Following Sunday’s tragic shooting in Las Vegas, the Ultimate Fighting Championship and company president Dana White issued multiple statements about the situation showing support for the victims of the tragedy and the city that White and company call home.
While the company’s focus is currently on supporting its home community, UFC officials said that the company plans to move forward with this week’s UFC 216: Ferguson vs. Lee event at T-Mobile Arena as planned.
The promotion’s biggest star, Conor McGregor, issued his own heartfelt statement on Monday via his Instagram account.
“Absolutely devastated upon hearing the news in Las Vegas,” he wrote. “A city with so much energy and life. A city of celebration and enjoyment. A city so close to my heart.
“I pray for all the victims, their families, and everyone affected by this senseless act of violence.”
Las Vegas has become a second home to McGregor. The UFC lightweight champion has fought half of his UFC bouts in the city and also fought Floyd Mayweather there in his lone professional boxing bout. McGregor sets up camp for weeks on end in Las Vegas prior to his fights there. He is very familiar with the city and its people, so Sunday’s events hit close to his heart.
The shooting in Las Vegas took place late Sunday evening on the final day of the three-day Route 91 Music Festival. The shooter took aim at the crowd of concertgoers from a room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino across the street from the festival. He sprayed bullets over the crowd, killing 59 people and injuring well over 500 more at last count.
It has been labeled the deadliest shooting in modern U.S. history.
Follow @MMAHotSauce on Twitter and Facebook. Also follow MMAWeekly.com on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
