The UFC has started announcing the details of its super spectacular, mega awesome 20th anniversary event on November 16, and the good news right out of the gates is that we’re finally going to see Johny Hendricks get his shot at Georges St-Pierre and the UFC Welterweight Championship. Hendricks earned this opportunity with his unanimous decision victory (and Fight of the Night) over Carlos Condit at UFC 158. Oh, and that whole being 10-1 since joining the UFC thing helps, too.
Of course the bad news for this event – which will likely be UFC 167 – is that lawmakers in New York decided not to vote on a bill to legalize mixed martial arts in the state before the end of the current legislative session. UFC President Dana White was hoping to host this milestone event at Madison Square Garden, but now it’s just going to be in Las Vegas again, even though the bill probably would have passed if it hit the floor.
After a contentious closed-door meeting with his Democratic conference Tuesday night, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said the bill would not hit the floor for a vote before the current legislative session ends this week.
The embattled speaker said more than 40 of 104 Assembly Dems opposed the measure.
And while the bill likely had enough votes to pass if it made it to the floor, it would have needed help from the GOP minority. It is rare for a majority party to take up a bill they can’t pass without assistance from across the aisle. (Via the NY Daily News)
What’s at least interesting about Vegas is that it will mark the first time since UFC 111 that GSP has fought outside of Canada, and the first time since UFC 100 in 2009 that he has fought in Vegas. So if you’ve got a tin foil hat handy, maybe you can fire up some conspiracy theories and wild speculation.
Here, I’ll start – Georges St-Pierre said that the girl in his latest NOS commercial asked about me.
Would you like a GIF? Yes you would.
