Midnight Mania! California State Athletic Commission will not oversee UFC 249 event

Welcome to Midnight Mania!

After weeks and weeks of mystique, the details around UFC 249 have finally been solidified. The modified fight card will go down from inside the Tachi Palace Casino Resort in Lemoore, California (details). That’s the long-time home of Tachi Palace Fights promotion, an arena that also hosted many World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) events.

Last month, California banned all public events and suspended combat sports activity. However, Tachi Palace Resort is an Indian reservation, subject to its own authority. As a result, the fights can go on ... without an overseeing body.

California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) — among the most proactive commission’s in the sport — will not be overseeing the event. CSAC released the following statement per NY Times:

“The commission echoes the guidance of California Governor Gavin Newsom, the Department of Public Health, local health officials, and the recommendations of the Association of Ringside Physicians regarding the cancellation of events where people may be at risk of contracting Covid-19 and encourages the industry to do the same. The commission will not participate in the U.F.C. event on April 18, regardless of the event location.”

Ultimately, it’s not a decision that will prevent UFC 249. UFC has acted as its own athletic commission previously in locations without one, such as Singapore. However, it is an example of UFC skirting guidelines and regulations — pretty much the opposite of the reputation UFC has been trying to build for years.

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