New York State Looking To Legalize MMA

State legislatures looking to legalize MMA in New York State are hoping the bill will be passed by June. MMA stands for mixed martial arts. Some people refer to it as cage fighting or simply “UFC” because of the dominance of the “Ultimate Fighting Championship” brand.

UFC has evolved into a global force of entertainment under the watch of their President, Dana White. The popularity of their television product and pay-per-view events has grown over the years. Fights air nationally on channels like Spike, Fuel TV, FX and FOX.

New York is one of only five states where the sport is illegal. According to the Times Union, legalizing the sport could generate up to $5 million in new tax revenue.

Aside from the growth of state finances, several of the sport’s biggest names are from New York State. These fighters are not allowed the opportunity to perform in front of their home-state fans.

Jon “Bones” Jones is one of the most electrifying champions in the sport today. The 24 year old Jones hails from Rochester, NY and is currently the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. His next scheduled fight is to defend his championship against former champ, “Sugar” Rashad Evans (from Niagra Falls, NY). How awesome would a NY vs. NY championship match be if it were in NY? That would be comparable to any subway series game featuring the Mets and Yankees.

The most local of the fighters on the UFC roster is Saratoga High Graduate, Matt Riddle. Riddle has a 6-3 professional record and first rose to fame with a nasty knockout on the show “The Ultimate Fighter” on Spike. How great would it be to check this guy out at the Times Union Center?