Tag: MMA in New York

Dana White on MMA in New York: “I Guarantee It’s Going to Happen This Year.”


(Oh, you DID NOT just deny my Facebook friend request, Reilly.)

In an interview given to MMAFightCorner, Dana White didn’t beat around the bush when discussing the possibility of finally legalizing mixed martial arts in New York. If you recall, the UFC recently filed a law suit against New York, claiming that the “Empire State” was in breach of their first amendment rights to peacefully assemble. Specifically, Zuffa lawyers have been attempting to prove that mixed martial arts is a form of entertainment, like any other sport, and therefore cannot be criminalized.

Well, it seems we may have finally reached the mountaintop, so to speak, as the UFC President seems more than confident that 2012 will be the year that New Yorkers near and far will finally be able to sit down and watch MMA from somewhere other than their couches:

We’re so close. It’s going to happen, and I guarantee you it’s going to happen this year. It’s going to depend on when it happens, timing and everything else, but obviously, it would be nice to go in there with, probably, Jon Jones.


(Oh, you DID NOT just deny my Facebook friend request, Reilly.)

In an interview given to MMAFightCorner, Dana White didn’t beat around the bush when discussing the possibility of finally legalizing mixed martial arts in New York. If you recall, the UFC recently filed a law suit against New York, claiming that the “Empire State” was in breach of their first amendment rights to peacefully assemble. Specifically, Zuffa lawyers have been attempting to prove that mixed martial arts is a form of entertainment, like any other sport, and therefore cannot be criminalized.

Well, it seems we may have finally reached the mountaintop, so to speak, as the UFC President seems more than confident that 2012 will be the year that New Yorkers near and far will finally be able to sit down and watch MMA from somewhere other than their couches:

We’re so close. It’s going to happen, and I guarantee you it’s going to happen this year. It’s going to depend on when it happens, timing and everything else, but obviously, it would be nice to go in there with, probably, Jon Jones.

Let us be the first to say, it’s about fucking time. In June, the New York State Senate voted an overwhelming 42-18 to pass Bill S.1707-A, which would legalize the sport once and for all. This came after a similar bill was passed in the NY Assembly Committee with a vote of 14-6 back in 2009, all at the disgust of NY State Assemblyman Bob Reilly, who may or may not have received campaign contributions for his efforts to kill the bill before it gained any steam *cough* he did *cough*. Since then, several NY legislators have come forward in favor of legalizing the sport, including Buffalo Senator Mark Grisanti, who stated that it would not only help create jobs in a stagnant market, but could help boost tourism, being that New York is just an earshot away from Toronto.

And bringing in a guy like Jon Jones, who is not only a native of the state (he was born in Rochester), but a near guarantee in terms of putting on an exciting fight, seems like the best move for the UFC. But although DW seems confident, which by all means he should, we are going to hold off on our celebrations, because if history has proved one thing, it’s that it only takes one misinformed d-bag to ruin a party, also known as the Andy Dick Effect.

-Danga 

UFC Gets Backing from NY State Senators in Legalization Push Ahead of 2012 Assembly Session Start in Jan.

(Video courtesy of WNY)

New York State Assembly isn’t scheduled to resume until January, but that isn’t stopping politicians in the Empire State from rallying for legalizing mixed martial arts when the next session starts.

Several senators and assembly members have spoken out publicly in support of the sport in recent weeks, which could bring the issue to the forefront when Assembly is back in session in two months.


(Video courtesy of WNY)

New York State Assembly isn’t scheduled to resume until January, but that isn’t stopping politicians in the Empire State from rallying for legalizing mixed martial arts when the next session starts.

Several senators and assembly members have spoken out publicly in support of the sport in recent weeks, which could bring the issue to the forefront when Assembly is back in session in two months.

Buffalo Senator Mark Grisanti, who met with UFC chairman and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta yesterday, says that it’s ridiculous that New York is dragging its feet when it comes to sanctioning the sport that is regulated in all but a handful of states in the U.S. and less than a half dozen Canadian provinces. Grisanti pointed to the economic benefits of having MMA in the state, noting that it could create jobs and inject an influx of cash into the New York economy as one of the big reasons for giving the popular combat sport the nod.

“Being that we’re so close to Toronto and southern Ontario, I would suspect that we would get a lot of that draw from our neighboring country [as well],” Grisanti explained.

You might recall that the bill stalled out before it could reach a final vote because the 2011 Assembly session ended before one could take place. Some argue that the opponents of the bill dragged their feet in pushing the process along to prevent a vote from happening, but it’s unlikely they will be able to put off the inevitable next year. Let’s just hope that voting members will look at the big picture and not take douchebag Assemblyman Bob Reilly’s word at face value, considering he received campaign contributions from the culinary union — you know, the group that’s been trying to shut down the UFC because they don’t like the fact that the Fertittas won’t allow their Station Casino workers to unionize.

UFC Sues New York for Breach of First Amendment Rights

Zuffa has launched another salvo against the state of New York in it’s continued bid to have mixed martial arts regulated in the Empire State.

This time, the parent company of the UFC and Strikeforce has resorted to a lawsuit filed today in New York U.S. district court against New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. According to The Wall Street Journal, the plaintiffs are seeking a declaration that the ban of MMA in New York violates the First Amendment, which states:

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

The portion of the amendment that Zuffa is focusing on is the “freedom of speech” part, which also covers freedom of expression. Because one of the three words in the term “mixed martial arts” is “arts,” Zuffa lawyers will attempt to argue that the sport is a form of artistic expression, and as such, should not be criminalized in the state.

Zuffa has launched another salvo against the state of New York in it’s continued bid to have mixed martial arts regulated in the Empire State.

This time, the parent company of the UFC and Strikeforce has resorted to a lawsuit filed today in New York U.S. district court against New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. According to The Wall Street Journal, the plaintiffs are seeking a declaration that the ban of MMA in New York violates the First Amendment, which states:

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

The portion of the amendment that Zuffa is focusing on is the “freedom of speech” part, which also covers freedom of expression. Because one of the three words in the term “mixed martial arts” is “arts,” Zuffa lawyers will attempt to argue that the sport is a form of artistic expression, and as such, should not be criminalized in the state.

“Live professional MMA is clearly intended and understood as public entertainment and, as such, is expressive activity protected by the First Amendment,” the lawsuit states.“As is true of ballet, music, or theater, for an audience, attending a live MMA event is an experience that cannot be replicated on a screen.”

The suit was co-signed by Jon Jones, Gina Carano, Frankie Edgar, Matt Hamill and Brian Stann, who according to court documents “have suffered, and will continue to suffer, irreparable harm” due to the MMA ban in New York.

The case could set a landmark precedent if judgment sides with the plaintiffs as it will be the first successful First Amendment case involving a professional athlete. The floodgates for similar suits could open if the case is ruled in Zuffa’s favor. By rights, other pros like basketball, baseball and football players could arguably sue their respective leagues during lockouts that such practices prevent them from earning a living and cause “irreparable harm and suffering.”

Barry Friedman, a professor at New York University School of Law who is representing Zuffa and its fighters says that the law doesn’t necessarily need to cover all athletes.

“This is the first time to my knowledge that a professional athlete is claiming a First Amendment right to communicate with fans in a live event,” said Friedman.”The courts needn’t declare all sports protected by the First Amendment, because MMA — which, as the name suggests, draws on a mosaic of different fighting styles — is special. It’s martial artistry,” he said. “The nature of martial arts is a lot like dancing.”

I take it he’s never watched a football or basketball game. Tell Michael Jordan and Jerry Rice that they weren’t as graceful as an MMA fighter when they played. Other than that, the lawsuit looks pretty interesting.

Check out the whole thing HERE.

 

So Close, But Yet So Far: New York Passes On MMA For Another Year


(An artist’s rendering of how Bob Reilly depicted New York would look if MMA was legalized)

Well, supporters put up a valiant fight, but in the end New York State once again cock-blocked the bill to legalize MMA again for another year.

The sad thing is, that bill S1707A never really had a fighting chance once it hit the Ways & Means Committee, where it would stall as the current Senate’s session ended Monday. Last week the Committee’s chairman, Denny Farrell, D-Manhattan, told Politics on the Hudson that he was “looking at” the bill, but admitted he was not a mixed-martial arts fan.

“I don’t think very much of the sport,” Farrell said. “Next we’ll give them clubs with spikes on the end; that will be good.”


(An artist’s rendering of how Bob Reilly depicted New York would look if MMA was legalized)

Well, supporters put up a valiant fight, but in the end New York State once again cock-blocked the bill to legalize MMA again for another year.

The sad thing is, that bill S1707A never really had a fighting chance once it hit the Ways & Means Committee, where it would stall as the current Senate’s session ended Monday. Last week the Committee’s chairman, Denny Farrell, D-Manhattan, told Politics on the Hudson that he was “looking at” the bill, but admitted he was not a mixed-martial arts fan.

“I don’t think very much of the sport,” Farrell said. “Next we’ll give them clubs with spikes on the end; that will be good.”

Good to know Bob Reilly isn’t the only oblivious asshole Democrat in New York Senate.

Well, they say bad things come in threes, and this is the third consecutive year that MMA legalization has been shot down in The Empire State, so hopefully next year. If not, there’s a Senate election slated for November of next year. Vote accordingly.

Damn It! It Looks Like MMA Legalization in NY Isn’t Going to Happen *Again* This Year


(New York State Assembly: where dreams are squashed.)

The man in charge of the Assembly floor in New York, Democrat Speaker Sheldon Silver yesterday put the big kabosh on the hopes of MMA supporters who were optimistic that the sport will be made legal in the Empire State this year.

Silver intimated to the New York Daily News that the bill may not even be brought to the Assembly floor for a vote before the current legislative session ends on June 20 because the support isn’t there, which is curious considering votes in the other levels of government have all swung considerably in favor of approving legalization.


(New York State Assembly: where dreams are squashed.)

The man in charge of the Assembly floor in New York, Democrat Speaker Sheldon Silver yesterday put the big kabosh on the hopes of MMA supporters who were optimistic that the sport will be made legal in the Empire State this year.

Silver intimated to the New York Daily News that the bill may not even be brought to the Assembly floor for a vote before the current legislative session ends on June 20 because the support isn’t there, which is curious considering votes in the other levels of government have all swung considerably in favor of approving legalization.

“There does not appear to be widespread support in the Assembly for this legislation,” Silver said, ignoring the several outspoken Assmbly members who have voiced their support of the bill introduced by Democrat Assemblyman Steve Englebright.

Bill A04146A breezed through Senate voting a few weeks ago, the Assembly Tourism Committee voting this week and is expected to pass without issue through Assembly Codes Committee voting next week, so why not finally put it to an Assembly vote so we can see things done in a democratic manner (you know, since the Assembly is made up of a 94-58 Democratic majority) once and for all.

New York Senate Votes 42-18 in Favor of Sanctioning Mixed Martial Arts; State Assembly Vote is Now Last Hurdle to Legalization


(“Reach into my back pocket there and take out that envelope marked, ‘Housewarming gift for Senator Robach.'”)

State senators voted 42-18 today in favor of passing a bill that could lead to mixed martial arts being  sanctioned in New York. The bill will now go to the New York State Assembly where a final vote on the matter will be cast by members of the group that includes opposition stalwart Bob Reilly.


(“Reach into my back pocket there and take out that envelope marked, ‘Housewarming gift for Senator Robach.’”)

State senators voted 42-18 today in favor of passing a bill that could lead to mixed martial arts being  sanctioned in New York. The bill will now go to the New York State Assembly where a final vote on the matter will be cast by members of the group that includes opposition stalwart Bob Reilly.

To put things in perspective, last year’s New York Senate vote on the same themed bill passed with a vote of 32-26. Two other legalization bills have made it to various levels of state legislature before stalling for various reasons. The one last year was brushed aside by senate Democrats due to “budget concerns.”

The overwhelming majority of those in favor of the bill who spoke at today’s debate pointed to the increased safety measures that have been implemented since the introduction of the then-no-holds-barred sport more than 15 years ago, as well as the economic boost events will give the local economy across the state as the reasons why they supported the bill.

No date has been set for the Assembly vote, but even if it passes, a 90-day waiting period would need to be observed before an event could be held in the state, which means that it’s unlikely New Yorkers will be able to attend a show at home before the end of the year. Still, there is hope that we could see another of the few remaining holdout states approve the sport before 2011.