Promotion’s Holiday Message Backfires As Fans Decry Over UFC 232 Debacle
This past weekend news broke that former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones’s recent drug test came out abnormal. That caused the UFC to relocate the entire UFC 232 pay-per-view event from T-Mobile Arena Las Vegas to The Forum in Southern California on such short notice after Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC) decided not to license Jones to fight Alexander Gustafsson this Saturday.
However, California Athletic Commission (CAC) agreed to license Jones for the fight.
Jones, 31, submitted his sample to the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) on Dec. 9, and it found little traces of substance metabolite of a chlorinated steroid. It’s the same metabolite that was found in former champ’s system back in July 2017, for which he already received a 15-month reduced suspension.
Fight fans are fucking pissed and furious as there traveling plans to Las Vegas screwed up. UFC immediately offered refunds to fans who purchased tickets to Vegas. But some fans who already spent thousands of dollars on a hotel, flight booking and other things left in a rage.
Most of the fighters who’re competing at UFC 232 also unhappy as fighting in California as opposed to Las Vegas means the fighters will have to pay more income tax. Moreover, they will now have to rearrange their schedules and relocate. Hell yeah, that’s a big deal when trying to cut weight and train for a fight at the last minute.
The interesting part, UFC president Dana White came to defend Jones, saying former champ didn’t do anything wrong, fight with Gustafsson should happen this weekend.
Plenty of fight fans have been lambasting UFC for it’s handling of UFC 232 situation after they moved the entire card from Vegas to California. Yesterday promotion took to Twitter to send out holiday message, that trend continues.
Check out the fans reaction to UFC’s holiday message:
#HappyHolidays from our UFC family to yours! ❄️ pic.twitter.com/L59OehUwbv
— UFC (@ufc) December 25, 2018
Not to the people who planned to go to Las Vegas on December 29th
— M (@MarkRedbeliever) December 25, 2018
You guys ruined mine. So no thanks
— Erik Hulse (@EHulseDC) December 25, 2018
Never been more disgusted w/ UFC. You’ve demonstrated that you don’t wish anybody anything except profits for this new owner. You’ll feel the sting when we don’t give you our money anymore.
— IronLion (@IronLion04) December 25, 2018
You guys moving this from the North Pole to the South Pole on a weeks notice?
— Thomas M. (@tjmcvey13) December 25, 2018
I'll never pay for a ufc event again after all this!! Way to go ufc
— angel ortiz (@ThatKiddFromTX) December 25, 2018
If you really were wishing us a sweet holiday you wouldn't have screwed over all YOUR fans that make YOU money. Go pass that on to the WME-Abcdefg that are ruining this company. @danawhite pic.twitter.com/uKySLvUNkC
— artineh (@artineh1) December 25, 2018
Jesus, @ufc check the room temperature before you make it worse. pic.twitter.com/nidYtPBZHS
— Social Worker lost at the end of time, LCSW (@JdGordon13) December 25, 2018
— melaniegalemma (@melaniegalemma) December 25, 2018
— james k (@J_KUH891) December 25, 2018
Fighters reaction:
Well… wasn’t expecting to pay California state taxes this Holiday season. #UFC232
— Amanda Nunes (@Amanda_Leoa) December 24, 2018
This mess could have easily been handled by postponing Jones vs. Gustafsson by a few weeks and promoting the Cris Cyborg vs. Amanda Nunes to the main headliner. However, time will tell if fight fans can able to forgive UFC for poor handling of a fight card.
