Following last week’s historic passage of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) legislation by the New York State Assembly, World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) today re-enforced its commitment to bringing its prestigious brand of league competition to the Empire State with an announcement that it has signed a letter of intent to acquire the New York City-based MMA World Expo, and that, pending New York State Athletic Commission approval, it plans to stage a series of bouts at the seventh annual affair at Manhattan’s Jacob Javits Center in December.
“This is a very exciting and momentous time for our great sport, so we could not be more thrilled to take significant steps towards becoming owners of the MMA World Expo, which has been consistently delivering an incredible fan experience for the last six years and which will make for a great home for live World Series of Fighting action at a landmark location in Manhattan,” said World Series of Fighting CEO Carlos Silva.
The announcement comes three months after World Series of Fighting opened the doors to a satellite office in midtown Manhattan.
Two weeks ago, the company announced the appointment of Michael Merschto the dual role of Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel. While serving as Assistant General Counsel for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Mersch was one of the key figures involved in the effort to legalize MMA in New York State.
Since launching in 2009, The MMA World Expo has hosted dozens of MMA celebrity guests, including Randy “The Natural” Couture, Anderson Silva,Matt Hughes, Fabricio Werdum and Matt Serra.
The annual convention is also the site of an array of martial arts seminars instructed by legendary trainers, as well as competitions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai and catch wrestling, and brings together industry pioneers, vendors, athletes, trainers and fans.
World Series of Fighting will announce additional details about its MMA World Expo acquisition plans, including its intent to promote live bouts at the event this year.
Live World Series of Fighting action returns to NBCSN on Saturday, April 2 at 11:30 p.m. ET/8:30 p.m. PT with WSOF30: Branch vs. Starks that will be headlined by a middleweight (185 pounds) championship showdown between defending kingpin David Branch (17-3) and top contender Clifford Starks (13-2).
