The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) president Dana White believes there is plenty of room for improvement with the New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC).
This past Saturday night (April 8), UFC 210 took place inside the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY. The event was headlined by a light heavyweight title bout between Daniel Cormier and Anthony Johnson. While Johnson’s retirement certainly had its buzz, the co-main event brought high drama.
Gegard Mousasi extended his winning streak to five, but it wasn’t without controversy. His opponent was former middleweight title holder Chris Weidman. Mousasi landed what referee Dan Miragliotta initially called an illegal knee. Upon further review via replay, Miragliotta deemed the knee legal despite the fact that replays aren’t used in the state of New York. Mousasi was awarded the TKO win.
In the post-fight press conference, White said there are some growing pains with the NYSAC (via Bloody Elbow):
“Here’s the thing, with the New York State Athletic Commission, it’s like we’re in 2001 again. These guys haven’t done big mixed martial arts fights. These guys have to get some experience. And as a fighter, I say it all the time. You have to be on your toes, and you gotta be 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.”
