Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment, the firm running the new Nassau Coliseum, is in negotiations with UFC to "bring mixed martial arts to the renovated arena," according to sources cited by Robert Brodsky of NEWSDAY. BS&E Chief Communications Officer & Exec VP Barry Baum said that the company "has been talking with the UFC for several months about hosting an MMA fight at the Coliseum after the arena reopens in March, although an agreement has not yet been reached." UFC VP/PR, Athlete Marketing & Development Dave Sholler said the organization is "excited by the potential to host a UFC event” in Nassau. The "downsized Coliseum would seat about 14,000 fans for MMA fights." The first UFC event in New York is scheduled for Nov. 12 at MSG. MMA fighter Chris Weidman, who lives on Long Island, said, "It would mean everything to fight here. Fighting at the Nassau Coliseum would be special" (NEWSDAY, 8/24).
LOOKING FOR TRANSPARENCY: Weidman yesterday said that it is a "very confusing time in MMA, only made more uncertain" by the UFC’s recent $4B sale to WME-IMG. He added that fighters "have been left in the dark on much of the change." Weidman: “I know they say not much is really going to change, but when you get people who put $4 billion into a company, there are some things they’re going to want to do differently. I don’t know what direction things are going to go, but we shall see soon” (NEWSDAY, 8/24).
