Bellator 241 to Take Place Without Fans Amid the Coronavirus Concerns

Bellator 241 will take place amid ongoing concerns about the coronavirus pandemic.  

However, fans will not be let into the arena at Mohegan Sun Resort & Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut, for the event on Friday, per Bellator president Scott Coker:

"The health and safety of our athletes, fans and staff are our number one priority and we will continue to monitor all information surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak. Out of an abundance of caution for all parties, #Bellator241 on Friday, March 13 at Mohegan Sun Arena will be closed to the public. Refunds for ticketholders will be available at their original point of purchase."

Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont issued an executive order banning gatherings of 250 people or more, per Alex Putterman, Christopher Keating, Nicholas Rondinone and Eliza Fawcett of the Hartford Courant.

Six cases have been confirmed in the state, per the New York Times.

The Bellator news comes amid a wave of cancellations and postponements in the sports world, including the suspensions of the MLB, NBA, NHL and MLS seasons and the cancellation of NCAA competitions through the 2019-20 athletic season.

However, a few sports organizations will go on (for now) without fans, including the PGA Tour and NASCAR.

As for Bellator, extra precautions will be taken Friday in light of the coronavirus pandemic, per Mohegan Tribe Department of Athletic Regulation director Mike Mazzulli. They include stricter pre-fight physicals that involve checking for fevers and questioning whether a fighter has been in any coronavirus hot zones.

"The Mohegan Tribe Athletic Department is always concerned about fighters' safety," Mazzulli told Marc Raimondi of ESPN. "They concur with Bellator's decision. In fact, we implemented added pre-fight physical requirements, which included making sure all fighters do not have a fever and have not traveled to any heavily affected areas."

Fifteen fights are slated to take place at Bellator 241, with five on the main card.

Patricio Freire will defend his featherweight championship against Pedro Carvalho in the main event.