How are superhuman gyms dealing with the entire lockdown? Given the current state do you think the overall structure of gyms will see massive changes?

Well, Yes indeed. These times are challenging and every industry, including ours, is going through a massive structural change. Superhuman Gym is one of the few lucky gym brands that has survived while retaining our entire staff and paying their salaries. It hasn’t been easy, but we have done it. Our foundation from the very beginning has been to focus on a solid business and not overspend and flaunt on unnecessary marketing and associations.

It’s upsetting to see gyms chains shut overnight leaving a huge vacuum in employment. I also understand that single gym owners are finding it very difficult to cope. At this point in time, survival is the key. I truly feel the ecosystem needs to focus on survival and not profits. The landlord and the tenant need to be on the same page on the rentals as that is one of the biggest recurring expenses for any brick and mortar business.

Superhuman has been actively helping gyms stay afloat. How did this initiative come about? How are you managing to help at these times?

We have always advocated teamwork and team spirit. On a Zoom meeting with my core team, I bounced the idea of helping other gyms and my team found it crazy, amusing, and productive. We brainstormed on this deeply and felt our aim is to reach out to gym owners in distress, trainers/coaches, etc. Hear their issues and try to find solutions to the problem. Nobody is currently doing that, we are willing to employ staff that has been laid off or collaborate with gyms that are feeling the pinch. We have so far received almost 500 help requests. Each of those needs Superhuman in some way. We are analyzing each request and brainstorming on a solution case by case.  I do understand we cannot help everybody, but if we manage to even help a few, we consider it a successful campaign.

What kind of support from the government would the fitness and gym industry need after this pandemic?

In these challenging times, each industry needs to unite and find a solution that suits them best. I have a feeling the government is ready to listen and genuinely has concerns for the economy. There are some decisions that can be judged like opening some industries vs others, but at the end of the day, a government is run by humans and even they are learning about this pandemic. We cannot always hold the government accountable when we ourselves behave irresponsibly.

While it’s a proven fact that healthy, able bodies can fight the virus better, and keeping healthy is the solution, the government is weighing the pros and cons of keeping the industry open. Yes, I have heard that religious places have been allowed to open. That is a classic debate between balancing sentiments and practicality. The government would have to listen to the leading industry experts and take a call on how to help.

MMA in India was gaining popularity. With the pandemic now hitting the sports world hard, where do you think the sport goes from here in India? How long will it take to get back where the sport was?

I truly believe sports enthusiasts are craving some good content. I’m happy to be a part of the biggest MMA promotion in the world and their Indian broadcasters. Sony Sports Network has been extremely proactive in generating content and the team is always working towards grooming the sport. UFC on the other hand are go-getters putting up shows, going to islands, setting up infrastructure, and taking on the world. The combination couldn’t be better for India. For the other sports, it’s more like a 3-month detox. I however believe the graph for sports will only move upwards from here on.

What are the long term changes do you see in the sport? What are your thoughts on the UFC still running live events?

UFC has shown why they are the industry leaders. While all sports organizations completely shut off, UFC altered their business model, accepted certain losses, and put up shows. They changed the way broadcast deals are done and I’m sure other sporting organizations would follow. The aim is to always look for solutions while adapting and constantly evolving.  UFC running live events is always positive. They take the utmost care of the staff, the crew, the fighters, etc, and have made sure the environment is safe for everybody in the office and arena. Doing all this while not cutting fighters pay, or cutting staff or staff pay is a commendable thing.

You currently have a show on SONY sports. How did that take place? What was the idea behind the show?

I have been involved with the UFC for some time now. The aim was to always do something in India. The three-way conversation between myself, UFC, and Sony was constantly running, from Hindi commentary to the Ultimate Guide to UFC to Sony Pit Stop. As mentioned earlier, the team at Sony is proactive, and developing MMA is on their radar.
I’m lucky that Sony involves me in the brainstorming sessions to develop the UFC and MMA in India. Currently, we have the Ultimate Guide to UFC running on Sony Sports India Facebook page which is a show we host after every UFC Fight Night.

Sony Pit Stop is a show that welcomes an MMA personality as a guest along with the three of us. That too airs on Facebook and has a podcast feel to it. We’ve had Bruce Buffer, Herb Dean, Bryan Caraway, Jeff Novitzky, etc as guests and a lot more lined up.
Once the lockdown ends, we will continue with the studio shows on the PPV’s.
The fans can expect a lot more great UFC and MMA content coming their way on Sony Sports.

The post Somesh Kamra discusses future of MMA in India, gyms during COVID-19 and More appeared first on Cageside Press.

However, per a report by MMA Fighting, the bout is back on. Subsequent testing has shown the initial positive for COVID-19 was false, meaning Heinisch will now fight Gerald Meerschaert on Saturday as planned.

The middleweight pairing is part of the UFC 250 preliminary card, which will air live on TSN.

Thus far, the only fighter to be pulled from a UFC card as a result of the virus is Jacare Souza. His bout with Uriah Hall was scrapped ahead of UFC 249 after Souza and two of his corners tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, commonly referred to as the novel coronavirus.

A silver lining coming out of the on-again, off-again situation is that Anthony Ivy, a regional veteran who stepped up on short notice to face Meerschaert, will remain on the UFC roster. He’ll likely be looking at a date and opponent a little bit later this year. Giving him far more time to ready himself for his octagon debut.

Ivy had been linked to this year’s Contender Series. Weigh-ins for UFC 250 will take place Friday at noon eastern time.

The post After Cornerman’s False Positive for COVID-19, Heinisch Back On UFC 250 appeared first on Cageside Press.

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.

The post MMA Back in Business in Nevada, Upcoming UFC Events Approved appeared first on Cageside Press.

After nearly two months without a UFC event, UFC president Dana White managed to pack three of them into one week.

The problem, however, was not just putting together cards, but finding a venue to hold MMA events during a worldwide pandemic. Nevada said no, California almost let it go but a last second call by the Governor to Mickey Mouse (Disney owns ESPN, the UFC’s broadcast partner) stopped that event from happening. Still, White was not ready to wave the white flag just yet, no pun intended.

While talk of Fight Island filled headlines for every single MMA site (including this one), Florida raised its hand in a ‘hold my beer’ moment and volunteered to host professional sports without fans in attendance. Professional wrestling had already been deemed ‘essential’ so why wouldn’t MMA and the UFC be as well?

As UFC 249 was slated for Jacksonville, fans waited in anticipation of another cancellation. Each day we got closer to the event brought with it a slew of tweets saying, “Oh today HAS to be the day this gets cancelled” or “There’s no way this actually happens.” Prayers to the MMA Gods were said silently as fans skimmed Twitter for the latest updates.

Finally we got to weigh-in day. Even after all the fighters had hit the scale many fans believed UFC 249 was not going to happen. Something would bring this event, and the UFC, to its knees once again.

And then it happened. Jacare Souza and his cornermen tested positive for COVID-19. All hell broke loose on social media. Two sides formed and battled it out online in a meaningless back-and-forth about whether the event should or shouldn’t happen.

Then Saturday May 9 finally came. MMA fans rejoiced and forgot all about Jacare. A stacked card brought fans to their feet in their living rooms and at CDC guideline-violating watch parties. We laughed, we cried, we cheered the bloody violence.

Calvin Kattar brought his version of the hellbow to Jeremy Stephen’s chin and ended his night early. Francis Ngannou showed why he’s the scariest human being on the planet and made his case for a title shot. Triple C finished a legend in a questionable finish and fake-retired (probably) and Justin Gaethje put the nail in the coffin of what would have been the greatest title fight in lightweight history. It was glorious!

The aftermath of that event brought optimism to not only the UFC and its fans but the sport. The tiny glimmer of hope that White was looking for when he first tried to pull off UFC 249.

MMA was at the forefront of the return of sports, but more importantly the UFC was at the forefront. For days before the event went down the UFC was the leading story on all newscasts second only to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was even ahead of President Trump’s alleged ratings-leading press conferences. Trump actually sent the UFC and Dana White a shoutout on video, which was played right before the PPV began.

What we learned from these last three events in Jacksonville is simple. People need a distraction. The hunger for a distraction from world events, from this new normal, is so large that people actually began to cheer for Dana White and showed ire for the MMA Media, which they felt was the ‘enemy of the sport.’ This need for live sports is so big that people will overlook a lack of following guidelines (even the UFC’s own guidelines), and even fighter safety. Jacare’s positive COVID-19 test seems like an afterthought at this point.

So where do we go from here? If you’re Dana White the answer is quite clear: the Apex in Las Vegas is the place to be. Nevada has not lifted its ban on non-essential business and Las Vegas remains, for the most part, closed. Yet White has set the Apex as the venue for a Fight Night card headlined by former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley as he makes his return against Gilbert Burns on May 30.

With just days until that event is set to happen people still remain in wait-and-see mode as it pertains to future events. The NSAC will meet May 27, and likely decide the event’s fate. Fans do have a reason to be optimistic because if we learned nothing else from the UFC’s stay in Jacksonville, it’s that you never bet against Dana White.

Because he will find a way to win, just to stick it to the naysayers — even in the midst of a pesky pandemic.

The post What We Learned From Florida: UFC vs. The World appeared first on Cageside Press.

Any such events would be closed door (without fans), but it’s a big step forward in terms of the UFC’s interests. Immediately after it became clear that the promotion would not be able to carry on as usual during the coronavirus pandemic, the hope was to use the UFC Apex — it’s own small arena and production house, where Dana White’s Contender Series is filmed — to hold events.

However, towards the end of March, the Nevada commission put a freeze on all combat sports in the state, essentially locking the UFC out of its own facility. At least in terms of hosting events there.

With their entire April schedule scrapped, the promotion moved three shows to Florida in May, including UFC 249. With increased safety measures (and a fair amount of debate, pro and con, as to whether the events should even move forward), the promotion managed to pull off UFC 249, UFC Jacksonville, and UFC on ESPN 8, with only a single fighter testing positive for COVID-19, the disease which results from infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

That fighter, Jacare Souza, and two of his teammates who were also infected, are to remain in isolation while on the mend. Meanwhile, the organization is ready to get back to work, with a show planned for May 30, and additional cards in June.

Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak announced the state’s re-opening plan on May 9. With multiple phases, sporting events were left out of Nevada’s initial re-opening plan. However, Phase 2 is set to take place soon, and with it comes a glimmer of hope for the UFC.

Not just for the world’s largest MMA promotion, either. While Dana White and co. have requested dates on May 30 and June 6 at the Apex, Top Rank Boxing are also looking to hold shows. They’ve tentatively selected June 9 and June 11 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Of course all these dates are pending approval from the NSAC. With the meeting on May 27, the UFC will have little time to make alternate arrangements if something goes sideways.

The post Nevada Athletic Commission to Meet May 27; UFC, Boxing Events on the Docket appeared first on Cageside Press.

Souza had informed the UFC upon arrival for Fight Week that he had potentially been exposed to the novel coronavirus, leading to an initial isolation order, with mixed results. The fighter was later seen in close contact with other athletes including Fabricio Werdum, albeit masked and gloved at the time.

Other than that misstep, UFC 249 seemed to go off pretty much without a hitch. However, at least two of Souza’s corners later tested positive as well.

Nearly a week later, Souza has released his first statement since the positive diagnosis.

“I was very sad to not be able to fight at UFC 249, but I want you to know that, as soon as I’m medically cleared, I hope to reschedule my fight with Uriah Hall so that I can put on the show that everyone expects. I thank my corners for the partnership, my opponent for the words of support and the UFC for all the care,” the veteran fighter wrote on Instagram.

“Thank you all for the kind messages I have received in the last few days. The upcoming weeks I will be secluded with my family and coaches and focused on our health so I can be back soon. Thank you!”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CAJOqw8AHoR/?utm_source=ig_embed

Souza (26-8, 1NC) last fought in a failed mid to move to light heavyweight, coming up short in a lackluster affair against Jan Blachowicz. He’s a former Strikeforce middleweight champion, and also challenged for the title in Japanese promotion DREAM.

The post UFC: Jacare Souza Releases First Statement Following Positive COVID-19 Test appeared first on Cageside Press.

Brazilian middleweight and former Strikeforce champ Jacare Souza (properly Ronaldo Souza) has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, ESPN has reported. As a result, his fight with Uriah Hall is off the UFC 249 card.

Despite the positive test, Hunter Campbell, EVP and Chief Business Officer of UFC told ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith that the show will go on. After conferring with the Florida Athletic Commission, it was decided that the system — in this case, swab testing fighters upon arrival in Jacksonville, and isolating them — had worked.

Souza reportedly informed the UFC upon arriving for Fight Week that a member of his family had tested postive for the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). He was then isolated in his hotel room, pending test results. Those test results have come back positive.

While Souza has for the most part been isolated, he did take part in the UFC 249 weigh-in Friday morning, hitting the scales at 186lbs for his middleweight bout against Hall.

Souza was reportedly asymptomatic in this instance.

UFC 249 is set to take place Saturday, May 9 at the Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida. Souza vs. Hall was expected to be part of the televised preliminary card.

The coronavirus pandemic has now seen over four million infected with SARS-CoV-2 globally. Over 275,000 have died of the resulting disease, COVID-19.

Update: The UFC has issued a statement regarding the matter, confirming the fight cancellation. And revealing that two of Souza’s cornermen have also tested positive.

The middleweight bout between Uriah Hall vs Jacaré Souza will no longer be on the UFC 249 preliminary card due to one of Souza’s COVID-19 tests indicating a positive result. In addition, COVID-19 tests for Souza’s two cornermen were also flagged as positive. UFC’s medical team examined Souza and his two cornermen and found them to be currently asymptomatic, or not exhibiting the common symptoms of COVID-19. As per UFC’s health and safety protocols, all three men have left the host hotel and will be self-isolating off premises, where UFC’s medical team will monitor their conditions remotely and will provide assistance with any necessary treatment. From their arrival earlier in the week until their departure today, Souza and his cornermen followed UFC health and safety protocols, including practicing social distancing, wearing personnel protective equipment, and self-isolating whenever possible.There have been no other positive COVID-19 tests reported from the remaining athletes participating in UFC 249. The response to this development is indicative of the effectiveness of the health and safety measures UFC has put in place for this event.

While the UFC statement indicates Souza followed UFC health and safety protocols including social distancing, footage captured from fellow Brazilian Fabricio Werdum’s Instagram Story paints a different picture.

This was earlier today from Werdum’s Instagram story.

“Jacare” very close with a group of people all certainly within 6 feet. pic.twitter.com/x1Dcus734G

— Danny Segura (@dannyseguratv) May 9, 2020

In the footage, Jacare can been seen in closed quarters with a number of other individuals, including Werdum, who is scheduled to fight Aleksei Oleinik at UFC 249. While he is seen wearing a face mask and gloves, Souza is clearly not social distancing.

Opponent Uriah Hall would later tweet his best wishes to Jacare.

@JacareMMA Brother I know it sucks I’m sorry you have to go through this I am beyond devastated for the missed opportunity I wish you nothing but recovery for you and your family.

— U R I A H H A L L (@UriahHallMMA) May 9, 2020

The post Jacare Souza Tests Positive for Coronavirus, Fight Pulled from UFC 249 appeared first on Cageside Press.

In separate donations, the PFL donated 25,000 meals to the Food Bank For New York City, while Jon Jones made a whopping donation in New Mexico. 100,000 meals will now be distributed to those in need there.

The PFL also announced in a press release distributed Thursday that it would create a PSA to draw attention to the Food Bank for New York City, and to drive more donations from other sources.

That’s all part of the league’s “PFL Fights for Communities” platform. Another 25,000 meals is the goal, with donations able to be made via https://pfl.everydayhero.com/us/covid

“Our thoughts are with all those impacted by COVID-19, and the heroes out in the front lines attacking this pandemic. We want to do our part to show that the PFL family is in their corner and they aren’t alone in this fight,” said Peter Murray, CEO of the Professional Fighters League. “I am a lifelong New Yorker, our PFL headquarters are in Manhattan and we’ve received tremendous support at our championship events hosted at Madison Square Garden. This is our home, and together, we can make a difference, provide some comfort, and make sure New Yorkers don’t go hungry.”

In a separate donation, UFC star Jon Jones donated the equivalent of 100,000 meals to New Mexico families in need, via The Food Depot. That food bank tweeted its thanks to the light heavyweight champion Thursday.

“We are so grateful for the support of New Mexico’s own UFC champion Jon Jones,” The Food Depot wrote in a tweet announcing the donation.

We are so grateful for the support of New Mexico's own @ufc champion Jon Jones. @JonnyBones made a donation today that will provide 100,000 meals for families in northern New Mexico! #COVID19Response #FeedNNM #ManyThanks #NewMexicoTrue pic.twitter.com/yXV3H8DsUM

— The Food Depot (@TheFoodDepot) May 7, 2020

Jones, who last competed in February, was recently arrested for firearms charges and a DWI. However, the troubled champion accepted a plea deal that saw the bulk of the offenses dropped, with only the DWI sticking.

The post PFL, Jon Jones Each Get Charitable, Donate Meals to Food Banks appeared first on Cageside Press.

There’s a lot to digest, and running an event during a pandemic will not be easy. But for those interested in what the promotion is doing in regards to fighter health and safety, the last 24 hours have been an eye-opener.

In a statement to Cageside Press on Friday, USADA officials wrote that “testing at UFC events is an essential part of a fair fight. We will have doping control officers at UFC 249, and will do everything in our power to conduct testing at future events, of course taking appropriate precautions to protect the health and safety of everyone involved.”

In mid-March, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency announced that it was focusing on “mission critical” testing in sports that were still active. It also outlined precautions being taken, including provisions such as:

• “Where feasible, DCOs (Doping Control Officers) will use personal protective gear, including mask and gloves. DCOs will also have hand sanitizer for use during the processing of the sample. Please keep in mind that many communities have a shortage of these materials that are needed by the healthcare system.
• As always, we ask that both athletes and DCOs wash their hands before testing occurs.
• We encourage athletes and DCOs to maintain a six-foot distance during the process.
• During this time, no USADA DCO who has any sign of sickness or otherwise meets any of the risk criteria identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will be collecting samples.”

Per a report released by MMA Junkie, the UFC itself is taking a number of precautions with fighters. In a communication to athletes, the promotion noted that UFC 249 (and subsequent events) will be limited to staff, athletes, and their corners only. Media will not be on hand, as the promotion previously notified outlets that interactions with fighters will take place online, including a “Virtual Media Day” ahead of the event.

Mandatory medial screenings including daily tests will be required for fighters and their corners upon arrival at the host hotel in Jacksonville. Fighters will have an individual workout room with mats, mat sanitizer and a personal sauna provided. The UFC PI and Trifecta will be providing support where required, and medical staff will be on the premises.

In an interview published Thursday with MMA Junkie, heavyweight Yorgan de Castro, who faces Greg Hardy on the UFC 249 card, also revealed he was expecting to be tested for the coronavirus both prior to and upon arrival in Florida.

“They told me they were going to test me and my coach before we fly, and when we get there, we’re going to get tested again,” De Castro was quoted as saying. “So they have a lot of safety that we have to go through.”

All for good reason. To date, the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has infected over 3.3 million people globally. The resulting disease, COVID-19, has a death toll of over 237,000 as of this writing.

The post As UFC 249 Draws Closer, Picture of Drug Testing, Health and Safety Approach Becomes Clearer appeared first on Cageside Press.

ViacomCBS, as it is now known, has deep roots in the production world, making this a real possibility.

As things are currently planned, events will be run with less than 50 people. However, per Coker, Bellator is awaiting updated regulatory guidelines for live shows.

“We want to be back in there as soon as possible, but we want to do it the right way, and health and safety comes first,” Coker told the outlet. “This situation is real, and we’re going to do everything we can to protect our staff, our fighters and our contractors.

“We expect to get back to work and get all those protocols worked out sometime in the next 60 days, and we’re going to get right back to work after that,” he added.

Bellator’s last event was Bellator 240/Bellator Dublin at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland on February 22. While Bellator 241 was planned for March 13, the plug was pulled on the eve of the show, as the coronavirus pandemic was continuing to grow.

America has quickly become the hardest-hit nation in the world in terms of both infections of SARS-CoV-2, and fatalities from the resulting disease, COVID-19.

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