NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- UFC fighter Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza, who was scheduled to fight Uriah Hall at UFC 249 on Saturday, tested positive for coronavirus on Friday, the UFC has confirmed.
Souza's fight with Hall has been canceled but the UFC is going ahead with the rest of the pay-per-view event, taking place in Jacksonville, Florida.
Souza's two cornermen also tested positive, the UFC said in a statement.
"All three men have left the host hotel and will be self-isolating off premises, where UFC's medical team will monitor their conditions remotely and will provide assistance with any necessary treatment," read the statement.
Souza told UFC officials on Wednesday that a family member may have coronavirus. He was asymptomatic but he still went to get tested, and then received his positive diagnosis Friday.
Earlier this week in an interview with ESPN Brazil, he spoke about the pandemic.
"I am afraid to do everything, even to go to the supermarket," he said. "But there is something I have to do, there is no escape. I prefer to work and take the risk because these are things we will have to do. But we are very concerned with this business; it is very serious, there are many people dying, it is complicated and sad."
