UFC 249 cancelled after ESPN and Disney force Dana White into U-turn after phone calls ‘from highest level’

Broadcaster’s ESPN and UFC owner’s Disney pressured the promotion’s president into an embarrassing climbdown after his persistent stand over UFC 249 failed to pay off

UFC 249 has been cancelled after broadcaster’s ESPN and owner’s Disney intervened to overrule president Dana White’s defiant stand, calling off the event due to be staged next weekend due to the coronavirus outbreak.

White had unveiled plans to stage the event – which would have seen Tony Ferguson take on late replacement Justin Gaethje – as a new location, following the decision to prevent it from being staged at New York’s Barclay’s Center.

The UFC president was forced to then look for a third location, and eventually landed on hosting UFC 249 at the Tachi Palace Casino Resort, located on Native American land some 200 miles north-west of Los Angeles.

But with widespread criticism of his actions and the UFC’s defiance to hold fights despite thousands dying across the United States from the Covid-19 outbreak, both ESPN and Disney stepped in to cancel the event due to the reputational damage that staging it would bring, and the risk to people’s safety if it had gone ahead.

“I was ready to go on Saturday, but Disney and ESPN asked me to step down,” White said. “The powers that be there asked me to stand down and not do this event next Saturday.

“I love and respect my partnership with them so I postponed the event.”

He added that he “got a call from the highest level you can go at Disney and the highest level of ESPN”, which forced the sudden U-turn.

An ESPN statement added: “ESPN has been in constant contact with the UFC regarding UFC 249. Nobody wants to see sports return more than we do, but we didn’t feel this was the right time for a variety of reasons. ESPN expressed its concerns to the UFC and they understood.”

The Tachi Palace Casino Resort is owned by the Santa Rosa Indian Community of the Tachi Yokut Tribe, and White confirmed that he plans to stage a “big fight” in the future at the Casino Resort as gratitude for them coming to the UFC’s aid at short notice.

“Tachi Palace has had our back this whole time, has stood their ground and was willing to do this fight,” White added. “Let me tell you this, when the world gets back to normal the California event will be at Tachi Palace.

“I’m doing a fight there, I’m bringing them a big fight and I appreciate them standing with me in this thing.”

White still plans to put on weekly events at ‘Fight Island’, an secret private island where the UFC will stage events for international fighters who are unable to enter the US due to the travel restrictions in place around the world.

“All of my fighters that are under contract with me, I want them to feel safe,” White said. “Take time with your families and enjoy this time. Don’t worry about the financial part of this. You’re going to get the fights on your contract, and I’m going to make things right with the people who were willing to step up and fight next weekend. I’m going to take care of as many people as I possibly can.”

“Nobody is getting laid off at the UFC. Everybody is good.”

The initial plans to press ahead with the event drew criticism from US Senator Dianne Feinstein, who issued a statement calling for the promotion to reconsider its plans due to the safety risks that staging such an event would pose.

“This event would involve dozens of individuals flying to California and driving to a casino for a purpose no one can honestly claim is essential,” Feinstein said. “At best this event ties up medical resources and sends a message that shelter-in-place orders can be flouted. At worst, participants and support staff could carry the virus back to their home communities and increase its spread.”

Former UFC women’s strawweight champion Rose Namajunas has also withdrawn from the event on Thursday following the death of two members in her family who had contracted coronavirus.