Arizona leaving marks on MMA
by Odeen Domingo – Dec. 25, 2008 09:40 PM
The Arizona Republic
It was a banner year for the sport of mixed martial arts in Arizona.
The state passed a law to allow unified and less restrictive fighting rules at MMA events in hopes of attracting organizations such as the Ultimate Fighting Championship to hold economy-boosting shows here. In October and November, local organizations EVO MMA and Rage in the Cage each put on events that allowed the new fight rules. And Arizona-based fighters C.B. Dollaway, Efrain Escudero and Ryan Bader made national names for themselves in UFC’s reality show, The Ultimate Fighter.
For Arizona, MMA has arrived.
The most powerful man in all of MMA, UFC President Dana White, gave The Republic an exclusive phone interview a few days before UFC 92 – the organization’s year-end show that features three of the biggest matchups of the year, including a light heavyweight title bout – Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Question: Let’s talk about MMA and Arizona. C.B. Dollaway (former Arizona State wrestling standout who trains out of Arizona Combat Sports in Tempe) is fighting in the UFC 92 card. And with (Yuma native) Efrain Escudero and Ryan Bader (ASU, Arizona Combat Sports) winning The Ultimate Fighter, what do you think about Arizona’s MMA talent?
Answer: “I really believe in C.B. Dollaway. . . . He’s got a lot of potential to be a great fighter. The Lally brothers (trainers Todd and Trevor Lally of Arizona Combat Sports) have a camp down there and are pumping out a lot of good talent. The Southwest has always been a hotbed for MMA, and that includes Arizona. There’s been a lot of talent that has come out of there, and there will continue to be. It’s not bad that they’ve got ASU wrestling down there.”
Q: A program the school almost got rid of.
A: “Yeah, that would’ve sucked.”
Q: So where does Arizona stand in the MMA world? And will UFC hold an event here?
A: “Arizona is one of the top states. As this sport grows, there are camps opening all over the country. We’re all over now. We (the UFC) went to (expletive) Dublin, Ireland, this year. And we sold out in four days. The sport is growing all over the world. Arizona is no different. We’ll probably end up doing a Fight Night in Arizona soon. I’m hoping 2009.”
Q: What do you look for when you go into a market? This year, you’ve gone to Minneapolis and Atlanta for the first time and drew big gates.
A: “When we go into a market, we pull ratings we get on Spike TV and pay-per-view buys in the area. We see what the demo (demographic) is down there. That’s what we gauge and then decide where we want to go.”
Q: Where does Arizona rank there?
A: “It looks good. We’ll have a Fight Night there.”
Q: How was 2008 for the UFC?
A: “2008 was a kick-(expletive) year for us. We couldn’t be happier. We exceeded all of our goals. It was the year my partner Lorenzo Fertitta (a Las Vegas casino magnate who purchased the UFC in 2001 and spent millions to help push the organization into the mainstream) came back to be with us full time. And what we will accomplish in the last (eight) years is nothing compared to what we will accomplish the next nine years. We have big plans and big goals. It’s not like we’re guys saying, ‘Look at what we’ve done’ and pat ourselves on the back. We’re going to put our heads down and drive forward. Remember this conversation and remember that I told you this: In 10 years, we’re going to be the biggest sport in the world. Bigger than soccer. Bigger than football. Dancing. I don’t care what it is . . . badminton. We’re going to be the biggest sport in the world.”