UFC 250 Preview – Combat Sports March on Against All the Odds
UFC 250 is scheduled for June 6th as combat sports continues its march against all the odds. As one of the few elite-level sports to not close its doors, the UFC has provided almost the only professional sport throughout the duration of the coronavirus pandemic.
With no fans present at these events, though, President Dana White is seeking to make the best out of a bad situation.
The June 6th event looks to be the only major event to take place in North America at the peak of the coronavirus.
Amanda Nunes vs. Felicia Spencer
The big fight heading into UFC 250 is Amanda Nunes vs. Felicia Spencer. Nunes will be putting her Women’s Featherweight Championship on the line in the octagon against Spencer.
This much-anticipated fight sees Nunes, who also holds the world bantamweight belt, defending her title in the featherweight division for the first time.
Back in December 2018, Nunes shocked the world with an explosive 51-second knockout of former champion Cris Cyborg. Since that fight, Nunes has continued her dominance with two defenses of her bantamweight belt.
Most sportsbooks and MMA experts are expecting Nunes to beat Spencer. Although Spencer has only ever suffered a single defeat during her career, that loss came by unanimous decision at UFC 240 to the woman Nunes defeated so handily, the former champion Cyborg.
Other Rumored Fights on the Card
Dana White is scrambling to find some big-name fights to promote on the UFC 250 card. As well as Amanda Nunes vs. Felicia Spencer, the other announced fights include:
- Charles Byrd vs. Maki Pitolo
- Gerald Meerschaert vs. Ian Heinisch
- Devin Clark vs. Alonzo Menifield
- Jussier Formiga vs. Alex Perez
It’s clear that none of these undercard fights are going to lead to big PPV buy rates. That’s why the UFC is still trying to confirm some big fights to headline the card alongside Nunes/Spencer.
There are two big fight rumors making the rounds in the MMA community.
The Men’s Featherweight Championship match was already billed between Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway. Volkanovski defeated Holloway for the title and this is the rematch. Although the UFC still holds out hope for this fight, international travel restrictions make this extremely unlikely to happen.
However, the UFC is holding out for as long as it can in case travel restrictions are lifted and they can make the fight happen.
The other big fight that the UFC wants for 250 is Kamaru Usman vs. Jorge Masvidal. Usman would be defending his welterweight title against Masvidal.
This is a fight that has been in the making for some time, though, and it’s still never managed to come to the fore.
Can Dana White Make a Success Out of UFC 250?
UFC 250 is an interesting proposition. The card has been gutted, the event is currently homeless, and no matter where it’s held there will be no fans present to watch the event.
After Dana White’s idea of renting a private island in the Caribbean to hold fights away from the pandemic sweeping the world fell through, the UFC finds itself facing perhaps its greatest challenge in years.
There’s no reason why the UFC can’t make a success out of UFC 250, even with all the problems facing it. UFC 249 took place in early May, and Tony Ferguson vs. Justin Gaethje tore the house down with one of the most brutal fights in recent times.
If the UFC manages to pull together a decent card, there’s no reason why UFC 250 can’t be a night to remember.
The lack of atmosphere is a problem, but with the state of the coronavirus pandemic, all sports should expect to have to perform in arenas without fans for most of the rest of the year.
Either way, UFC 250 may just be the beginning of MMA’s defiant resurgence during this troubling times.
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Cael Odom
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