Tag: John Phillips

The COVID-19 pandemic sweeping the globe has caused the sporting world to grind to a virtual standstill, with even MMA forced to step down its efforts to plow on in the face of rising health concerns.

The outbreak has changed daily living for people in all walks of life, with terms like “self-isolation,” and “social distancing,” not to mention more hand washing than ever before becoming part of our daily routines.

With their main sources of income now severely curtailed, everyone in the MMA world finds themselves facing a different battle in an effort to stay safe as they, like the rest of us, adapt to a new normal during the global health crisis.

Via this page, we’ll keep you right up to date with the latest developments and stories throughout the coronavirus crisis.

(Editor’s note: This will continue to be updated as events unfold with the latest info in chronological from top to bottom.)

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Wednesday, March 18

Cage Warriors 113 card reshuffled – again!

Travel restrictions in Europe have forced three key fights off Friday night’s Cage Warriors 113 card.

The new main event features the UFC middleweight bout between [autotag]Bartosz Fabinski[/autotag] (14-3 MMA, 3-1 UFC) and [autotag]Darren Stewart[/autotag] (11-4 MMA, 4-4 UFC), with support provided in the co-main slot by the Cage Warriors lightweight title fight between [autotag]Mason Jones[/autotag] (8-0) and [autotag]Joe McColgan[/autotag] (6-2-1).

It’s just the latest set of changes in a turbulent week for the Cage Warriors team, who moved the entire event from London to Manchester on Tuesday after arena operator AEG closed down indigo at The O2 in the English capital.

Michael Bisping’s advice to panic buyers: Get a (expletive) grip!

UFC Hall of Famer [autotag]Michael Bisping[/autotag] has never been one to mince his words, and his latest Instagram post is no different, as he shares an image showing the difference between World War II ration queues and panic-buying shoppers fighting over rolls of toilet paper during the 2020 coronavirus crisis.

Offering some perspective, Bisping took to social media to issue something of a public service announcement to his followers (via Instagram).

View this post on Instagram

Get some self respect please. Respect this virus, of course. Employ social distancing, wash hands and remain 6 feet away from one another. The ladies at the top would of had they’re loved ones at war, cities being destroyed, millions of lives lost and still handled themselves with class. The embarrassments at the bottom are literally fighting over unnecessary toilet rolls and hand sanitizers. Get A Fucking Grip!

A post shared by Mikebisping (@mikebisping) on Mar 17, 2020 at 10:35pm PDT

Get some self respect please. Respect this virus, of course. Employ social distancing, wash hands and remain 6 feet away from one another. The ladies at the top would of had they’re loved ones at war, cities being destroyed, millions of lives lost and still handled themselves with class. The embarrassments at the bottom are literally fighting over unnecessary toilet rolls and hand sanitizers. Get A (expletive) Grip!

Tuesday, March 17

Cage Warriors swaps London for Manchester

It looks like U.K.-based promotion Cage Warriors could have the only live MMA show in the world this weekend, and they remain determined to ensure Friday’s Cage Warriors 113 event goes ahead.

We’ve already seen fight card changes, with fighter replacements and even the addition of UFC fighters to the card. But news that arena operator AEG had closed the venue for Friday’s event, indigo at The O2, prompted more fears that the event would also be canceled.

But, less than hour after that announcement, Cage Warriors president Graham Boylan had secured the use of Manchester’s BEC Arena as the promotion gets set to move 220 miles north to keep the show alive.

Check out the full story here.

Khabib Nurmagomedov: I’ll fight Tony Ferguson anywhere, so long as we’re healthy

In an Instagram live chat along with manager Ali Abdelaziz, UFC lightweight champion [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] made it clear that he values everyone’s health and safety.

But he made just as clear that if he and Tony Ferguson are both healthy, then he will fight Ferguson wherever the UFC could get cleared to put on UFC 249 on April 18, and put it behind closed doors.

“People who have quarantine and sit home, they have fun, they watch fights,” Nurmagomedov said. “Fighters go to the arena, they have fun, they do their job. I think we just need maximum 100 people to make this fight. One arena and 100 healthy people around and put a couple cameras and show this around the world – the two best lightweights of all time. This is a very important fight.”

Randa Markos wonders if she has coronavirus

UFC strawweight Randa Markos returned home to Canada on Wednesday feeling ill. Markos lost a unanimous decision to Amanda Ribas Saturday at UFC on ESPN+ 28, in Brasilia, Brazil. Now she is concerned about whether she has contracted the virus after testers declined to test her upon her return from South America (via Twitter).

Just made it home. Stopped by the coronavirus testing center and they wouldn't test me. Long flights with a lot of people, not feeling great and I'm not a risk? Okay I guess I'll be home for two weeks

— Randa Markos (@randamma) March 17, 2020

The event was closed to fans after the local government put a moratorium on all mass gatherings due to the pandemic. Fighters on the card were not tested for COVID-19.

The Canadian federal government is requiring all who return to the country from international travel to quarantine for 14 days.