“This Keeps the Creeps at Bay”- Dana White Opens Up About the Secret Location For UFC 249

Against all odds, UFC 249 is all set to take place. It was promised that the event will go on with or without Khabib Nurmagomedov. With Justin Gaethje filling in for The Eagle, it seems like the promotion will come through on their promise.  UFC President Dana White confirms that the promotion has ironed out all details successfully.

Justing Gaethje will be taking on Tony Ferguson on the 18th of April. While Khabib remains aground in Russia due to the Coronavirus crisis. The fight will go on with the interim title at stake.

The escalation of the crisis in the United States sent the UFC scrambling in search of another location instead of the Barclays Centre in Brooklyn, New York. The UFC and Dana White’s efforts yielded fruits considering how they did find a venue for the fight. However, when asked about the exact location, White was reluctant to enlighten us. 

“On ESPN, live April 18 on ESPN. It doesn’t matter where it’s happening because nobody can go anyway. There are some members of the media that have reached out to me, that want to go. I’ll bring them. But other than that it’s not open to the fans. So, it’s on ESPN that’s all anybody needs to know.”- Dana White to Brett Okamoto on the venue of UFC 249

Safety is a  Priority For Dana White

When asked by Okamoto as to why White wanted to keep the location as a secret, White claims he does not want “creeps” to check up on the legitimacy of the event. White seemingly points to the members of the media and critics who have been questioning the event taking place during a health crisis. 

“Because there’s a lot of creepy people out there. When they find out the location, they start attacking the location, making phone calls. So this keeps the creeps at bay.”- Dana White

The safety of the venue, the fighters, the members involved and the public, in general, remains the most important aspect of this event. Therefore White claims that the organization has taken every precaution in order to ensure everything goes down without a hitch. From consulting doctors and medical professionals to keeping the human involvement to an absolute minimum.

White admits that health and safety is something they worry about all the time, not just during the Coronavirus. The epidemic has certainly made their job a lot harder, but it will not stop the UFC from ensuring that everyone is safe.