- Jacare and his two assistants positive for Coronavirus
- He probably got the infection from a family member
- His fight against Uriah Hall canceled
Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza, who was supposed to fight at the upcoming UFC 249, was tested positive on Coronavirus, and won’t compete at tonight’s event.
Souza and Two More Positive on COVID-19
The news was revealed last night by the UFC and its president Dana White, who came out publicly and unveiled the latest developments.
“UFC’s medical team examined Souza and his two cornermen and found them to be currently asymptomatic, or not exhibiting the common symptoms of COVID-19,” stated in the official statement of the organization.
The UFC 249 is set to take place at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena tonight. Since the announcement of the venue, fierce debates were seen in the media and among the members of the MMA community. On one side, some claimed that it is not wise to organize the event at the time of the pandemic. Meanwhile, many were suggesting otherwise, and Souza’s case deepens the rift between the two groups.
According to some sources, the fighter from Brazil came to Jacksonville by himself, as he trains and lives in the state of Florida. He would notify the organizers that one of his family members had COVID-19, and they immediately tested him.
In the meantime, Jacare was at the weigh-in and staredown but was carrying gloves and mask, keeping the distance between him and his opponent Uriah Hall. In the end, the test arrived, and the results were positive, although the fighter himself didn’t have any symptoms at all.
Also, two of his assistants were tested positive too, and all three persons are taken care of and are under constant monitoring of the medical staff.
Jacare Loses His Chance to Bounce Back
The 40-year old lost three bouts in the previous four events. All three were close calls, decided by a decision, two via split decision. According to many experts and neutral fans, the last loss suffered against Jan Blachowicz was unfair, and the judges who scored in Pole’s favor made a massive mistake.
Contest against Hall was one of the last chances for Jacare to improve his rankings and earn what might be some kind of a title eliminator, which would provide him a pathway towards the title match. In the current situation, that won’t happen, and he will have to wait for some time before coming back into the octagon.
On the other hand, Hall was in good shape, winning three of four, and on the way to the biggest fight of his career. He, too, was chasing a title-eliminator match, and according to many sources, he was pretty close to getting one if he won this battle.
As for UFC 249, everything else stays the same. Eileen fights are on the menu, highlighting the one between Tony Ferguson and Justin Gaethje, and with the co-main event, the bantamweight title match between Henry Cejudo and Dominick Cruz.
