UFC middleweight champ Chris Weidman takes on MMA ban

An effort to legalize mixed martial arts in New York is gaining momentum after Gov. Andrew Cuomo included language in favor of it in his 2016 budget proposal. UFC executives traveled to Albany to discuss efforts to legalize the sport, New York is the last state in the country to retain a ban on MMA. City & State’s Ashley Hupfl interviewed former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman about the sport, the effort to legalize MMA in New York and his opinion on New York state politics.

The following is an edited transcript.

C&S: How did you first become interested in mixed-martial arts?

CW: I wrestled my whole life, I came from a wrestling background. I wrestled in college and tried out for the Olympics. Then I started seeing all these MMA athletes and a lot of them are wrestlers, so I started leaning in that direction. I kind of grew up fighting, so it just felt like it something I’d be interested in. I got started at a gym and then from there the rest is history.

C&S: Do you think New York state will legalize MMA?

CW: I do. I’ve thought it other years, but I really feel like I know it’s going to happen this year. I think the fact that the governor put it … in his budget is huge.

C&S: Some lawmakers argue MMA is too brutal, bloody and violent to be legalized here. What is your response to them?

CW: It’s a physical sport and it’s not for everybody. I’m not going to try to twist people’s arms and tell them they have to watch it. But it’s a sport and when it’s regulated properly, it’s a very safe sport. There’s other sports that I feel would be more unsafe than MMA, like boxing, kickboxing, jiu jitsu, cheerleading and football. Those are very brutal sports and MMA is one of those sports. It’s legal in every other state in the entire country and there’s no reason it shouldn’t be legal here.

C&S: You’re from New York. What do you think it means for New York to legalize MMA?

CW: Obviously it would be a lot of money. I think it was like $135 million they projected in the first year if they legalized it. It would mean jobs and a lot of growth. On top of it, all these fans that have to travel out of the state every time they want to go to a fight, it would save them a lot of money and they would be spending that money in New York.

C&S: How do you think our elected officials in New York are doing?

CW: If they pass MMA, I think they’re doing great.

C&S: City & State interviewed Ronda Rousey last year. Do you think she’ll make a comeback after her defeat against Holly Holm?

CW: I think she will. She’s got the championship blood in her system and that’s not going to go away easy. She wants that belt back.

C&S: If you fight any person in history, living or dead, who would you want to fight?

CW: I would take on Hitler.

C&S: In a fight between Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio, who would win?

CW: I honestly have to hold my judgement. I don’t want to get them upset when I’ve chosen one over the other. So, I’ll be very political.