Weidman embarrassed for 'ignorant' opponents of New York MMA bill
Chris Weidman is grateful for the ill-informed politicians who lobbied against the legalization of MMA at Tuesday's New York State Assembly conference.
The former UFC middleweight champion was more confused than angry at the bevy of arguments presented by opponents of a bill that would legalize MMA in Weidman's home state. After a lengthy session, the bill was passed by a vote of 113-25.
Some of the arguments against legalization revolved around stereotypes tied to the sport, including comparisons to "gay porn," the evoking of slave imagery, and the implication that fighters are more inclined to violent criminal behavior.
"Some of the things they were saying were so ridiculous that I was actually happy and embarrassed for them for even bringing it up," Weidman said on a conference call after the vote, according to Marc Raimondi of MMA Fighting. "It's things I've heard people behind closed doors might be saying, but to hear them say it live and to the public, I actually thought it was pretty interesting - and probably good for us. I just thought it was embarrassing on their part."
The Baldwin, N.Y., native has battled for years to bring regulated MMA to New York, but even he was caught off guard by some of the statements made against the sport at the conference.
The Hon. Daniel J. O'Donnell of Manhattan suggested assembly members had been bribed to change their votes. He also said MMA is "gay porn with a different ending."
The Hon. Charles Barron of Manhattan chose slavery as the basis for his argument.
"Firstly, as an African American, we've been in cages on the plantation and other places and people let us bite off each other's ears and other things until they regulated that and made it something different," Barron said.
Thankfully for Weidman and the bill's proponents, the comments failed to sway the majority of voters.
"For them to be actually saying it on a public forum was very surprising and I was actually embarrassed for them," Weidman said. "I think it just kind of made them look ignorant with their comments and they were reaching as far as they possibly can to stop it from happening for whatever reasons. And they were willing to make themselves look bad while they were doing it."