Ilaz Zabelaj grapples during his second professional fight at Fight Club Rush, in Vaesteras, Sweden March 6, 2021. Due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic restrictions only professional sports events are currently allowed. Many amateurs on the card turned pro to continue competing. REUTERS/Philip O'Connor
VAESTARAS, Sweden (Reuters) - Sweden's mixed martial artists have been forced into an odd career choice if they want to keep fighting -- they have to turn pro.
The country's COVID-19 restrictions insist that only elite sports competitions can take place. Therefore, on Saturday night an hour from Stockholm, a group of athletes were preparing to make the irreversible step up, shown live on the UFC's Fight Pass streaming service.
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