The fighters go barefoot. The mixed martial arts Ultimate Fighting Championship, which comes to the Trump Taj Mahal Friday night, is nothing like big-time boxing. It will have to do. The number of fight cards offered annually has dropped from about 40 to less than 20.
Casinos miss the action, too.
Santoro, who booked the event for the Taj Mahal, said Ultimate Fighting Championship events bring their own fans. Lorenzo Fertitta, president of Station Casinos Inc. of Las Vegas, owns the Ultimate Fighting Championship tour. He says the fights appeal to jaded fans. He says boxing fans are tired of boxing. These guys get millions, and they don't fight.