It's Masvidal versus Usman as Burns out of Fight Island

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Welterweight champion Kamaru Usman (right) (Twitter)
Welterweight champion Kamaru Usman (right) (Twitter)

Abu Dhabi - Each fighter has a private gym next to their hotel room in Abu Dhabi

By Ashwani Kumar

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Published: Tue 7 Jul 2020, 10:45 AM

Last updated: Tue 7 Jul 2020, 1:21 PM

The UFC has never lacked drama. In an unexpected turn of events, Fight Island's UFC 251 main card challenger Gilbert Burns tested positive for Covid-19 before flying to Abu Dhabi and in just a six-day notice, UFC president Dana White was able to convince Jorge Masvidal to be the replacement fighter.
Now the July 12 pay per view fight will be between welterweight champion Kamaru Usman and the volatile Masvidal, who has to his credit a five-second knockout - the fastest in the UFC history. He has tested negative and is on his way to Abu Dhabi along with Usman.

Things are getting pretty wild on the Fight Island and there can be more twists on the way as multiple Covid-19 tests remain to be done.

Fighters undergo tests and a 48-hour mandatory quarantine before those with negative results depart from the US.

After landing in Abu Dhabi, they are tested again and placed in 48-hour quarantine.

Then there is a third test and only those with negative results will be permitted to move outdoors. Entire local personnel in Abu Dhabi were under quarantine for two weeks in which three tests were done.

Saeed Al Saeed, Destination Marketing Director at Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi, underlined that these are the most "extreme set of precautionary measures" undertaken anywhere.

"Every 72 hours every staff on Fight Island is tested. Fighters will have tests before the weighing-in and fights. Gilbert Burns being not here proves that the system is working," Saeed told Khaleej Times in an exclusive interview.

The authorities and the UFC have had "alternative options" plans if anyone is tested positive before taking the flight to Abu Dhabi.

And once someone is tested positive inside the Fight Island, there is an entire floor dedicated as a quarantine facility and field hospital for treatment.

"Health and safety of everyone is the top priority and we are proving it with our operations."

When asked if any fighters are kept on standby in case someone tests positive before a bout, Saeed noted it is a decision for the UFC to make, but said: "This is the territory of the UFC and I can't comment but we have seen that the UFC have been very responsive and provided a quality replacement for the main card after Burns (tested positive). Masvidal is an excellent replacement against Usman. It's going to be a great fight."

Also, fighters Jose Aldo, Amanda Ribas and Jessica Andrade have landed in Abu Dhabi, and predictably under quarantine.

"Some of the crew and fighters have landed. They started arriving from July 4 but there will be batches coming later as well."

Apart from heightened sanitisation drive inside the 11-km 'Safe Zone', efforts are taken to restore normalcy with an octagon on Yas Beach, Yas Links for golf, Yas Marina Circuit, food and beverage outlets.

Also, each fighter has a private gym next to their hotel room.

"Some of the rooms of the hotel have been turned into personal gyms for each fighter."

Saeed stressed "incredible effort" has been taken to build a safe and secure zone.

"This is thanks to the lead taken by our government in response to the pandemic. We have more tests per capita than anywhere else in the world. We set up a 'Safe Zone' and took every single measure to ensure priority is health and safety."

The stage is set to showcase an action-packed schedule with UFC251 on July 12, and Fight Night on July 16, 19 and 26. Residents can catch all the fights on UFC Arabia.
ashwani@khaleejtimes.com


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