UFC fighter staying in same hotel with AEW wrestlers tests positive for COVID-19

One UFC fighter and two of his cornermen tested positive for COVID-19 with all of UFC’s personnel staying in the same hotel as AEW crew and staff while in Jacksonville.

Middleweight Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza was notified yesterday that the pre-fight testing flagged him for the coronavirus just 24 hours before he was supposed to fight on UFC 249 tonight. Souza has been taken off the card and later two of his cornermen also tested positive for the virus.

All three were asymptomatic and were staying at the same hotel which All Elite Wrestling booked for their stars and crew while they were in town for the live episode of Dynamite. UFC and AEW were sharing the same property during the week. Souza and his team has now moved out of the hotel to self-isolate.

Despite the positive test, the Florida Athletic Commission has given the green light for UFC 249 to continue as planned tonight.