Paul Felder ‘Nervous’ For Trip To Florida And Coronavirus Test

In his last fight, Paul Felder lost a razor close split decision to Dan Hooker at UFC Auckland back in February. Although he doesn’t have a fight booked in, ‘The Irish Dragon’ has a busy month ahead of him, commentating on the UFC’s May 13th and 16th events in Jacksonville, Florida.

Speaking to MMA Fighting, Felder outlined some of his concerns with the idea of working during the ongoing coronavirus situation.

“I’m going to be getting some kind of testing done, so I’ll know where I’ll stand on this whole situation.”

“Whether it’s an antibody test or a COVID test, I don’t know. And unfortunately, if I show up and I have it, I won’t be working and that will be a waste of a trip. I’m supposed to be going to Florida and working, so hopefully, I get there and I’m negative and then well, I’ve just got to stay negative for the rest of my life.”

And it’s not only the testing that Felder is concerned about. While most people are on a lockdown, the 35 year old will be travelling to Florida. Knowing that once he gets there, he will soon learn if he has the coronavirus or not.

“I’m nervous, of course, just like anyone who’s got to travel through this, it’s going to be a little bit nervous,” Felder said.

“I haven’t been in an airport since Vegas—since the last pay-per-view that I worked—and that was right as it started to become a thing, when we first heard about it swarming through the U.S. But we were still like, ‘We’re not going to have to shutdown – that’s ridiculous,’ and now it’s been six weeks or seven weeks we’ve been shutdown here I think. So yeah, I’m nervous, but also I know I’m nervous for the test because it’s miserable, but I’m also really excited to know that I don’t have this damn thing… or know that I do have it and I’m asymptomatic and they’re going to shut my ass down for 14 days, which really sucks. If I got out there and I test positive, they’re going to lock me in my hotel room for 14 days. They can’t send me back to the airport, right? I gotta quarantine myself there, so that’s 14 days I’m away from my family.”

Before he travels to Florida however, Felder will be part of the UFC 249 broadcast team. But will be working from home. Which brings more concerns.

“I’m hoping that my internet holds up. I’ve got my lighting rigs over here, I’ve got my tripods and they sent me an iPad with a Zoom lens, we just set it all up. And then tomorrow they’re sending me a dome for the light, so it will be a lot more even. I got my suits up here on the bed ready to get dry cleaned.

“The only thing tough for me is, when I’m working the show at the show you show up, you get a little powder, you put your suit on. This is going to be in my own living room, there’s beer down in the fridge. In between shows, I’ll get to go down and watch the main card, I’m going to want to have a cocktail and I can’t do that, I have to stay clean and sober. That’s the only thing. I’m definitely going to have some pizza downstairs ready to go in between.”

How excited are you to see the UFC and Paul Felder return to our TV screens this weekend?


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