New York Assemblyman Bob Reilly has devoted plenty of his work hours, along with personal time, to push for the lifetime ban of mixed martial arts (MMA) events from happening in New York State.
“I think it’s a very violent activity,” said Reilly. “I believe that it’s very harmful to the people participating and every study has indicated that violence begets violence.”
With 37 states already legalizing MMA fighting and events, people all around New York have been wondering why they can’t see an action-packed affair in the Mecca of all sporting events.
MMA is a multi-disciplined sports activity which includes boxing, wrestling, kickboxing, muay thai, jiu-jitsu, and judo. The sport, which takes place on the ground or standing, has captured the hearts of many people around the world and has matured into a well-respected way of fighting, along with providing entertainment for fans.
“These events are harmful to our culture and society,” said Reilly. “When people say this is art…I say, if this is art, then what does that say about your society?”
One of the biggest advocates of the sport is the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). With their celebrated 100th event, which recently happened in Las Vegas, the sport has broken new ground and the fans are eating up every minute of it.
UFC 100 gate sales alone took in about $5.1 million. Imagine those numbers in a much bigger arena, like Madison Square Garden.
UFC Fighter Matt Serra, who is based in N.Y., is also a strong advocate to get the sport that he lives for, allowed in his home state. “It’s definitely inevitable and the sooner the better,” Serra said recently in a column for the New York Post. “I think they’ll be selling out Madison Square Garden in record time.”
People concerned that the sport is too brutal should take notice that only one recorded in-ring death has occurred since the UFC rules and regulations have changed in 2001.
According to www.mmafacts.com, MMA is one of the most regulated and controlled sports in the world. With imposed time limits, set numbers of rounds, mandatory judges, five weight classes and over 31 other rules governing how the bouts are fought, organizations strive for the highest safety standards.
Separately, all of the disciplines that are used in MMA are legal. Combined, people from all over New York have to either fight outside of the state or take a deadly risk and fight in underground “smoker” events.
Reilly, who grew up loving boxing events, thinks that the mixture of all these fighting styles is the biggest problem. “There are rules, just like in boxing, when you get on the floor, the fighter should be left alone until he can regain consciousness or get on his feet,” he said.
Gyms, fighters and event planers located in New York are waiting for the day that the MMA becomes legal in their state.
“The problem here is that mixed martial arts is not legal in New York state,” said Anthony Bonilla, who runs New York Fighting Championship. “Thus, we have not put on any MMA fighting events,”
For legalization of the sport, a bill would have to first go through the State Assembly, then the State Senate, and finally get signed by the Governor. But, nothing has been passed this year by the Assembly committee.
At legalized MMA fights, there are doctors present in case of emergency.
The rules and regulations for MMA have been drastically changed since the beginning of the sport, and some might say that it is even safer than sports like boxing, football, or rugby. For Reilly, the only way he could see it being legalized in this state is if it is cleansed of the elements that make it such a highly popularized sport.
“I could see changing my mind if this sport gets much safer, but I don’t think that will ever happen.”
