Jon Anik has ‘major concerns’ about calling UFC 249 — ‘My boss has determined the show must go on’

While we still don’t know if longtime color commentator Joe Rogan will be calling the UFC 249 pay-per-view (PPV) event, scheduled for Tachi Palace Resort & Casino in Lemoore, Calif., it appears play-by-play man Jon Anik is confirmed for April 18.

Which is about six weeks earlier than he wanted to return.

“I have major concerns going through with the whole thing, my wife hasn’t looked me in the eyes in 48 hours, she wants to kill me,” Anik told Sirius XM Fight Nation. “There’s a lot of layers to it. Essentially, we’re in the business of putting on live events every week for the rest of the year and if we can get April 18 off without a hitch, we’re doing shows every weekend.”

The promotion has been scrambling to find new locations for its weekly lineup after the coronavirus pandemic shut down most of the modern world. And while Anik understands he’s putting himself (and his family) at risk, it doesn’t sound like he’s been given much choice.

“Do I wish we were shutting it down though June 1st from a health and safety standpoint and a family standpoint, part of me does,” Anik continued. “But my boss has determined that the show must go on and if I’m deemed an essential part of that then that’s my decision and I guess I’m gonna have to live with it.”

UFC 249 will be headlined by the interim lightweight title fight between Tony Ferguson and Justin Gaethje, a bout that came together when reigning 155-pound kingpin, Khabib Nurmagomedov, was quarantined in Russia.

MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 249 fight card RIGHT HERE, starting with the ESPN+/Fight Pass “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. ET, then the remaining undercard balance on ESPN+/ESPN at 8 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

To check out the latest and greatest UFC 249: “Ferguson vs. Gaethje” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.