[bears9]

October will be an exciting month in Chicago even if there isn't a World Series in town. UFC president Dana White is announcing through the

Chicago Sun-Times that UFC 90 will take place Oct. 25 at Allstate Arena.
It will be the first UFC event held in the Chicago area.


''Chicago is a huge market for us,'' White said during a phone interview Wednesday. ''We track pay-per-view buys for our events and ratings on Spike TV, and Chicago is a killer market for us.

''There are tons of fans in Chicago and around Chicago, and it's going to be one of the places we hit often. It's a great fight town, and we're really pumped that we're finally getting this done.''

The UFC waited until its event could be sanctioned by the Illinois Athletic Commission before scheduling a show in the state. Wording had to be changed in Illinois laws to allow the commission to regulate mixed martial arts. UFC events will operate under the same safety guidelines as boxing and other sports.

''We only go to places with strong athletic commissions,'' White said. ''We'll never go to a place where [MMA] isn't legal yet.''

<span class=redtext><b id=red>Exclusive:</span></b> UFC comes to Chicago :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Boxing/Mixed Martial Arts