COVID-19 almost bankrupted UFC owners, fighter accuses husband of abuse, update on Tim Schultz's leg infection: MMA News Roundup

Dana White (left), Tim Schultz (right - via @timbotmma)
Dana White (left), Tim Schultz (right - via @timbotmma)

Welcome to Sportskeeda's daily MMA News Roundup, where we present the biggest UFC news updates and other stories from the world of mixed martial arts.

In today's issue, we talk about UFC's parent company Endeavor's condition during the COVID-19 pandemic, Tim Schultz's leg's current condition, and more.


#3. The COVID-19 pandemic pushed UFC owner Endeavor to the edge

Endeavor CEO Ari Emanual recently divulged the financial hardships the company faced during the lockdown period of 2020-2021.

Speaking on the Freakonomics Radio podcast, Emanuel said that the situation was "bad" and he had to reluctantly let go of many employees. He credited the leadership of Endeavor President Mark Shapiro and the continuation of UFC events for the survival of the company.

According to his statements, the UFC brought about 70% of Endeavor's revenue in the year coronavirus struck. When asked if he thought they'd ever run out of money, Emanuel said yes:

"Here was three months there I was like — I — you know, I mean, it was bad. And we were just counting cash. Like, how do we make sure the cash can last?" [H/t The Wrap]

The UFC was one of the first major sports to resume action during the pandemic, taking their events over to Fight Island in Abu Dhabi. The venue hosted many memorable events despite the lack of an audience, including Khabib Nurmagomedov's UFC retirement fight against Justin Gaethje.


#2. Gabi Garcia accuses her husband Bruno Almeida of abuse and death threats

Gabi Garcia has accused her husband of abuse in a series of photos and videos she posted online. Garcia has brought allegations of physical assault, financial fraud, death threats, and other abusive actions against Almeida.

According to a translation by Bloody Elbow, Garcia accused her husband of violating a restraining order, marrying another woman without divorcing her, using her credit card to commit fraud, closing her personal bank accounts, lapsing payments on their house despite taking money, and sending death threats to her and her family:

"A person who has committed crimes before and after he was with me. A person who has money and asked for a pension, my purses, my earrings. Asking for my house... Even with a restraining order and the Maria da Penha law (A Brazilian law created to protect women who were victims of domestic violence) by my side, he didn’t stop. There are 19 cases of fraud on my credit card, closed my accounts in three different banks. I would get home to no water, no power. He took the money from my payments."

She shared her pictures with a bleeding nose and other bruises, allegedly caused by Almeida.

Garcia has blamed him for her two years of inaction as well. She has vowed to come clean on the whole matter in an upcoming interview titled Diary of Pain.

Read the full report here.


#1. Tim Schultz is out of surgery - Is he okay?

Australian MMA fighter Tim Schultz was recently diagnosed with one of the worst cases of staph infection, as was evident from the pictures he posted on his social media.

Schultz revealed a few days earlier that he had contracted a quick-spreading staph infection in Thailand and it may result in amputation, thereby bringing his fighting career to an end.

Friend and training partner Damien Brown told abc.net.au that Schultz was unable to hold conversations and was at a real risk of losing the leg after the infection reached the lymph nodes in his groin.

However, the latest update provided on his Instagram on May 31 at 09:30 PM AEST says he is out of surgery and in stable condition. The surgeons removed the skin along with some superficial fascia and came to the diagnosis that the infection did not reach the muscle.

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