Coronavirus knocks middleweight Souza off UFC 249 card
UFC middleweights Uriah Hall, left, and Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza, right, engage in a social distancing staredown during the official UFC 249 weigh-ins as UFC president Dana White looks on, center, at the Hyatt Regency Downtown in Jacksonville, Fla., Friday, May 8, 2020. Late Fridat, Souza tested positive for COVID-19 and was removed from Saturday's card. (Adam Hill/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
JACKSONVILLE, Florida — UFC middleweight Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza has tested positive for coronavirus a day ahead of his scheduled fight at UFC 249 at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena.
He has been removed from the card, the Review-Journal has confirmed.
ESPN first reported the story.
The rest of the card will proceed as planned.
Marco Lopez, vice chairman of the Florida State Boxing Commission, said late Friday he is still very comfortable with UFC 249 proceeding despite the positive test.
He indicated Souza disclosed a recent contact with an infected relative and was isolated upon his arrival until results came back.
“The system worked,”
