The UFC displayed a picture of The Queen ahead of the pay-per-view portion of the UFC 279 card on Saturday night – but it was not well received by fans
UFC fans booed a minute's silence for Queen Elizabeth II following the monarch's death earlier this week.
The promotion paid tribute to the late head of state before the pay-per-view portion of the UFC 279 card in Las Vegas on Saturday night by displaying her picture on the video screen. But fans jeered the period of silence before breaking into a chant of "USA, USA".
Fans then took to social media to question why the UFC paid tribute in the first place, with one saying: "I’m really mystified by this. Like…who thought a tribute was necessary at this event? At no point in the last two days did anyone on this planet wonder 'My God, how is the UFC going to handle the news of the Queen’s passing?' And yet here we are."
Former UFC light-heavyweight and heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier, who was commentating on the event, said: "Us Americans are some savages" while another fan said: "It’s weird that the UFC would even acknowledge it. Was the Queen a big fan of mixed martial arts?"
Fight fans in the UK were deprived of action on Saturday night when Savannah Marshall's undisputed fight against Claressa Shields was cancelled on Friday afternoon. The British Boxing Board of Control followed the Premier League in cancelling all events, but cricket and golf were among the sports which went ahead.
An historic rendition of God Save The King took place ahead of the resumption of the third Test between England and South Africa as well as a minute’s silence in a touching tribute to the Queen. The death of the long-serving monarch, announced by Buckingham Palace officials on Thursday evening, led to Friday’s play being called off as a mark of respect but the green light was given for all international, domestic and recreational cricket fixtures in this country to go ahead from Saturday.
Ahead of the third day’s play in the LV= Insurance series decider, there was a poignant commemoration at the Kia Oval to the Queen , with an impeccably observed minute’s silence broken only by a one-bell chime from Senior NCO Robert Brockelsby Miller of the Irish Guards.
Soprano Laura Wright then sang the national anthems of both South Africa and England, with a sell-out crowd joining in one of the first renditions of God Save the King at a televised sporting event in 70 years before bursting into a spontaneous and prolonged applause ahead of the first ball being bowled. All players and coaches wore black armbands while there was no branded advertising by the boundary edge.
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