Ray Hui is MMAFighting.com's Editor
Last week, Massachusetts became the 42nd state to legalize mixed martial arts after Governor Deval Patrick signed the bill into law for the state to regulate the sport.In this FanHouse exclusive, we spoke to Joe Cavallaro, the promoter of the state’s leading promotion, World Championship Fighting, to find out the impact regulation will have on the Bay State and his promotion.
Massachusetts-based promoters and fighters alike are thrilled with the news Monday that legislature has passed a bill for the regulation of MMA in the state, opening the door for UFC events as early as Summer 2010.
Regulation legitimizes the sport for everyone involved, and the arrival of the UFC grants a number of local fighters within the promotion the opportunity to compete in front of family and friends.
MMA wasn’t illegal per se, but there was no governing body for the sport, and the UFC’s stance is to only promote events where there is regulatory body in the state. In the past couple of years, MMA has been most prominently promoted in Massachusetts through the work of Joe Cavallaro and his World Championship Fighting cards, which air on the Comcast SportsNet New England channel.
“The passing of the bill is great,” Cavallaro told FanHouse Tuesday. “We’re excited about it and actually lobbied with the UFC and their fighter Kenny Florian in front of the senate for the regulation to be passed. This bill changes the face of MMA in New England forever. I think it’s a great thing for the sport, the fans, and certainly all of the fighters.”
Saturday, September 26, 2009
by (jencarnacao@sherdog.com)
He was successful.
A former power lifter who built his name on the New England mixed martial arts scene, Campbell — once featured on the “TapOut” reality show on Versus — picked up a first-round technical knockout victory in the main event of World Championship Fighting 8 on Saturday at the Aleppo Shriners Auditorium. The welterweight rebounded from two first-round losses in the WEC.
“A lot came to me fast,” said Campbell, 26, who was fighting on national television after only four professional fights. “I realize what I had, and I want it back. I have to get back on a winning streak.” Read more »
