Souza 'very sad' he couldn't fight after testing positive for coronavirus
Find out the latest on COVID-19's impact on the sports world and when sports are returning by subscribing to Breaking News push notifications in the Sports and COVID-19 section.
UFC middleweight contender Ronaldo Souza has spoken publicly for the first time since testing positive for the COVID-19 virus and being pulled from his bout at UFC 249 last weekend.
"I was very sad to not be able to fight at UFC 249, but I want you to know that, as soon as I'm medically cleared, I hope to reschedule my fight with Uriah Hall so that I can put on the show that everyone expects," Souza wrote in an Instagram post Wednesday.
Athletes slated to compete at UFC 249 were tested for the coronavirus a second time Friday after the official weigh-ins, and Souza's positive result came back later that evening. Two members of Souza's team also tested positive.
When he arrived in Jacksonville last Wednesday, "Jacare" informed the promotion that he had come into contact with a family member who might've had COVID-19. The Brazilian then self-isolated "whenever possible," according to the UFC, but he did face off with Hall - albeit from a distance - at the weigh-ins.
"The upcoming weeks, I will be secluded with my family and coaches, and (we will be) focused on our health so I can be back soon," Souza wrote.