Randy Costa On Having UFC Events During Pandemic: ‘This Is Not A Game’
The UFC is ready to become the first major American professional sports organization to return to action during the pandemic when the promotion hosts UFC 249 on May 9 in Jacksonville.
More than a dozen fighters will compete at the event, which will have strict safety protocols and will be closed to fans, but some fighters like UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov chose to forego competition, citing concerns with the disease.
UFC bantamweight fighter and Taunton, Mass., native Randy Costa told NESN’s Michaela Vernava that he understood Nurmagomedov’s sentiments.
“I don’t blame him in the slightest,” Costa said. “This is a complete worldwide pandemic. This isn’t like a game. I don’t like seeing people talk (expletive) about Khabib or anyone else for not wanting to fight at this time. If this wasn’t a serious issue the world would be open right now.
“I think people just need to mind their own business. If you’re comfortable (fighting), just do your thing and just make sure you take all of the appropriate measures so you don’t infect anyone else going forward.”
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Costa was scheduled to fight Martin Day at UFC Fight Night Columbus on March 28, but the event was canceled due to the pandemic. Costa had been training for eight weeks and had shed more than 20 pounds from dieting in preparation for his fight before it was called off.
“I walk around a lot heavier than my fighting weight. When the fight was called off, I had dieted down from 168 to 146 pounds. Losing all that weight — it doesn’t make you feel good mentally. It sucks to have a constant caloric deficit and have a very high output in training. The worst part was losing all that weight for literally nothing.”
Costa, who earned his first UFC victory at UFC Fight Night Boston in October, is quarantining at his family’s home in Florida and would feel comfortable competing as long as he isn’t putting his family, including his grandmother, who has cancer, at risk.
“I would hate to be the reason why there are infections in my house. But being here in Florida and I’m not near my family at home and there’s no cancer patients and all that stuff, (fighting) isn’t a huge concern for me,” Costa said. “My biggest concern is not infecting the rest of my family. The money’s not worth it.”
Costa’s bout against Day hasn’t been rescheduled yet, but “The Zohan” wouldn’t mind competing at the UFC’s proposed “Fight Island.”
“Oh my God, I love it. My typical thing is, I diet hard, I eat clean and then I fight and then my girlfriend and I will go to some island like Mexico or Jamaica and party. If I can fight and take away that middle man and just party on this “Fight Island,” sign me up. I’m throwing my name in the hat for sure.”