Dana White looks like he has got his wish.
After a week of holding fights in the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida, the UFC President had made it clear he’d like to set up shop and host fights in the UFC’s Apex facility a lot closer to home in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“It makes more sense with what’s going on for us to be doing the events at our own arena,” White said at the time during a press conference in Jacksonville. “It will be a lot safer for my employees, the fighters, everyone.”
Now, according to the Las Vegas Review Journal’s Adam Hill, the UFC looks set to be able to host domestic fights in the UFC Apex – starting with their upcoming event on 30 May.
“We are a go on the 30th,” White purportedly told Hill via text message.
Like in many other U.S. states and countries around the world, Nevada shut down combat sports in March in light of the ongoing COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. The Nevada State Athletic Commission has reportedly not convened since that decision was made over two months ago.
According to the LVJR, Nevada governor Steve Sisolak has not yet formally announced the return of sports in the state.
If the promotion couldn’t hold its fights in Las Vegas, Arizona was seen as an alternative state to host fights due to its proximity to Nevada and the fact they have opened their state to professional sports organisations once again.
The event on 30 May is set to be headlined by a fight between former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ace Gilbert Burns.
After that, UFC 250 is scheduled for 6 June and looks likely to be held in the UFC Apex facility if Nevada allows sporting activities as White suggests. UFC 250 will feature a UFC women’s featherweight title fight pitting champion Amanda Nunes against Felicia Spencer as the main event.