White: UFC close to securing private island to host fights

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Dana White continues to make moves to keep the UFC running during the coronavirus pandemic.

Moments after the full UFC 249 card was announced Monday, White said he's close to reaching a deal to host fights in an unusual venue.

"I'm a day or two away from securing a private island," the UFC president told TMZ. "I have a private island that I have secured. We're getting the infrastructure put it in now, so I'm going to start doing the international fights too, with the international fighters.

"Because I won't be able to get international fighters all ... into the U.S., so I have a private island and I'm going to start to fly them all into the private island and doing international fights from there."

White added that the UFC will have private planes for the fighters and noted the bouts will take place without fans present.

UFC 249 will feature 12 fights, including the interim lightweight title fight between Tony Ferguson and Justin Gaethje and a heavyweight bout between Francis Ngannou and Jairzinho Rozenstruik.

A location for the event has yet to be unveiled.