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NY Senate Passes MMA Legalization, Awaits Body Slam From Assembly
By
Christopher Robbins
Published May 24, 2011
Modified May 24, 2011
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By
Christopher Robbins
Published May 24, 2011
Modified May 24, 2011
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New York lovers of mostly-naked dudes mercilessly pummeling each other with their fists inside an octagonal cage to pulsating Danzig: we are almost to the mountaintop! The Republican-controlled state senate has approved the legalization and regulation of Mixed Martial Arts (or MMA, if you don't like them fancy $5 words) and the bill is now off to the Democrat-dominated Assembly, where in the past it has died at the hands of fun-hating politicians. While the Daily News reports that Governor Cuomo "has not taken a formal position on the sport," we're sure he'll come around once he feels the steely elbow of Rochester native Jon "Bones" Jones. BOOYAH!
"Bones" himself was lobbying at the Capital yesterday for what detractors see as the Four Loko of sports. Last year, Brooklyn senator Diane Savino compared MMA to "the days of the gladiators, when Christians and Jews were fed to the lions." She seems to have taken the same tack this year, voting against yesterday's legislation. There goes one more politician in the pocket of Big Boxing.
Many of the sport's rules that are in place now weren't a part of the previously-brutal sport a decade ago, and studies have shown that the city would rake in $1.4 million from an MMA event at MSG (right now it goes to Jersey!) Not to mention that 45 other states have jumped on the sweaty bandwagon. What say ye New York City: are you ready for some sprawl-and-brawls?
Tagged
boxing
diane savino
Mixed Martial Arts
MMA
New York Assembly
New York Senate
revenue
Christopher Robbins
Christopher Robbins is a New York City reporter covering transportation, affordable housing, local politics, and criminal justice. His work has also appeared in New York Magazine, The Village Voice and The New York Times. Chris is a graduate of Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, Virginia, and enjoys biking to Fort Tilden in the summertime.
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