Message heard ... loud and clear.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is still looking to another "incredible week" of mixed martial arts (MMA) action when it rolls into the TD Garden in Boston, Mass., on Aug. 17, 2013.
And it expects its fighters to be in "full compliance" in regard to foreign-born fighters competing inside the Octagon without social security numbers.
The world's leading MMA promotion issued a statement this afternoon (Tues., June 18, 2013) shortly after news broke that the state Department of Public Safety was prepared to follow the letter of the combat sports legalization law in the build up of UFC on FOX Sports 1 #1: "Shogun vs. Sonnen."
"For the first time since 2010, the UFC is very excited to return to TD Garden in Boston on Saturday, Aug. 17 with a live event card to coincide with the launch of the FOX Sports 1 network. Tickets went on pre-sale today for the event and are already off to a tremendous start. There were some questions that surfaced regarding licensing requirements for mixed martial artists and boxers to have social security numbers in order to compete in the state of Massachusetts. Last week, these requirements were brought to UFC’s attention and we immediately began working to ensure that all athletes affected by this are in full compliance. We are continuing to work on this and anticipate a positive outcome. We look forward to bringing another successful event to Boston during an incredible week for sports fans in the city."
The swift response is more than likely attributed to UFC on FOX Sports 1 #1 tickets, which were made available today in a special presale (full details here), assuaging concerns that the event would not feature the likes of Mauricio Rua, who collides with Chael Sonnen in the main event, as well as Alistair Overeem and Conor McGregor, among other international standouts.
Hopefully not this time around with the promotion pushing its fine-tuned regulatory and legal departments into overdrive to make good on its late summer promise.
Stay tuned.
For more on UFC on FOX Sports 1 #1 be sure to check out our complete event archive right here.