MMA Shot Down in New York

The Tourism and Sports Development Department of New York once again shot down a bill that would have moved forward the potential legalization of mixed martial arts in the state, now placing the bill aside for further review in the near future.

The majority of negative votes were reportedly led by Assemblyman Bob Reilly, who complained that since cockfighting and dog fighting are both banned in the state, MMA should remain so as well according to The Albany-Times Union. Anyone looking to contact Reilly to help change his mind about things can find his contact info here. (Be civil about it)

Loretta Hunt of Sherdog.com reports that a public forum will likely be scheduled for later this year, creating an opportunity for members from all sides - assemblymen, supporters, and detractors alike - to have a round table-like discussion about the sport and the issues surrounding it.

Even if the bill was given the go-ahead earlier this afternoon, it would still have to have gone through a lengthy series of additional votes, including a stint on the floor of the two main chambers of the New York state legislature and the governor’s office as well where the bill could have been quickly vetoed.

Because of today’s events, the sport will now likely have to wait at least another year or two before it is finally legalized, depending on the amount of time the New York State Athletic Commission takes to put together a committee and rules set that would oversee the sport in the state. (Example: Pennsylvania legalized MMA last year but still has yet to do either of the two, simply leaving future events in limbo as of right now.)

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