The UFC returned from its coronavirus-enforced break in Florida on Saturday night and Brittney Palmer ensured fans did not have to go without the familiar face of an octagon girl to accompany the action.
The UFC became the first major US sports organization to emerge from the Covid-19 chaos as it staged a stacked UFC 249 card behind closed doors at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville.
Debate had raged before the event about what the stripped-back version of fights during the coronavirus pandemic would mean for the UFC and its octagon girls, and whether they would be cageside to do the honors between rounds.
In the event, the UFC dispensed with its usual double-act of octagon stunners but still deemed their presence essential as Palmer, 33, worked alone.
The real report you’ve been waiting to get: Your lone octagon girl at #UFC249 is @BrittneyPalmer. However, she will not be making the full trip around the octagon since there is no crowd. pic.twitter.com/ejB5iXi8b5
Some took issue with the maskless Palmer blowing kisses into the camera on the broadcast between rounds, given the ongoing pandemic, which she noted and switch to a ‘heart’ gesture.
An eventful night of action saw bantamweight king Henry Cejudo cement his legacy with a stoppage of former to-time champion Dominick Cruz in the co-main event, before ‘Triple C’ announced he was retiring from the sport at the age of 33.
In the headliner, Justin Gaethje upset Tony Ferguson with a brutally clinical display to pick up the lightweight interim title and earn a shot at undefeated Russian destroyer Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Coronavirus fears were raised before the event when Brazil’s Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza and two of his cornermen tested positive for the deadly diseas, forcing his fight with Uriah Hall to be scrapped after the weigh-in on Friday.
