Legislators voted 113 to 25 to overturn a ban on pro MMA events which had been implemented in 1997. (Amateur MMA events had remained legal in New York; in 2015, 71 such events were held throughout the state.)
Once Gov. Andrew Cuomo signs the bill and forwards it to the New York State Athletic Commission to establish rules, promotions will be free to host events as early as fall of this year, according to Forbes, which cited a 2013 study commissioned by Ultimate Fighting Championships that MMA events would generate an economic impact of $135 million in the state each year.
Two of the largest MMA promotions are already staking out venues within New York City to host their events. UFC is talking to midtown Manhattan landmark Madison Square Garden, long-time site for boxing and professional wrestling events, and recent host for the 2016 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships ... while Bellator MMA is in negotiations with Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
"The New York Assembly's vote to legalize MMA is a watershed moment for this incredible sport," said Bellator MMA's Scott Coker. "As someone who has been promoting combat sports for more than 30 years, this is a very exciting time for mixed martial arts. We at Bellator MMA are very much looking forward to hosting an event in the 'Crown Jewel of America,' New York."
"This is an exciting and historic day for our great sport," said World Series of Fighting CEO Carlos Silva. "Those who have been lobbying for the legalization of MMA in NY State, including World Series of Fighting's new COO Michael Mersch [a former UFC exec], should be commended for their persistence and commitment to seeing through the passage of legislation that will finally allow fans to watch live MMA in the Empire State, and fighters to compete there. We recently opened an office in Manhattan so, along with our television partner, NBC, we are looking forward to bringing our brand of professional MMA to New York very soon."
A number of states passed bans on MMA in the 1990s, responding to allegations that the sport was essentially no holds barred fighting. Back then, Sen. John McCain -- himself a wrestler at a Washington, D.C. prep school and at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, M.D., described MMA as "human cockfighting." In subsequent years, states that had outlawed the sport lifted those sanctions one by one ... with the exception of New York, until this week.
MMA promotions had been working for nearly a decade to overturn the ban in the Empire State. A long-time roadblock was removed in 2015 when Sheldon Silver, the speaker of the state assembly and opponent of UFC who blocked all legislative efforts to repeal the ban, was forced to resign his post on corruption charges.
In addition, there were a number of New York legislators who publicly expressed their opposition to allowing pro MMA bouts. Daniel O'Donnell, an openly gay Assemblyman (and brother of Rosie O'Donnell), said on the floor of the legislature, "I should really like it. You have two nearly naked hot men rolling around on top of one another trying to dominate each other. And just in case, that's gay porn with a different ending, okay? I won't describe the ending for you, but as I've gotten older the endings are less important." He also raised concerns about increased violence on public streets.
On the other side, a number of MMA stars with New York roots -- including former Hofstra University All-American Chris Weidman -- had lobbied legislators to eliminate the restrictions on MMA events. Jeff Blatnick -- 1984 Olympic gold medalist in Greco-Roman wrestling and NCAA Division II heavyweight champ at Springfield College -- had worked to change laws in his native New York before his death in 2012. Blatnick, a popular commentator for UFC events until 2001, was also was instrumental in helping to establish rules for the sport, and, in fact, was licensed as an MMA judge and referee in New Jersey.
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