Looking Back At Exciting First Trip To NYC In ’25

UFC 205, the November 2016 pay-per-view from the No. 1 MMA promotion in the world was, without a doubt, a most-historic evening of action in New York City. Although boxing events were and are a mainstay at the World’s Most Famous Arena, MMA cards were forbidden.

A little history lesson: Back in 1997, during the early days of the UFC, the promotion was scheduled to hold its 12th flagship event, UFC 12: Judgement Day, in Niagara Falls on the US-Canada border in New York State. New York eventually disallowed the promotion sanctioning rights for the show on the day prior to the card, and subsequently the sport of MMA was banned from the state as a whole.

This was the second US state to disallow the event, as prior to scheduling the show in New York, Oregon would not permit UFC 12 to be held in its jurisdiction. Dothan, AL would be the eventual host city for UFC 12 on just a day’s notice.

Embed from Getty ImagesAn Uphill Battle To Legalize MMA Leads to UFC 205 in NYC

After UFC 12 taking place in Dothan, the promotion’s United States footprint was localized to the southern half of the country. It wasn’t until the turn of the century that the promotion held a show in the northern United States. UFC 30 was the first event to be held in New Jersey in early 2001.

It’d be a long time before New York would host a show. We fast-forward 15 years to the late winter of 2016, 19 years after New York banned MMA right before UFC 12 took place. In March of that year, the New York State Assembly, by a final margin of 113-25, passed an ordinance to lift the nearly two-decade ban on MMA. A minimum 76 votes were needed in favor of the bill to end the ban.

This became law less than one month later when then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) signed the bill, making the end of the ban official. Although the promotion had been targeting UFC 197 at Madison Square Garden, UFC 205 would be held on Nov. 12, 2016 in New York City. UFC 205 became the first in an annual tradition for the promotion.

Save for 2020, when a majority of the UFC’s United States events were held without spectators inside the UFC Apex facility in Enterprise, NV as a safeguard against the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the organization has stopped in New York City at Madison Square Garden, every November.

UFC 205: Three Thrilling Title Fights Capped Historic NYC Show

Nov. 12, 2016 was a night that MMA fans thought would never be reality just a few short years prior. For the first card held in New York City, the UFC put on an amazing show. Three title fights topped the night at UFC 205, highlighted by an anticipated contest at 155 lbs.

The UFC Lightweight Championship was at stake in the UFC 205 main event between Conor McGregor and Eddie Alvarez. Even though the headlining affair of UFC 205 was scheduled for an advertised five rounds at five minutes apiece, McGregor needed only eight minutes’ time to write an ending to the story with a second-round knockout by way of punches.

In the co-main event of the evening, action took place at welterweight. Tyron Woodley squared off against Stephen Thompson. This fight ended in a majority draw (47-47, 47-47, 48-47) after 25 minutes, but due to the champion’s advantage, Woodley retained the title.

Your first title fight of UFC 205 was for the UFC Strawweight Championship. Joanna Jedrzejczyk battled Karolina Kowalkiewicz, with the former winning the contest by way of unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46.)

Rest of the Main Card at UFC 205

Two other fights were held on the main card that fall night nine years ago, with Yoel Romero stopping Chris Weidman inside the third round of their middleweight contest with a flying knee followed by punches and Raquel Pennington besting Miesha Tate by unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27.)

All told, UFC 205 was an exciting night of fights, one that’ll be remembered for years to come. What were your favorite memories of UFC 205?