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Posted on Tue, Nov 30, 2010 : 4:45 p.m.

Former Michigan basketball star Glen Rice wants to bring MMA to Ann Arbor

By Michael Rothstein

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. - Glen Rice has a vision for Ann Arbor and it has nothing to do with basketball.

Instead, Michigan basketball’s all-time leading scorer wants to introduce his alma mater to his new career as a mixed martial arts promoter.

Rice became interested in mixed martial arts from his time in Miami and after retiring from the NBA in 2004.

In 2006, Rice started GForce Promotions in South Florida. Now he wants to expand his operation.

“I would love to do it in Crisler Arena if we could,” Rice said while watching his son, Glen Rice Jr., play in the Legends Classic. “Everybody would probably think, oh, Glen Rice is coming back and being a part of basketball. To bring them something different and to let them know that I’m still all about Michigan and want to show them a new thing that I’m doing.”

Rice’s company is not amongst the MMA heavyweight promotional teams like UFC or Strikeforce, but he said that is his goal. And his vision of bringing his team to Ann Arbor is in the conceptual stage.

“It’s still very early right now, yeah,” Rice said. “But that’s definitely at the top of the list.”

Michael Rothstein covers University of Michigan basketball for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at (734) 623-2558, by e-mail at michaelrothstein@annarbor.com or follow along on Twitter @mikerothstein

Comments

Tom Joad

Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 3:33 p.m.

Perhaps he can have Sarah Palin carry the sign indicating the round of fight