Over the past couple of years, the UFC has entertained the possibility of having a show on Hawaii. Unfortunately, due to the large tax (estimated to be about 8%), the UFC has decided not to have a card there.
However, that is about to change.
“We fixed the thing in Hawaii,” said Dana White. “We’re going to go to Hawaii. They had that crazy f’n tax going on.”
What should make the UFC’s potential trip to Hawaii intriguing to the non-Hawaiian resident is the building that will host it.
“We’re going to go to Hawaii, and the only place we can do it is in the Aloha Bowl,” said White. “All the other venues are too small.”
The capacity of the Aloha Bowl for UFC event will be in excess of 50,000. With BJ Penn the likely headliner, they have a chance to get near the capacity for the show. In the past, the UFC stated that they to do not want to run large arenas because it will take away from the “UFC experience”, but in Hawaii, they do not have other serious options.
The size of the audience will be larger than that of any U.S. MMA or boxing match in recent memory. The only U.S. “fighting-style” event that routinely plays in those size arenas is Wrestlemania. Should the UFC run the Aloha Bowl, the event may very well be too large for the entire country not to take notice. It could make a tremendous impact.
Good news for Hawaiian fans..
Volare
07-18-2009 05:08 PM
BJ Penn will be treated like a god. Can't wait to see that fan reaction.
