UFC event gives Sean O'Loughlin inkling of 'really strange' atmosphere without fans

Sean O’Loughlin has had an insight into what playing behind closed doors will be like – and admits it will be a “really strange” prospect.
The UFC went ahead in an empty arenaThe UFC went ahead in an empty arena
The UFC went ahead in an empty arena

The Wigan captain watched last weekend’s televised UFC event, which went ahead during the coronavirus pandemic without any fans inside the arena.

And it gave him an inkling into what Super League players may expect when the competition resumes in empty grounds.

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“I can imagine it will be a really strange atmosphere,” he told Betfred’s The Last Tackle podcast.

Wigan captain Sean O'LoughlinWigan captain Sean O'Loughlin
Wigan captain Sean O'Loughlin

“I caught the UFC highlights and there was no atmosphere, you can hear the fighters talking to each other and to the referee - it had a really strange feel about it.

“To get in front of crowds is a long way off and there has to be some sort of bridging gap in between, so it’s going to be a necessity to do that.

“From a players’ point of view it will be a sacrifice we’re willing to take just to get back playing again.” O’Loughlin, who is training at home with weights and an exercise bike, admits it feels “a million years” since Wigan last played two months ago.

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But with the Premier League planning for a restart next month, O’Loughlin hopes it won’t be too long before rugby league action is back on.

And he thinks the correct protocols will ensure he won’t have any apprehension about leaving the Covid 19-enforced lockdown.

The 37-year-old added: “I don’t want to say every player will have the same mentality but as long as procedures are in there... and it not just players, but staff and everyone involved on a matchday, they’ll all want to know there are safe protocols. It’s got to be safety first as well.”

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