Aleksei Oleinik Says He Was Scared Of Getting Coronavirus During UFC 249

Aleksei Oleinik competed on the preliminary card of UFC 249, defeating former UFC Heavyweight Champion Fabricio Werdum by unanimous decision.

There is one thing that Oleinik was worried about while competing at UFC 249 and that was contracting the coronavirus.

“I was afraid that I would bring this infection home. But since [Jacare’s positive test], they tested everyone, I didn’t refuse to fight. And so yes — I was afraid,” Oleinik said to Tass.ru (via Karim Zidan of Bloody Elbow).

One UFC fighter who was supposed to compete at UFC 249 did get the coronavirus, with that person being Ronaldo Souza.

Oleinik may be afraid of getting the coronavirus, but that won’t stop the heavyweight from accepting future fights.

“I’m ready to fight with someone from the old guard, or maybe some someone younger. I’m less tired [now] than I was after the fight with [Maurice] Greene,” says Oleinik.

The only other UFC fighter to get the coronavirus was Lyman Good, but that was well before UFC 249 took place.