White: NY AC is like 2001 all over again
Dana White: “With the new athletic commission, it’s like we’re in 2001 again. These guys have to get some experience.”
New York mulled over legalizing mixed martial arts for 20 years, but perhaps they should not have been so hasty. Each UFC in The Empire State has had issues with regulation, and rather than improving, UFC 210 on Saturday night was arguably the worst.
UFC light heavyweight Daniel Cormier missed weight, which would have made the main event non-title. He then used a trick you can’t get away with in high school to make 205. Pearl Gonzalez was told she could not compete because she had had breast augmentation surgery, and then was told she could. And Chris Weidman took two legal knees, Dan Miragliotta called a foul, and gave Weidman the five minutes to recover available to a fouled fighter. Then a replay showed the knee was legal, and a cageside doctor ruled him unfit to continue, and somehow, although New York does not allow instant replays, the fight was called in Gegard Mousasi’s favor.
UFC president Dana White was not impressed.
“They didn’t explain anything to me,” said White, as transcribed by Dave Meltzer for MMA Fighting. “Weidman was in a very unfortunate position where he was told he had five minutes and he was laying on the ground, and then the doctor said `I can’t let this guy continue.’
“With the new athletic commission, it’s like we’re in 2001 again.”
“These guys have to get some experience. As a fighter, you have to be on your toes and ready to go. Many times even in great states like Nevada, you’re battling the referee and the judges. You have to fight to win, fight to finish.”
“Could Weidman have come back from that? … It looked like he was in a real bad position. Who knows? I don’t know.”