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Following the long-awaited legalization of mixed martial arts in the state of New York, UFC announced its first Madison Square Garden event Thursday.
According to New York State governor Andrew Cuomo, UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta revealed that a card …
Following the long-awaited legalization of mixed martial arts in the state of New York, UFC announced its first Madison Square Garden event Thursday.
According to New York State governor Andrew Cuomo, UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta revealed that a card will be held at the crown jewel of New York City on Nov. 12.
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New York is poised to become the 50th and final state to legalize professional mixed martial arts, as the state Assembly voted Tuesday in favor of the motion following the state Senate’s decision to pass it for an eighth consecutive time.
The Ultimate …
New York is poised to become the 50th and final state to legalize professional mixed martial arts, as the state Assembly voted Tuesday in favor of the motion following the state Senate’s decision to pass it for an eighth consecutive time.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship, no doubt MMA‘s largest organization, welcomed the news:
The state Senate previously voted in favor of MMA’s legalization in February, but it never came to vote under the Assembly until Tuesday. Momentum started to build for the measure, though, as Gov. Andrew Cuomo called for the sport to be legalized in his state budget, according to Mike McAndrew of Syracuse.com.
Assemblyman Dan Stec explained why it took so long for the Assembly to pass the bill, per Ayla Ferrone of News10.com: “Here’s a bill that has tremendous amount of support in that chamber but has been blocked from coming to a vote for several years because the speaker didn’t like it.”
The bill now heads to Gov. Cuomo to be signed into law. ESPN.com’s Brett Okamoto suggested Cuomo’s signature “should be a formality,” citing the inclusion of professional MMA revenue in this year’s state budget.
Prior to the official vote, UFC vice president of global business development and government relations Michael J. Britt released a statement thanking those who helped make it possible:
We want to thank Speaker (Carl) Heastie and of course we also need to thank Majority Leader (Joseph) Morelle, who has worked tirelessly to educate his colleagues and build support on both sides of the aisle, but particularly among Assembly Democrats. Our thanks, as well, go to those legislators in both houses and both parties who have supported this effort over the years.
Getting the sport legalized in New York has long been among the UFC’s main goals, and it even attempted to gain a preliminary injunction against the ban in January so an event could be held at Madison Square Garden in April. While a federal judge denied the promotion’s efforts, the UFC appears poised to finally get its wish in the form of a show at MSG, although it remains uncertain when it will come to fruition.
The Assembly’s decision to legalize MMA opens up the premier media market in the United States to the UFC and other companies, and it figures to add even more to the sport’s evergrowing popularity.
Much like boxing, MMA will have the opportunity to stage supercards at venues like Madison Square Garden or the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, which will significantly help to provide a big-fight feel.
New York had resisted the legalization of MMA for nearly two decades despite its entry into the mainstream, but with both sides standing to benefit in a big way from a financial perspective, the time was finally right for the ban to be lifted.
Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com
New York is poised to become the 50th and final state to legalize professional mixed martial arts, as the state Assembly voted Tuesday in favor of the motion following the state Senate’s decision to pass it for an eighth consecutive time.
The Ultimate …
New York is poised to become the 50th and final state to legalize professional mixed martial arts, as the state Assembly voted Tuesday in favor of the motion following the state Senate’s decision to pass it for an eighth consecutive time.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship, no doubt MMA‘s largest organization, welcomed the news:
According to Sherdog.com, the final vote was 113-25 in favor of legalizing.
The state Senate previously voted in favor of MMA’s legalization in February, but it never came to vote under the Assembly until Tuesday. Momentum started to build for the measure, though, as Gov. Andrew Cuomo called for the sport to be legalized in his state budget, according to Mike McAndrew of Syracuse.com.
Assemblyman Dan Stec explained why it took so long for the Assembly to pass the bill, per Ayla Ferrone of News10.com: “Here’s a bill that has tremendous amount of support in that chamber but has been blocked from coming to a vote for several years because the speaker didn’t like it.”
The bill now heads to Gov. Cuomo to be signed into law. ESPN.com’s Brett Okamoto suggested Cuomo’s signature “should be a formality,” citing the inclusion of professional MMA revenue in this year’s state budget.
Prior to the official vote, UFC vice president of global business development and government relations Michael J. Britt released a statement thanking those who helped make it possible:
We want to thank Speaker (Carl) Heastie and of course we also need to thank Majority Leader (Joseph) Morelle, who has worked tirelessly to educate his colleagues and build support on both sides of the aisle, but particularly among Assembly Democrats. Our thanks, as well, go to those legislators in both houses and both parties who have supported this effort over the years.
Getting the sport legalized in New York has long been among the UFC’s main goals, and it even attempted to gain a preliminary injunction against the ban in January so an event could be held at Madison Square Garden in April. While a federal judge denied the promotion’s efforts, the UFC appears poised to finally get its wish in the form of a show at MSG, although it remains uncertain when it will come to fruition.
The Assembly’s decision to legalize MMA opens up the premier media market in the United States to the UFC and other companies, and it figures to add even more to the sport’s ever-growing popularity.
Much like boxing, MMA will have the opportunity to stage supercards at venues such as Madison Square Garden or the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, which will significantly help to provide a big-fight feel.
New York had resisted the legalization of MMA for nearly two decades despite its entry into the mainstream, but with both sides standing to benefit in a big way from a financial perspective, the time was finally right for the ban to be lifted.
Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com
UFC 196 was thrown for a loop Tuesday morning, as it was reported that lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos suffered a broken foot and will be unable to compete.
Continue for updates.
What dos Anjos’ Injury Means for UFC 196
Tuesday, Feb. 23
According…
UFC 196 was thrown for a loop Tuesday morning, as it was reported that lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos suffered a broken foot and will be unable to compete.
Continue for updates.
According to Ariel Helwani of MMAFighting.com, the 31-year-old Brazilian pulled out of his scheduled main event clash with UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor on March 5 after picking up the foot injury last week.
A potential replacement for dos Anjos has yet to be decided.
A similar situation occurred in July prior to McGregor’s UFC featherweight title fight with Jose Aldo. McGregor instead beat Chad Mendes for the interim championship before knocking out Aldo in 13 seconds in December.
The UFC 196 tilt was scheduled to be for the lightweight title, but with the champ now on the shelf, adjustments must be made.
It is unclear if McGregor’s UFC 196 bout will be for the interim UFC lightweight title, but the Irishman recently made it clear that his intention is to continue racking up championships in different weight classes, per SevereMMA (h/t Liam Corless of the Mirror):
I’m coming for that belt, I’m coming for the next belt, I’m coming for the whole company. Why not go up (a weight class)? They get slower, and they get less free up there, they are stiffer, they are even more stuck than the lightweight division. So I’ll keep going, keep eating, keep training and keep going until all the belts are wrapped up. I’m here to fight, I’m here to win every belt and then I’m gone and then I’ll see the game later, I’ll walk away from this game, I’ll set it ablaze and walk away. And that’s it.
The status of the lightweight title may depend upon who McGregor’s replacement opponent is and at which weight they decide to compete.
Former MMA star Cathal Pendred offered a couple of potential solutions that UFC President Dana White may consider on short notice:
While there is no question that the bout had the MMA world buzzing, McGregor’s individual star power should still be enough to sell UFC 196 regardless. It can be argued that there is nobody more popular in combat sports right now.
McGregor still figures to get his shot at Dos Anjos eventually, assuming he defeats his new opponent at UFC 196. That fight may be even bigger due to the added wait that Dos Anjos’ untimely foot injury has necessitated.
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CM Punk’s likely MMA debut at UFC 199 was officially pushed back Wednesday, as the former WWE Superstar will undergo back surgery.
According to Ariel Helwani of MMA Fighting, Punk requires a procedure to repair a herniated disc, which he attributed to …
CM Punk‘s likely MMA debut at UFC 199 was officially pushed back Wednesday, as the former WWE Superstar will undergo back surgery.
According to Ariel Helwani of MMA Fighting, Punk requires a procedure to repair a herniated disc, which he attributed to his wrestling days:
My back has always bugged me. Figured it was just wrestling s–t. Turns out it was. It got bad enough to the point where I couldn’t do anything the week before I went to train with the New Jersey Devils last month. One day I could manage, the next day I couldn’t. I’ve been in agony for almost a month. Chiropractor, acupuncture, massage, cryotherapy … nothing worked.
Per Tristen Critchfield of Sherdog, UFC President Dana White originally planned to have Punk face Mickey Gall at UFC 199.
While the injury may be somewhat disconcerting for those who wanted to see the former five-time WWE world champion in the Octagon for the first time, Punk is undeterred, according to Helwani.
“This is just a bump in the road. I’m positive about this,” he said.
Helwani reported that the expected recovery time is four to six weeks and that Punk still intends to compete in 2016.
The 2-0 Gall remains locked in as his first opponent after easily beating Mike Jackson at UFC Fight Night 82 Saturday.
Per Critchfield, Punk expressed his desire to debut at UFC 200 in July despite White preferring to make it happen at UFC 199 in June.
“It’s not up to me, but if I have any stroke at all I’m still saying UFC 200. But we’ll have to wait and see,” Punk said.
Although his status is up in the air at this point, appearing at UFC 199 or UFC 200 could be a stretch now that he’ll be forced to rehabilitate a back ailment.
Punk’s impending debut is undoubtedly among the most highly anticipated moments in UFC, but it has already been delayed twice, as he also dealt with a shoulder injury in October.
The fact that Punk is 37 years of age could be playing a factor in his injury struggles, and although he was a true iron man during his time in WWE, the years of constant wear and tear may be starting to take a toll as well.
Even though there are still plenty of unanswered questions with regard to Punk’s UFC debut over a year after he originally signed with the promotion, it is a potentially huge moneymaker for UFC, so one can only assume that everyone involved is still very much committed to getting Punk in the Octagon.
Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.
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Retired, undefeated boxer Floyd “Money” Mayweather Jr. has expressed his displeasure with top UFC fighter Conor McGregor in recent weeks, but UFC president Dana White believes the 49-0 fighter is off base.
According to Ben Thompson of FightHype.com, Ma…
Retired, undefeated boxer Floyd “Money” Mayweather Jr. has expressed his displeasure with top UFC fighter Conor McGregor in recent weeks, but UFC president Dana White believes the 49-0 fighter is off base.
According to Ben Thompson of FightHype.com, Mayweather believes racism has played a role in the notion that he is hated and McGregor is beloved, despite both athletes being brash and outspoken.
“They say he talk a lot of trash and people praise him for it, but when I did it, they say I’m cocky and arrogant,” Mayweather said. “So biased! Like I said before, all I’m saying is this, I ain’t racist at all, but I’m telling you racism still exists.”
In response to Mayweather’s comments during an interview with the Huffington Post (h/t David St. Martin of MMAFighting.com), White questioned the 38-year-old’s view of the situation:
I think Floyd’s way off there. I think that Floyd, because he’s Floyd, he feels more hate than love. I think what Floyd doesn’t realize is that I meet tons of people who hate Floyd and I meet tons of people who love Floyd. Floyd has fans and he has people who dislike him. McGregor has the same thing. Forget about race and all that other stuff. McGregor has a ton of fans and lots of people who don’t like him. It’s no different.
White also called Mayweather “delusional,” and chalked up his status as a polarizing figure to attitude rather than race:
Me and Floyd go back and forth with each other all the time talking smack I guess. Whatever you want to call it. Floyd is a little delusional sometimes. When Floyd was ‘Pretty Boy Lloyd’ nobody really cared. When he became ‘Money Mayweather’ it created a lot of attention for himself. You’re going to have people who love you and people that hate you, whether you’re black or white.
Prior to White’s response, McGregor took great issue with Mayweather’s comments earlier in the month, and the Irishman shot back via a Facebook post:
Floyd Mayweather, don’t ever bring race into my success again. I am an Irishman. My people have been oppressed our entire existence. And still very much are. I understand the feeling of prejudice. It is a feeling that is deep in my blood.
In my family’s long history of warfare there was a time where just having the name ‘McGregor’ was punishable by death.
Do not ever put me in a bracket like this again.
If you want we can organise a fight no problem.
I will give you a fair 80/20 split purse in my favour seen as your last fight bombed at every area of revenue.
At 27 years of age I now hold the key to this game.
The game answers to me now.
A physical clash between Mayweather and McGregor seems unlikely with “Money” now retired and focused on Mayweather Promotions, but the war of words may be far from over considering their penchant for talking trash.
Mayweather may be out of the spotlight from an athletic standpoint, but he continues to find ways to make headlines and elicit reactions from others.
Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com