Combat sports will be back in Nevada moving forward, and the UFC is at the forefront of their return.
On Wednesday, a highly anticipated meeting of the Nevada State Athletic Commission took place via conference call. On the agenda, bringing combat sports back to the state — where they had been on hold since March, due to the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in North America.
Specifically, the UFC had requested approval for two dates: May 30, the UFC on ESPN 9 card headlined by Tyron Woodley and Gilbert Burns, and June 6 — the date of UFC 250. Both events are expected to be held at the promotion’s Apex facility.
At Wednesday’s meeting, both dates were approved, per a report by MMA Junkie.
In a unanimous vote, the athletic commission also approved COVID-19 protocols for events held without a live audience. Those protocols include COVID-19 testing procedures, quarantining, cleaning procedures, temperature monitoring, and oral fluid collection for PCR testing, among other aspects.
Subsequent events that the UFC has planned for the state of Nevada were not addressed at Wednesday’s meeting. However, should all go well with the upcoming dates, it’s likely those will be approved also, when the time comes.
The UFC was the first major sports promotion to resume action recently, with the coronavirus having grounded essentially all professional sports. This week, the NHL announced a plan to return to the ice and finish their season, inside empty arenas and with a condensed format.
