The UFC is back this weekend and like it or not, UFC 249 seems to be going full steam ahead for another pay-per-view. Given the safety protocols necessary to put on an event while still being in a pandemic means, things will be different this time. The UFC will be in Jacksonville, Florida for their next three events, with only a little over half of the staff they normally use.
According to Newsday, UFC executive vice president of production and operations, Craig Borsari said that events usually have 130 people for a pay-per-view, but this weekend will only use around 80 people at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. As far as the announcement team goes, Joe Rogan, Jon Anik, and Daniel Cormier will assume their regular duties for a pay-per-view but will be sitting at their own tables away from each other and about five feet away from the cage.
“We don’t want to push too hard and try to create something that people are unfamiliar with.”
UFC executive vice president of production and operations, Craig Borsari
“We don’t want to push too hard and try to create something that people are unfamiliar with,” Borsari said. He added that “The hope is that if you’re tuning in, you have some comfort knowing that all right, you know, we’re getting back to operating and some normalcy in our life. And we can do that for a few hours by bringing them a broadcast to their home.”
One thing fans will notice on top of the silence of a fanless arena will be the way post-fight interviews are done. Normally, as fight cards move along Joe Rogan interviews fighters after they win and he still will. However, in the details Borsari gave to ESPN, fighters will be taken to an isolated area for the interview. The fighter will then be given a sanitized headset for Rogan to interview the winner from where he is located.
What do you think of these changes?
