. “We’re carrying out everything the correct way and, who appreciates with this detail? No one has been able to get this issue figured out however. We’ve been reliable.”

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