UFC Champ Chris Weidman pleads case to fight in home state of New York

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

UFC Middleweight Champion Chris Weidman was on hand this week as the UFC went back to New York City's Madison Square Garden to reveal the results of another economic impact study.

It's the beginning of yet another push towards getting the sport legalized in the state of New York, and Weidman plead his case as a native New Yorker to lawmakers in the state.

"I'm from Baldwin, Long Island and I never left New York," Weidman said (via UFC.com). "I'm born and raised and as New York as it gets. I got my associates degree from Nassau Community College, my bachelors from Hofstra, and my masters from Hofstra University. And recently, I accomplished the thing in my life that I feel is the most important besides getting married to my beautiful wife and having my beautiful children, and that was winning the UFC belt."

"That's good, but there's something really missing, and it kind of takes away from this belt, and that's not being able to participate in my sport – something I'm so passionate about and that I've worked my whole life for – in my home state of New York."

Penick's Analysis: Weidman and others continue to try to showcase themselves in the state, but the sport still hasn't gotten its due as of yet. Hopefully 2014 will be the year, but they need Sheldon Silver and the New York State Assembly to give them that chance. If they do and let a vote go through this year, the UFC will finally be able to make their long awaited trip to MSG.

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_19334.shtml

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