UFC donates $1 million to families of Las Vegas shooting; issues statement on UFC 216

The world is still in shock following last night’s horrifying mass shooting in Las Vegas that left at least 59 people dead and over 500 injured. With that said, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), who calls Las Vegas home, is doing everything they can to help the families of those affected.

The promotion released an official statement to MMAjunkie pledging their support to victims while confirming Saturday’s UFC 216 pay-per-view event will go on as planned.

“Our focus right now is on supporting the community and those affected by Sunday evening’s events,” read the statement. “UFC 216 on Saturday, October 7 at T-Mobile Arena will proceed as scheduled until further notice.”

Many of the UFC’s fighters, including lightweight champion Conor McGregor, took to social media where they shared their shock and issued support to the victims, families and everyone involved in the Las Vegas massacre.

The UFC will make a $1 million donation to the families affected by Sunday’s tragedy in Las Vegas.

UFC president Dana White tells me the organization will donate $1 million to the families of those affected by the tragedy in Las Vegas

— Adam Hill (@AdamHillLVRJ) October 2, 2017

“UFC president Dana White tells me the organization will donate $1 million to the families of those affected by the tragedy in Las Vegas”

UFC 216 is headlined by an interim lightweight title fight featuring Tony Ferguson taking on Kevin Lee.

Tony Ferguson will enter the title fight sporting an impressive nine fight win streak. “El Cucuy” was most recently seen in action in November of 2016, where he scored a unanimous decision victory over former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos. Ferguson has scored six stoppage victories during his current nine fight win streak.

Meanwhile, Kevin Lee is currently riding a five fight win streak, his latest being a first-round technical submission victory over Michael Chiesa this past June in Oklahoma. “The MoTown Phenom” has scored finishes in four of his past five bouts.

In the co-main event of the evening UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson will look to make history by defeating Ray Borg.

If “Mighty Mouse” can defeat Borg next weekend, he will break Anderson Silva’s record by earning his eleventh straight successful title defense.

Johnson was most recently seen in action at April’s UFC on FOX event in Kansas City, where he scored a third-round submission victory over Wilson Reis.

As for Ray Borg, “The Tazmexican Devil” is currently riding a two fight win streak, scoring decision wins over Louis Smolka and most recently Jussier Formiga.