Jon Jones sat in a chair Thursday morning just feet away from the court the New York Knicks play on. In his hand was a cup of coffee emblazoned with the Madison Square Garden logo.
Jones, the UFC light heavyweight champion, isn’t a city kid, but he’s not far off.
The chiseled, 6-foot-4 man child grew up in upstate Endicott and now lives in Ithaca. He was a high school state champion here in wrestling. But he can’t ply his current trade – MMA – because an archaic law banning the sport still exists.
“Everything is in New York,” Jones said. “It would be sure kind of them to add us to the program. I hope that I become one of the best fighters of all time and I’m from New York. Why not give New York State people their champion?”
The UFC held a fan event Wednesday in Herald Square and its media day was at MSG. The organization will have to travel across the river to actually hold a fight card, though. Jones defends his title against Chael Sonnen at UFC 159 on Saturday night at Prudential Center in Newark.
Half a million or more people will likely watch the high-profile bout on pay per view. But New Yorkers cannot see the UFC in their home state, because of a 1997 law banning MMA that persists despite four straight years of the state Senate voting to overturn it.
Each time, the bill to legalize MMA has not even come to a vote in the Assembly. It’s unclear if it will this year, despite it passing through the Senate this year with an overwhelming 47-15 vote and positive remarks about the sport from Governor Andrew Cuomo.
The biggest thing standing in the UFC’s way, according to president Dana White, is the lobbying efforts of the Las Vegas Culinary Union. That organization has feuded with UFC owners Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta for years. The Fertittas own Las Vegas’ Statino Casinos, one of the largest non-union hotel groups in the country.
After years of fighting, White has grown frustrated with the political process in New York, saying Thursday he’s “over it.”
“I don’t get all crazy about it,” White said. “We know why we’re not here. It’s ridiculous. It’s pathetic. What are we gonna do?”
The UFC booked a date in November at Madison Square Garden to hold its 20th anniversary show. White has all but given up on that becoming a reality. He says that coming to New York won’t help his bottom line, but it would be a major achievement for the still-growing enterpise.
“Just doing an event in New York is huge,” White said. “If we look at all the things we’ve accomplished over the last 13 years and a lot of the milestones, going into the Garden is a big deal.”
White promises that the UFC would also hold shows in places like Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo, helping the struggling economies in those cities. Sonnen was more blunt, saying New York needs the UFC more than the other way around.
Perhaps, he’s correct. But for someone like Jones, who grew up a stone’s throw away, New York has more meaning.
“New York City is the Big Apple,” Jones said. “Everything is here. Fashion, food. Everything’s here. New York City doesn’t need MMA.”
Jones became the youngest man to ever win a UFC title two years ago at age 23. He did that at Prudential Center, where he’ll look to tie Tito Ortiz’s record of five light heavyweight title defenses Saturday against Sonnen.
But until he fights in New York City, Jones believes something will be missing from his legacy.
“Ali was here,” he said. “Tyson was here. Just being at the Garden associates you with greatness.”