War in the Time of COVID

To put it mildly, 2020 has been a trying year for mixed martial arts and the people who work in and around it. When the COVID-19 pandemic swept the globe, entertainment industries, including sports, ground to a complete stop, and MMA was no exception. In March, the Ultimate Fighting Championship suspended operations for nearly two months, then came back with an ambitious schedule of events in empty venues, followed by several other major promotions. As the industry scrambled to adjust to a radically changed world, the coronavirus pandemic presented different sets of challenges to fighters, coaches and gym owners.

For UFC welterweight Alex Morono, whose job description includes all of the…