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          Daniel Cormier among fighters to react to watching UFC Fight Night without any fans

          Bea Malecki opened Saturday's UFC Fight Night card with a win, but without any fanfare. Buda Mendes/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
          • ESPN
          Mar 14, 2020, 09:15 PM

          The UFC's event in Brasilia, Brazil, went on as scheduled on Saturday, but it was held in an empty Nilson Nelson gym.

          There was the typical walkout music and introductions for the fighters, but no fans to acknowledge the athletes in the Octagon. Bea Malecki, who opened the card with a win over Veronica Macedo, said that fighting in a vacant facility brought about a strange feeling but also had its advantages.

          "It was a bit weird, not having any fans inside the arena, but I was able to hear everything my coaches were saying, and it was good," Malecki said. "Sometimes it is so loud out there. It was a crazy week; we did not know if the fight was going to happen or not, but we stuck to the plan. It was really emotional."

          Some of their peers watching the broadcast, including former two-division champion Daniel Cormier, took to Twitter to give their take on viewing the action without enthusiastic fans in attendance. Meanwhile, some athletes in other professional sports, like NFL running back Mark Ingram, and pro wrestling legend "Stone Cold" Steve Austin were happy to have an athletic event to watch.