It’s time! No, not for Ultimate Fighting Championship announcer Bruce Buffer’s trademark introduction to a main event fight (at least not yet). It’s time for the UFC’s last barrier of entry into the mainstream -- New York City, and the combat sports mecca in its midst, Madison Square Garden.
Mixed martial arts were banned in New York for 19 years. Countless legal battles and one corrupt imprisoned Sheldon Silver later, MMA has finally arrived in the world’s media capital thanks to the New York State Assembly surpassing the required approval mark, 76 votes, with 113. Only 25 opposed it (although the absurd speeches too extensive to get into here made it seem like it’s still 1993-level ignorance about the sport).