Fight Island: What Are The UFC’s Plans?
By Eddie Sanchez
If money is no object, then buying a personal island would be high on most people list of purchases. In Dana’s reality, money is an object, barely, but it doesn’t matter. Fight Island is nearly complete according to Dana White.
On the Jim Rome Show Dana explained that the island, designed for international fighters unable to travel to the US for competition, should be complete by June.
“The infrastructure is being built right now. I’m hoping that it will all be done mid-June. Hopefully, we’ll be able to have a fight that weekend that it opens, or maybe closer toward the end of June,” White said. “What we’re building that for is that I can’t predict what tomorrow might bring with this coronavirus, so the hardest thing is going to be getting people in from the United States. This is where we’re going to do all our international fights.”
Quite the endeavor by the UFC and much respect! Where nearly every other sport in North America has halted to a stop, the UFC is utilizing their international reach and resources to move forward.
What can we expect with Fight Island? Conor McGrogor.
Dana went on to explain that Conor has been continually training for his next matchup and is ready to compete without fans in attendance.
Meanwhile, in the other corner, major boxing stars have been mostly unwilling to compete without fans in attendance, which as a huge fan of boxing is unsettling.
Major props to the UFC and Conor McGregor for taking this financial risk, which Dana alluded to as well: “It kills me to do a fight with Conor without fans. Kills me. This guy’s doing almost $20 million gates.”
As for Conor’s dance partner, Dana went on to explain that current BMF (Bad Mother F***er) title holder Jorge Masvidal is possible when White added: “Very good point. That’s a possibility too.”
We should not get too excited however. ESPN’s Ariel Helwani, clarified that there currently aren’t ‘real’ talks regarding the specifics to McGregor’s return. This is especially the case because Masvidal is extremely focused on Kamaru Usman and the Welterweight title.
If there is a major title to anticipate, it is Khabib vs Gaethje. “I expect it to happen this summer,” White told ESPN 100 in Chicago. “I don’t know if it will be the first one, but it will be on Fight Island, unless miraculously the world comes back together faster than I think it’s gonna.”
Since Dana’s statements on the potential headliner, he clarified that this match would likely happen in September, which would give Fight Island plenty of opportunity to see itself as an established site.
As of right now, we are all in speculation mode, simply waiting for an official announcement. Once an event is officially scheduled however, I believe we will see a slew of cards follow.
No matter who ends up on these future fight cards on Fight Island, fans are sure to be appreciative of the UFC.
Which matchups do you most want to see on fight island? What is the next move for Conor McGregor?
