Fightin' Words

By Joe Fernandez

There's a picture of former UFC welterweight champion and Long Island native Matt Serra on their web site. The picture reads: "You can help me fight in New York."

The UFC-sponsored site is mmafacts.com. It's main objective is to "educate the readers on the sport of mixed martial arts and to advocate the regulation of the sport in New York," according to a spokesperson.

To have your voice heard, click on the picture of Serra then follow the directions to contact your representative in Albany.

By Joe Fernandez

In an effort to have mixed martial arts sanctioned in New York, representatives of the Ultimate Fighting Championship will visit Albany on May 6.

At 1 p.m. at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center, New York fighters Matt Serra and Matt Hamill, along with UFC staffers Marc Ratner, Lawrence Epstein and Michael Mersch will hold a press briefing, according to a source, then meet with legislators to highlight the positives that they believe MMA would bring to New York, including increased state revenue.

The last Ultimate Fighting Championship show, UFC 83 in Montreal, sold out the Bell Centre with 21,390 people at the April 19 event.

Fightin' Words readers: If mixed martial arts was sanctioned in New York, which two MMA fighters would you like to see headline a card at Madison Square Garden?