ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - SEPTEMBER 07: Ottman Azaitar of Morocco celebrates victory against Teemu Packalen of Finland in their Lightweight Bout during the UFC 242 event at The Arena on September 07, 2019 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)
UFC president Dana White has decided not to drop off Ottoman Azaitar after an insane and flagrant safety violation on fight island in Abu Dhabi.
According to Brett Okamoto, the UFC has given Azaitar a ‘second chance’ in the promotion.
Azaitar had to face Matt Frevola at UFC 257, but the fight was canceled because Azaitar broke the safety norms in UFC’s bubble in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.
The promotion restricts all UFC fighters from traveling or moving outside the island once they arrive.
The 31-year-old German mixed martial artist made his UFC debut on September 7, 2019. Subsequently, he’s had two matches and won both via knock-out and technical knock-out, respectively. There is no news about his next fight in the Octagon. However, the ‘Bulldozer’ is still in the roster and has a chance to win his way up.
COVID-19 has not only slowed down UFC, but has affected all major sports leagues and competitions. Running a global mixed martial arts competition amidst this pandemic is way beyond explanation. White received a good amount of criticism from fans around the world when he started holding cards. But even under immense pressure, Dana White pulled the show off with the required safety norms.
As a result of this pandemic, they removed a lot of fighters from the UFC, which caused a lot of uneasiness within the roster. UFC as an entire organization kept a close watch on its staff and athletes during this entire time. They moved some of their events to UFC apex in Las Vegas to ensure the fan’s and fighters’ safety. From then on, The UFC has been consistent and hasn’t stepped down.
Do you think it is a fair decision taken by the UFC?
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