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Ultimate fighting nearing OK in Ill.
FIGHT SCENE | City could get UFC card by end of this year

May 10, 2007
BY ROMAN MODROWSKI rmodrowski@suntimes.com
The Illinois Legislature appears on the verge of lifting a ban on ultimate fighting, and Ultimate Fighting Championship president Dana White said Wednesday he hopes to hold a UFC card in Chicago by the end of the year.
''I'm excited,'' White said. ''We should have been in Chicago a long time ago. We're going to rock that town -- blow it out.''

The bill, sponsored by Sen. James DeLeo (D-Chicago) and Rep. Angelo Saviano (R-Elmwood Park), unanimously passed the Senate Licensed Activities Committee on Wednesday.

''There are very few formidable opponents to this,'' DeLeo said.

While there have been mixed-martial-arts shows in Illinois, the UFC has been waiting for the ban to be lifted so its shows can be sanctioned by the Illinois Athletic Commission, which also regulates boxing.

''[The UFC] is coming to Illinois,'' DeLeo said. ''It's in 22 states. They want to go to the big venues. It's [on] ESPN, pay-per-view. It's become international.

''So if it's coming to Illinois, we think it should be regulated. This isn't that [Toughman competition] nonsense. It's a very legitimate sport.''

The initiative will impose a tax on the events that requires promoters to pay 3 percent of gross receipts. In the past, DeLeo said, boxing events held at the United Center and Allstate Arena had been exempt from taxation. A UFC event at the UC or Allstate could gross $2 million at the gate, which would mean $60,000 to the local economy through taxes.

''Once the legislation is in place, we'll move very quickly and be there soon,'' White said. ''I hope to be there by the end of this year.''

With the approval of the Senate committee, the bill is two steps away from becoming law. The bill will be sent -- perhaps early next week -- to the full chamber for approval by a majority of senators. If approved, the legislative proposal would head to Gov. Blagojevich for final approval, perhaps by midsummer. The bill passed out of the House on March 22 with a 96-10 vote.

''We've been in conversations with the United Center and Allstate Arena,'' UFC executive Marc Ratner said. ''This is a very positive step.

''We know Illinois -- and Chicago especially -- will be a great market for us. But until we have that bill signed and the athletic commission has the rules in place, we can't go there.''

Former UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes, a native of Hillsboro, Ill., was on hand in Springfield to support the bill.

''This isn't a bloodbath,'' Hughes said. ''It isn't guys on barstools knocking each other out. I like to think of it as a chess match. For every move, there's a counter. It's a thinking-man's sport.''

Chicago is home to several popular UFC competitors, including Andrei Arlovski, Stephan Bonnar and Terry Martin.

''I would love to fight in my hometown,'' said Martin, who will fight in UFC 71 on May 26 in Las Vegas. ''It would be a sellout no matter which venue. There are a lot of Midwest UFC fans.''

Contributing: Dave McKinney, Whitney Woodward

Man this might be my first chance to see a UFC card live in action not far from me at all.

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