‘There’s no social distancing in a cage fight’: Joe Rogan casts doubt over Dana White's UFC plans

UFC 249 is set to go ahead behind closed doors at a yet to be determined location

Joe Rogan cast doubt over the feasibility of UFC going ahead during the coronavirus pandemic, warning that “there’s no social distancing in a f***ing cage fight”.

UFC 249 is set to take place behind closed doors on 18 April, with Tony Ferguson now set to face Justin Gaethje after lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov was left stranded in Russia.

However, Rogan questioned the practicality of the event going ahead, with a venue still yet to be announced by UFC president Dana White.

“We don’t know where it is,” Rogan said. “I’m trying to figure out what I’m doing, if I’m going to it or not. I don’t know where it is.

“I don’t even know if it’s in America. I literally, as of right now, I don’t know s***. I have no information.”

It’s understood that the UFC’s £605m contract with Disney requires them to hold 42 events this year, which has increased pressure on the organisation not to call off the event.

“There’s no social distancing in a f*cking cage fight,” Rogan added. “They’re on top of each other sweating in each other’s mouths. If Tony Ferguson’s fighting, there’s gonna be blood, for sure. Everybody that fights Tony Ferguson looks like they fell off a train, so there’s gonna be blood.

“What if one of those guys test positive?”