Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady has ended its partnership with mixed martial arts (MMA) promoter Cage Wars, sparking speculation about political motivations behind the decision.

Since 2018, Cage Wars has hosted over 20 events at the Rivers Schenectady Event Center. The MMA promotion company's main corporate sponsors are Sticker Mule and Stimulus, both owned by Republican businessman Anthony Constantino, who supported Donald Trump's 2024 campaign.

Rivers Casino, owned by Rush Street Gaming's Neil Bluhm (a prominent Democratic Party donor), maintains the split was purely business-related. "It was solely a business decision as Rivers Casino continuously evolves our event lineup to provide new and exciting opportunities for our guests and the community," the casino stated to The Daily Gazette.

Cage Wars will continue operations at their new venue, the Glens Falls Cool Insuring Arena, which offers nearly ten times the capacity of the Rivers Event Center - accommodating 4,800 spectators compared to the previous 500. The promotion's CEO, Timothy Rankins, noted they had outgrown their former venue.

The first event at the new location, Cage Wars 69, is scheduled for February 7th. Constantino, who is currently running for New York's 21st District congressional seat, plans to cover all attendees' tickets as part of his campaign.

Currently, no regulated U.S. sportsbooks offer betting on Cage Wars fights, as it operates as a pro/amateur MMA league and its events are not overseen by the New York State Athletic Commission.

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