Long time coming
UFC arrives upstate after lengthy fight to legalize
ALBANY — Nine months ago, Daniel O’Donnell, brother of talk show host Rosie O’Donnell and an openly gay member of the New York State Assembly, described mixed martial arts as, “gay porn with a different ending.”
That comment serves as an example of the inaccurate and sometimes idiotic opposition the UFC faced in its decade-long battle to get a bill passed legalizing MMA in New York. Perception gave way to reality Friday night as the UFC made its long-awaited debut in the state capital, staging UFC Fight Night 102 at the Times Union Center. It’s the second UFC card staged in New York since MMA was legalized, following UFC 205, a record-setting event at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 12.
The UFC promised if MMA became legal in New York, it would hold events not only in New York City, but also in Albany, Buffalo and Rochester. The Albany event felt like a homecoming of sorts. Albany had become a second home to the UFC as year after year, UFC officials, fighters and sup- porters visited the state capitol trying to get a bill passed that would legalize MMA in New York. This time they brought along the Octagon.
It wasn’t the pay-per-view extravaganza that electrified the Garden and attracted more than 20,000 fans. UFC Fight Night is mainly for those making their debut or climbing the ratings, with some hoping to be part of UFC 208 set for Feb. 11 at Barclays Center.
The main event, before a crowd of about 6,000, was a bit of a snooze with Russian heavyweight Shamil Abdurakhimov running around the Octagon trying to avoid the power of Houston’s Derrick Lewis, the 10th-ranked heavyweight. It took until the fourth round for Lewis to put his 265-pound body on top of Abdurakhimov and apply a ground-and-pound finish. It was the fifth straight win for Lewis (17-4).
“He didn’t want to fight,” Lewis said. “I expected a better performance.”
In the co-feature, Francis Ngannou (9-1) of France, the 12th rated heavyweight in the UFC, captured a firstround submission over Anthony Hamilton (15-6) of Albuquerque, N.M.
Elsewhere, there was plenty of local flavor on the card. Keith Berish, who lives 45 minutes from the Times Union Center, lost a unanimous decision to Ryan Janes (9-1) of Canada.
Light heavyweight Gian Villante, a Long Island native and Hofstra graduate, improved to 15-7 by handing Saparbek Safarov of Russia his first loss with a secondround TKO.
While there wasn’t any gay porn on display, there was plenty of blood. Marc Diakiese of England had his left eyelid split open in the second round before capturing a unanimous decision over New Jersey native Frankie Perez. And Ashley Yoder and Justine Kish drew each other’s blood in a women’s strawweight bout Kish claimed by unanimous decision.
With two events already in New York and another planned for Barclays Center in February, the UFC doesn’t have to worry about misconceptions anymore.