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The case for Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz 3 in an empty arena

The last thing the UFC ever wanted to do was stage a card in front of exactly zero fans. Part of the sport’s greatness is the wild and electric atmosphere that a packed arena surrounding a caged Octagon provides.

Yet a funny thing happened in the UFC’s return this week. The coronavirus-created silence of an empty VyStar Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jacksonville offered an enlightening, if unlikely, experience.

With no noise to drown anything out, you could hear the fighters talk to each other, you could hear their corners shout instructions and the combatants could even hear the announcers offer instructional commentary and adjust accordingly (and in at least one case, successfully).