Brendan Schaub reacts to UFC 249 cancelation, guarantees fights will go ahead in May

Former UFC heavyweight turned combat sports analyst Brendan Schaub recently commented on the cancelation of UFC 249 and Dana White’s plans to resume business despite the coronavirus pandemic.

Schaub weighed in on the topic during his podcast “Below The Belt” saying that a move like ESPN and Disney stepping in to cancel fights is the downside to the deal that the UFC has with these companies.

"Disney has so much more power than the UFC and Dana White."⠀
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Full podcast 🎙️: https://t.co/cJ1cu6xeR3 pic.twitter.com/tot9Oq23Vq

— Below the Belt with Brendan Schaub (@btbshowtime) April 14, 2020

“Here’s the downside when you sign a deal with Disney,” Schaub said. “Now [White] has to answer to people. Disney has so much more power than the UFC and Dana White, so Dana works for them. They make the calls. Before they sold to Disney when they were just working with FOX and stuff like that, these fights would have gone on. We probably would have had more fights than this by now.”

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, the United States and countries all over the world have had to enforce restrictions on large gatherings which has stopped any potential UFC events along with other sports. A recent move by the Governor of Florida deemed WWE an “essential” business which could open the door for UFC events to take place there, and Schaub believes with moves like this by some states, he guarantees the UFC will have fights in the month of May.

“We’re going to get fights in May, I guarantee it,” Schaub said. “Once you see some states are going to be at zero, a lot of countries are going to be at zero deaths. You’re going to get the fights. But it just shows you, when you play ball with the big boys, Dana has to answer to somebody.”

News broke late Tuesday evening that the UFC is looking to plan their return to action on May 9 and a potential full fight card was reported by ESPN, which further strengths Brendan Schaub’s guarantee about fights coming back next month.

Do you think the UFC will return in May?

This article first appeared on BJPENN.com on 4/15/2020.