The Ultimate Fighting Championship will reportedly be heading to tribal land for its upcoming UFC 249 pay-per-view event.
According to the New York Times, the Las Vegas-based promotion will hold the April 18 card at the Tachi Palace Casino Resort in Leemore, Calif. The venue was initially reported by Sherdog.com founder and veteran MMA journalist Jeff Sherwood.
Tachi Palace Casino is located on land belonging to the Tachi-Yokut Tribe, which means that the UFC will not be subject to the state government mandated stay-at-home order due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. It also allows the promotion to circumvent the California State Athletic Commission’s ban on combat sports events that runs through May. Tachi Palace Casino closed on March 20.
“The commission echoes the guidance of California Governor Gavin Newsom, the Department of Public Health, local health officials, and the recommendations of the Association of Ringside Physicians regarding the cancellation of events where people may be at risk of contracting Covid-19 and encourages the industry to do the same,” the California athletic commission said in a statement. “The commission will not participate in the UFC event on April 18, regardless of the event location.”
The venue is no stranger stranger to mixed martial arts: The Tachi Palace Fights promotion held a total of 38 events in Lemoore from July 2009 to November 2018.
The UFC has not formally announced the venue for UFC 249, but promotion president Dana White recently revealed that he has locked down a location to host two months of fights. He also has designs on hosting bouts with more international fighters on a “private island.”
“So I locked this [UFC 249] venue up for two months. I have this venue for two months and I’m setting up shop here. We’re gonna be pumping out fights here,” White said.
UFC 249 is headlined by an interim lightweight championship between Justin Gaethje and Tony Ferguson. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.