- UFC event to go ahead after last ditch negotiations
- The uncertain, but inevitable, return of sanctioned mixed martial arts in New York.
- Sheik Ahmed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Investment Authority’s Chief, Dies at 41
- Illinois bolsters boxing safety standards
- Women’s Place in MMA
UFC event to go ahead after last ditch negotiations
Federal Minister for Heritage and Culture James Moore was enthusiastic to hear the news, sending out a note on Twitter saying, “Great news for Vancouver & MMA fans: UFC 115 in Vancouver is a GO for June 12th. I’m there!”
But city staff, athletic commission officials, and UFC staffers were refusing to confirm the story late Wednesday, with city communications staffer Wendy Stewart stating only that the two sides were close but still had specifics to sort out. (Vancouver Sun) … (MMAPayout Perspective)
The uncertain, but inevitable, return of sanctioned mixed martial arts in New York.
Dollar signs continue to dance elusively within the ring (or cage, as the case may be), so on Jan. 19 of this year, when Gov. Paterson unveiled his budget proposal, nestled within it was a provision to empower the Athletic Commission to allow, regulate and tax the very thing New York banished 13 years ago. As per the proposal, there’s $1.37 million in net revenue there just ripe for the picking, revenue that would at least provide a sip of water and an encouraging word to a state strapped for cash and on the wrong end of a five-round fiscal donnybrook. But Governor Paterson’s own political battles have roughed things up a bit. That April 1 deadline for legislative approval of the budget? It’s sitting on a wooden stool in the corner holding an ice pack to its head, not quite KO’d like the Governor’s re-election bid, but in desperate need of medical attention. No one’s sure if it will last into the later rounds. (NY Press)
Sheik Ahmed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Investment Authority’s Chief, Dies at 41
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — Sheik Ahmed bin Zayed al-Nahyan of Abu Dhabi, who led one of the world’s biggest sovereign wealth funds, died in a glider crash on Friday in Morocco. He was 41.
Rescuers, who found his body on Tuesday, had combed the area for four days after the aircraft crashed into a reservoir south of the Moroccan capital, Rabat. Residents of the area said that the sheik was a regular visitor and that the Abu Dhabi ruling family had a palace overlooking the reservoir. (NY Times)
Illinois bolsters boxing safety standards
The Illinois State Professional Athletic Commission announced Tuesday that it has begun to strengthen safety regulations for professional boxing and mixed martial arts, including requiring a minimum of two doctors at each event.
Administrative rules authorize the commission to appoint more than one ringside doctor at events, but Tuesday’s announcement by commission director Ron Puccillo suggests officials did not routinely do so. Doctors are selected by the commission but paid by promoters. (Chicago Tribune)
Women’s Place in MMA
They don’t understand that typically women manage the household finances. We are the buyers in the family. In fact, studies have shown that women are responsible for 83% of all consumer purchases. Advertisers get it and for the last couple of years they’ve made HUGE strides in reaching the female demographic FOR EVERYTHING because we’re the people that will purchase whatever it is they’re selling. If a guy wants to order a PPV for $50.00 most likely he has to ask his wife. If he wants to go to an event, he checks with his girlfriend. Again, obviously this isn’t the case all the time but more than not it is. Oh and we’re more than that. Some women actually are fans. Oh and like the sport, those female fans have evolved over time. They’re now educated, successful business women who happen to enjoy the sport. (MMAHotStuff)
VIDEO OF THE DAY
- MMA Live: 2-4-10: MMA Live looks back at another busy week for the UFC. Georges St-Pierre and Shane Carwin reign at UFC 111. Kenny Florian joins the show live after his submission win over Takanori Gomi. Frankie Edgar checks in before boarding a plane for UFC 112.
QUICK HITS
- Station Casinos loses $1.13B in 4th quarter (AJC)
- Master P. Jumps Into MMA World To Raise Money For Haiti (AllHipHop)
- LGIO MMA Strikes Strikeforce Deal (Sherdog)
- Silva Signs to Face Akiyama at UFC 116 (Sherdog)
- UFC president Dana White a finalist in 2010 “Time 100” list of influential people (MMAJunkie)
- DREAM targets Shinya Aoki vs. Tatsuya Kawajiri for DREAM.16 in July (MMAJunkie)
- Bellator announces Sean Wheelock and Jimmy Smith as FSN broadcast team (MMAJunkie)
- Hidehiko Yoshida draws teammate Kazuhiro Nakamura in April 25 retirement fight (MMAJunkie)
- Chuck Liddell Never Considered Retirement, Comments on Toney in UFC (MMAFighting)
- Decline of Gomi Started Long Before Florian Fight (MMAFighting)
- WEC 48 FIGHT CARD CONFIRMED (MMAWeekly)
- UFC FIGHT NIGHT DRAWS 7,700 FANS IN N.C. (MMAWeekly)
- According to Time readers, White more influential than Obama (Cage Writer)
- Exclusive: Paul Buentello cut from UFC (FiveOuncesOfPain)
- Florian, Nelson, Pearson and Siver Earn $30k Bonus Checks (Heavy)
TV LISTINGS
- InsideMMA (Josh Barnett, John Howard, C.B. Dollaway) at 9 PM ET on HDNet (04/02/10)
- HDNet Fights: K-1 World MAX 2010 Japan GP at 11:30 PM ET on HDNet (04/02/10)
- HDNet Fights: K-1 World GP 2010 at 4 AM ET on HDNet (04/03/10)
UPCOMING EVENTS
- HDNet Fights: K-1 World MAX 2010 Japan GP at 11:30 PM ET on HDNet (04/02/10)
- HDNet Fights: K-1 World GP 2010 at 4 AM ET on HDNet (04/03/10)
- UFC 112 : Silva vs Maia at 10 PM ET on PPV (04/10/10)
- HDNet Fights: KOTC Bad Boys Too at 10 PM ET on HDNet (04/16/10)
- Strikeforce Nashville: Henderson vs Shields at 11 PM ET/PT on CBS (04/17/10)
- WEC 48: Aldo vs Faber at 10 PM ET on PPV (04/24/10)
- HDNet Fights: MFC Vindication at 10 PM ET on HDNet (05/07/10)
- UFC 113 : Machida vs Shogun 2 at 10 PM ET on PPV (05/08/10)
- Strikeforce St. Louis: Overeem vs Rogers at 10 PM ET/PT on Showtime (05/15/10)
- UFC 114 : Rampage vs Evans at 10 PM ET on PPV (05/29/10)
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