Epstein makes sure to spend time with UFC sponsors and TV partners during each fightGetty Images
UFC Senior Exec VP & COO IKE LAWRENCE EPSTEIN heads to N.Y. this weekend for UFC 223 at Barclays Center, but first he'll be making the rounds Friday morning to help the mixed martial arts organization kick off its 25th anniversary at the N.Y. Stock Exchange. Epstein took some time before the rapid-fire weekend to talk about fight night, how the fans have helped UFC grow and what he gets up to away from the Octagon. (Editor's note: This interview was conducted before Thursday's incident with CONOR MCGREGOR).
RING THE BELL: I headed to N.Y. first thing Thursday morning and hit the ground running with the NYSE. We’ve got six champions who’ll be with me to ring the bell Friday morning -- DANIEL CORMIER, STIPE MIOCIC, DEMETRIOUS JOHNSON, AMANDA NUNES, ROBERT WHITTAKER and TYRON WOODLEY. That’ll be a personal highlight for me to take part in that.
SETTING THE TABLE: Friday we’ve got a few meetings with our partners and sponsors and then of course the weigh-in. We’ll be over at the Barclays Center doing that in addition to some other pre-event preparation. Then we’ve got a press conference to announce several fights coming up. UFC President DANA WHITE will be running that and I’ll be there as well. After that I can finally begin my dining experience in N.Y. I’m a huge food guy, and I’ve got some old favorites in N.Y. but then there’s always new places that I want to try as well. I got a couple good reservations already -- especially Peter Luger Steak House Friday night in Brooklyn.
FIGHT NIGHT: I’m definitely watching the fights from the promoter’s table, but it is a working event for me. I’m talking with sponsors, TV partners, taking folks behind the scenes. I feel like I work in between every fight but once they start you can be sure I’m taking it in.
HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS: Barclays is one of our favorite spots. When we were trying to get the sport regulated way back when we got a lot of help from plenty of different groups. One group that was key to getting it done was the arenas -- MSG and Barclays in particular. BRETT YORMARK was instrumental in helping us get N.Y. to regulate mixed-martial arts. They were there for us when we couldn’t even have events there yet.
TEE IT UP! I’m a golfer, but unfortunately due to work and travel I don’t get to play as often as I would like. Every Sunday I do try to play with my dad, who’s a very good golfer. My other hobby is travel, which is a perfect mesh for what I do with UFC. I love the opportunity to see new places, try new restaurants and check out the sites. Masters pick? I’ll go BUBBA WATSON, who came to the UFC Performance Institute probably four or five months ago when he played in the Shriners PGA event. He’s a big UFC fan too. I don’t know how you can’t root for TIGER WOODS as a lover of golf too.
