State officials are hopeful of bringing a UFC card featuring featherweight champion Max Holloway to Aloha Stadium this summer after what were described as “positive” meetings at UFC headquarters in Las Vegas this week.
Aloha Stadium Authority chairman Ross Yamasaki said it was the first “face-to-face” meeting between the UFC and state representatives, characterizing it as “very positive.”
State Sen. Glenn Wakai, who had a conference call with the UFC earlier, said a summer event at Aloha Stadium is targeted.
Stadium Authority member Keith Amemiya, who was part of the five-member delegation from Hawaii and returned Thursday morning, briefed the panel on the initial meetings involving representatives of the stadium, the Hawaii Tourism Authority, Ascendent Sports, the HTA’s New York-based marketing contractor and the UFC.
HTA President and CEO George Szigeti said in a statement, “(The) UFC made a very thorough presentation as to the support they would provide to make this event a success. UFC is requesting a sizable sponsorship fee from HTA to host this event. Because this would involve the use of state funds, we will put UFC’s request through the rigorous process we use to review proposals and see if an agreement can be reached that is fair to both sides. We want to make sure that any monies provided by HTA is done appropriately and does not come at the expense of HTA’s support for community programs and marketing tourism for the Hawaiian Islands.”
Though the Hawaii delegation met primarily with key UFC executives, UFC head Dana White was said to have made an appearance and introduced himself.
Aloha Stadium manager Scott Chan attended “to provide technical information about what the stadium could provide in terms of facilities and set up,” Yamasaki said.
White, who had earlier been skeptical of the chances of bringing a card to Hawaii citing the threat of rain at Aloha Stadium and small indoor venues, changed his tune late last month.
“Obviously with a Hawaiian champion now, too, it makes a lot of sense. We’re working on it,” White said at a press conference to promote another UFC event.
Aloha Stadium has held two outdoor mixed martial arts fights. Hilo’s B.J. Penn fought Renzo Gracie in the main event of a K-1 event in July 2005 that hosted 12,000 fans.
Niko Vitale’s final MMA fight was against Jamie Jara at a September 2014 X-1 card at the stadium that drew 1,500.
