Mixed Martial Arts Could Become Legal in New York Next Week

The end could be near for a ban on mixed martial arts in New York State. The New York State Assembly is expected to vote on and approve MMA next week, according to Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi. New York is currently the only state in the union where the sport is considered illegal.

"It will pass hopefully next week," Brindisi said, which will be the first MMA vote to overturn the ban in the state's Assembly. Previously, then Assembly boss Sheldon Silver refused to allow the vote to even come to the floor, despite the fact that it had passed several times in the Senate. Silver vowed to block the vote citing the sport's danger and violence; but, now that's he's out of the picture, the move towards legalization is on.  Still, his 'opposition partner' in the Assembly is Manhattan Assemblywoman Deborah Glick, who has been lobbying members recently in hopes of killing the legislation, which is sponsored by Assemblyman Joseph Morrelle, D-Irondequoit.

Glick recently told the Wall Street Journal that she's not swayed by the estimated $135 million in ticket sales that could come to New York.  “We could probably get a crowd for public hangings, sell tickets and make some money, but we don’t do that,” she told the WSJ. Glick has been sending members medical studies showing the sport's danger in hopes of discouraging them from voting to end the 20-plus year prohibition, according to reports.

The NYS Senate has passed a "legalization' bill sponsored by Senator Joe Griffo (R-Rome) for the last seven years. The most recent version passed last week.

“There is mounting energy in support of this legislation, coming from the Governor and within the Assembly,” Griffo said in a release. “The momentum looks promising to me, and I think it really helps that there are parallel paths of support for legalizing MMA in Albany.”

The Real Story Behind the Ban?

While the sport's violence was always Silver's reason for keeping MMA out of the state, there's evidence that the Assembly boss's opposition over the years had more to do with a union matter. The UFC is owned by Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta who also own

and operate casinos in Nevada. Their casinos are non-union and their battle with the Las Vegas Culinary Union over allowing a "card check" which could lead to employees unionizing is widely believed to be the real reason for the ban. The UFC has been eyeing an agreement to hold events at New York's Madison Square Garden since its inception. Many believe that MMA legalization in New York served as a valuable bargaining chip for the union in the stalemate. If the Assembly votes to legalize the sport next week, an MSG UFC date will most likely follow almost immediately.

What will Legalization Mean Locally?

The Mohawk Valley is rich in the sport of mixed martial arts. Former UFC stand-out Matt

Hamil lives in Utica and still fights professionally and his former trainer and manager Duff Holmes currently represents several MMA fighters at his gym, Mohawk Valley Mixed Martial Arts.  Holmes says if the vote passes it will mean a lot for local fighters.

"The biggest thing for us is that our pros will make more money because they'll be ticket sellers now. Instead of having to travel 8 hours out of state to fight with no family and friends, they can fight here in New York and make more money." Often times fighters on a card make additional money by selling tickets to friends and family for the events.  Holmes said that many times, travel expenses are more than what they would make from winning their fight, so "the ticket sales are important."

_____________________________________________________________________________
Follow Bill Keeler on Facebook

Follow @BillKeeler1