Dana White Talks About his Hometown’s ‘Fighting Vibe’

Massachusetts is on a good run, as far as I’m concerned.

The first exciting turn of events in the state where I live came five years ago, when our fine Commonweath became the first state to legalize gay marriage. The significance of this might not have struck me so profoundly if it hadn’t come just a year and a half after my wife and I had moved from Boston out west to Northampton, a small, artsy city in the shadow of the Berkshires where many of our new friends and neighbors suddenly were being granted the same relationship status we’d always taken for granted. Hooray for them! Hooray for us as a community!

Then, on the same Election Day last year on which the country put Barack Obama in the White House, my state did something that made a really fun, giggly celebration possible: The people voted to decriminalize marijuana. This seemed as unlikely to me as seeing a black man elected president. All I can say is wow, man.

And now, just three weeks ago, Gov. Deval Patrick signed legislation to make Massachusetts the 42nd state to regulate mixed martial arts. This news may not have the societal import of the two events mentioned above, but I was damn excited to hear that the UFC soon would be headed our way.

In fact, the first thing I thought when I heard the news: I’ve got to talk to Dana White. The UFC president grew up in Massachusetts and spent his young adulthood living in Boston. He loved the city, still does, and I knew he just couldn’t wait to bring some fights to Boston. Which he apparently will do Aug. 28.

I got to talk to Dana last week for the new ESPNBoston.com, and he had some interesting things to say about the first UFC card in Boston, the city’s fight history, his New England upbringing, the Irish mob, his favorite sports team and more. Click here to check it out.

Follow Fastersport on Twitter