‘Jacare’ Releases Statement After Positive COVID-19 Test

View this post on Instagram

Fiquei muito triste por não poder lutar no UFC 249, mas quero que saibam que, assim que estiver liberado, espero remarcar minha luta com o Uriah Hall para que eu possa dar o show que todos esperam. Agradeço aos meus corners pela parceria, meu adversário pelas palavras de apoio e ao @ufc pelo cuidado. Obrigado a todos pelo carinho e pelas mensagens que tenho recebido nos últimos dias. Nas próximas semanas estarei recluso com minha família e treinadores e focado em nossa saúde para logo poder estar de volta. Muito obrigado! I was very sad to not be able to fight at UFC 249, but I want you to know that, as soon as I'm medically cleared, I hope to reschedule my fight with Uriah Hall so that I can put on the show that everyone expects. I thank my corners for the partnership, my opponent for the words of support and the UFC for all the care. Thank you all for the kind messages I have received in the last few days. The upcoming weeks I will be secluded with my family and coaches and focused on our health so I can be back soon. Thank you!

A post shared by Ronaldo “Jacaré” Souza (@ronaldojacare) on May 13, 2020 at 3:06pm PDT

Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app.

Advertisement

Fresh off his positive coronavirus test, Ronaldo Souza wanted to clear the air.

Last Friday, one of the worst possible fears for the Ultimate Fighting Championship came true: a fighter on fight week tested positive for the coronavirus. Before competing at UFC 249, “Jacare” and two of his cornermen tested positive for COVID-19. Souza was matched up on the preliminaries against Uriah Hall, and their middleweight bout was scratched.

On Wednesday night, Souza posted a statement on his Instagram, where he let people know about his situation. He expressed his disappointment for being forced out of his fight, and thanked everyone for the support. He did not specify if any symptoms have presented themselves, but mentioned that he would be secluded with his family as well as his coaches.

When Souza arrived to the host hotel last week, he informed promotion officials that he had been in close contact with a family member that tested positive for the coronavirus. A few days later, it was disclosed that the ill family member was his wife. “Jacare” was tested and ordered to self-isolate in his hotel room, but video and images surfaced of the Brazilian fighter spending time with other fighters on the card.

When the positive test came back from the UFC -- there is some dispute as to whether the first test from that Wednesday was received in time, or if the positive came from a subsequent test that Friday -- his fight was scrubbed from the UFC 249 lineup and he was forced out of the hotel. That morning, however, an asymptomatic Souza attended weigh-ins clad in a mask and gloves, but still came into contact with other fighters as well as UFC President Dana White.

His full statement reads as follows:

I was very sad to not be able to fight at UFC 249, but I want you to know that, as soon as I'm medically cleared, I hope to reschedule my fight with Uriah Hall so that I can put on the show that everyone expects. I thank my corners for the partnership, my opponent for the words of support and the UFC for all the care.

Thank you all for the kind messages I have received in the last few days. The upcoming weeks I will be secluded with my family and coaches and focused on our health so I can be back soon. Thank you!