1st MMA Event in Washington DC - May 12th

[Clint]

Link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...030601979.html

Event Planned For May 12 At D.C. Armory

Wednesday, March 7, 2007; Page E02

Mixed martial arts will make its Washington debut on May 12 at the D.C. Armory. The event, dubbed the Mixed Martial Arts Championship, will feature 10 bouts in weight classes ranging from welterweight (145 pounds) to heavyweight (260 pounds and above).

"D.C. is a sports town," said Omar Olumee, the promoter behind the event. "I want to give it a jolt."

Olumee hopes to attract 5,000 fans to the Armory and currently is negotiating free agent contracts with UFC and Pride veterans, including Tony "The Freak" Fryklund, Nino Schembri, Branden Lee Hinkle and others. Several local fighters also likely will be on the card.

Last September, Olumee's application to become the city's first MMA promoter spurred the D.C. Boxing and Wrestling Commission to adopt rules similar to those used in states such as Nevada and New Jersey. Most mixed martial arts bouts occur in caged rings. But all of the MMA fights on the Armory card will take place in an open ring because the commission has not yet approved the use of a cage.

"I don't think D.C. is ready for the cage," Olumee said.

-- Luke O'Brien

[Clint]

For those of us from around this area. This is great news, there isn't fuckall for MMA in the Maryland/DC area.

Hopefully they approve the cage, so that the UFC can come to DC as well.

[Marlo Black]

That is awesome. I'm from the MD/DC area, that would be unbelievable.

[Severn]

This ad speaks to moi!

Yeah that's awesome news! Thanks for the heads up!

[BigBanda]

Awesome, wonder how many events will take place in Vegas now since they seem to be going to other states now a lot more

[NixHex]

I think that the UFC is starting to realize mma will sell more tickets in the blue collar towns like Columbus and DC rather than LA or Vegas

[Clint]

Originally Posted by g'nightXX

I think that the UFC is starting to realize mma will sell more tickets in the blue collar towns like Columbus and DC rather than LA or Vegas

That and also the people around Vegas have events to go to all of the time. If you live around DC it's expensive as hell to fly to Vegas for a fight so alot of fans would go because it's finally close. You'll sell the same number of PPV buys regardless of where it's held anyways.

I think if they can get things together legally NY and DC would be two of the UFC's biggest venues for some shows. The Washington Metro area has a population right around 8 million or so and naturally NY would be a huge sell. I foresee the UFC at Madison Square Garden and the Verizon Center before we know it.

[Rockx]

Originally Posted by g'nightXX

I think that the UFC is starting to realize mma will sell more tickets in the blue collar towns like Columbus and DC rather than LA or Vegas

Why you dissing LA! Hey man I worked a blue collar job once, bus boy 10th grade.

MMA is so huge in California in general, I mean there is an event happening every weekend (MT, Grappling, MMA), so many schools popping up they are like Starbucks here. UFC and Pride play in bars out here.

I lived out in New York City 1 year ago, I dunno man, MMA doesn't seem so main stream out there. Maybe it has caught up now.

[LethalStriker]

Does D.C. have its own athletic commission or do they fall under the umbrella of the Maryland commission?

[NixHex]

Cuz you had a blue collar job doesn't make LA a blue collar town lol. But there's just so much shit to do in LA, see no NFL team because of that. When UFC goes to Ohio or DC it will be the biggest ticket in town bar none. In LA it'll be competing with about 20 things, but MMA is just growing and growing so who knows when it will stop. I hope the Pride situation gets worked out asap