UFC debuts at Madison Square Garden with event on Nov. 12
The UFC will officially return to New York with a pay-per-view card at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 12.
UFC co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta made the announcement on Thursday after Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the bill into law that officially legalized MMA in the state.
"I want to thank Governor Andrew Cuomo, Assembly Majority Leader Joseph Morelle, Senator Joe Griffo and the many other leaders in the state of New York for legalizing and regulating the sport of mixed martial arts," Fertitta said.
"Our commitment to bringing incredible live events to New York starts immediately, as we've planned a major Pay-Per-View event at Madison Square Garden on November 12. It's going to be a historic, monumental moment for this sport and our passionate fans when the Octagon finally arrives in New York."
Fertitta also announced that the UFC intends to hold a second event in upstate New York before the end of the year as well.
Hey @TheGarden: Let's do this ? pic.twitter.com/SnbB82PzqZ
— UFC (@ufc) April 14, 2016
New York banned MMA in 1997 and the sport has been illegal there ever since.
The UFC has spearheaded efforts for several years to get the ban lifted and finally a vote was held to legalize the sport in March.
Now the UFC has plans to launch a huge event at Madison Square Garden with a card that will likely rival UFC 200 in terms of star power and magnitude.
Cuomo even teased at the event that he would love to see both Ronda Rousey and former middleweight champion Chris Weidman fight at the UFC's return event to New York.
"That would be a hell of an event," Cuomo said with a smile.
Both Rousey and Weidman were in attendance at the signing where Cuomo legalized the sport in New York for the first time in nearly 20 years.
With a huge list of fighters hailing from the Empire State it's easy to imagine the UFC stacking the card with local talent. In addition, Rousey is expected to return to the UFC around November so her participation at the event probably wasn't exactly coincidental.
A Rousey led pay-per-view in November would probably be just the kind of event the UFC has in mind for the first card at Madison Square Garden.
