Dana White says International Fight Week in July is “doubtful”

UFC president Dana White updated fighters on the state of the promotion during the coronavirus pandemic, saying International Fight Week is “doubtful.”

The UFC schedule is currently on hiatus as the coronavirus crisis ravages the world. White and the UFC tried to put on the UFC 249 card in Tachi Palace but ESPN and Disney’s head executives told him to stand down and postpone the event. The UFC is now slated to hold UFC 250 on May 9 at a location that is currently undisclosed but there’s no sure thing that card will happen, either.

For nearly the last decade the UFC has held its International Fight Week on the first weekend of July in Las Vegas and its typically the biggest and most stacked card of the year. Unfortunately, it looks like the 2020 edition of the event is likely not going to take place as scheduled. Speaking to UFC fighters during a conference call on Friday, White admitted he’s unsure if the UFC’s biggest event of the year will still go on as planned.

“International Fight Week in Las Vegas in July is doubtful,” White relayed to the fighters on the call (via MMAjunkie.com).

There has been hoping that the July event could still be salvaged considering it’s a few months out, but with Las Vegas still closed off for tourism, there’s no sure thing that the city will be able to hold events like this in two months from now. That’s obviously not what White wants to do, but it’s just the reality of things.

The card was expected to be headlined by UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman against rival Jorge Masvidal, with other stars like Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic potentially fighting on the International Fight Week card as well. But it looks like White may be forced to forego with this year’s edition just because of the reality of the situation.

Are you surprised Dana White will postpone International Fight Week?