UFC Prepares To Host First MMA Event In Tennessee On Saturday

More Than 10,000 Tickets Have Been Sold For Tennessee's First MMA Event Saturday

Tennessee will host its first MMA event Saturday in UFC 107, and FedExForum VP/Arena Operations & Entertainment Steve Zito said that "more than 10,000 tickets have been sold" for the event, "generating more than" $1.4M in gate revenue, according to Scott Cacciola of the Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL. It took "countless hours of negotiations" to get MMA legalized in Tennessee, and Zito said, "My goal in this is not just for Saturday night. This is for the future. We want to bring it back." Tennessee is "known as an emerging hotbed for MMA, and the UFC has long wanted to tap the Memphis market." UFC VP/Regulatory Affairs Marc Ratner: "When I look at the ratings for our Spike TV show, 'The Ultimate Fighter,' and go by percentages, Tennessee is a very hot state. And that's one of the reasons, when we look at deciding on a venue, Memphis is high on the list." Cacciola noted the "whole effort to push state lawmakers to legalize the sport was greenlit by Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley, who offered financial support." Zito then hired Melissa Bast as a lobbyist to work with state Rep. Curry Todd, "who co-sponsored the bill" (Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL, 12/7).