The Weekly Wrap: June 27 - July 3

New States Regulate MMA

Two states welcomed mixed martial arts regulation, as commission oversight of the sport began in Indiana and Hawaii.

The UFC has discussed running Canseco Fieldhouse in Indiana but has remained negative towards Hawaii because of the tax structure called for in the state’s original MMA statute. A two-percent tax of UFC’s gross pay-per-view revenue was once proposed, but a $50,000 cap was later added; the same exists in Nevada. Alan Taniguchi, an executive in the state’s licensing division, will serve as Hawaii’s commissioner. MMA has been a popular spectator sport for a little more than a decade in Hawaii, and Honolulu routinely ranks in the top markets for UFC pay-per-view buys.

Meanwhile, one of the first sanctioned mixed martial arts events to be held in Pennsylvania, Ultimate Cage Fighting Challenge “Rumble on the River,” took place June 27 at the Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh. On the show, UFC veteran Rich Clementi injured his shoulder 45 seconds into his main event fight with WEC veteran Kyle Jensen and lost, while decorated collegiate wrestlers Phil Davis and Paul Bradley both picked up wins.

The UFC will debut in Pennsylvania with UFC 101 “Declaration” on Aug. 8 in Philadelphia; the event has already sold some 14,000 tickets for a $3 million gate. Marc Ratner, UFC’s vice president of regulatory affairs, indicated in interviews that the tally makes UFC 101 the biggest gate for a fight show in the state’s history. A controversial event entitled “Cops v. Cons” will follow on Oct. 3 in Reading, Pa. The card, promoted by Xtreme Caged Combat, will feature fighters who have been in jail taking on fighters who have worked in law enforcement.

Major holdout states for MMA include New York and Massachusetts, which have been expected to pass regulations in the past two legislative sessions but have yet to do so. Currently, 39 states regulate mixed martial arts.