Despite many international sporting events being canceled due to the pandemic, UFC went ahead with a full fight card in Brazil over the weekend. The promotion criticized other sports organizations for overreacting.
The event took place at the Nilson Nelson Gymnasium in Brasilia but had limited attendance. Only the fighters, their teams, TV crews, and essential staff were present. The fights occurred without any fans in the arena, with viewers tuning in from their homes to watch the 12 bouts live.
Swedish bantamweight Bea Malecki, who won the opening fight of the night, commented on the unusual circumstances, saying, “It was a bit strange not having fans in the arena. But I could hear everything my coaches said, and it was beneficial. Sometimes it’s so loud with the fans. It was a crazy week. We weren’t sure if the fight would happen, but we stuck to the plan. It was quite emotional.”
Despite the absence of fans, UFC maintained its standard procedures. The fighters still entered the cage to their walk-in music, and the announcer introduced them. After in-cage interviews, UFC broadcaster Michael Bisping even prompted the non-existent crowd to “make some noise” before realizing there was no audience present.
UFC intends to proceed with its upcoming major event at the London O2 arena next weekend.
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