Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed supporting legislation of MMA
New York City announced has been ban on professional Mixed Martial Arts came to an end Thursday, as Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed supporting legislation at a ceremony at Madison Square Garden.
The legalization ends the only ban of pro MMA nationwide. Cuomo not only welcomed the sport, but also saw it as a profitable practice.
Cuomo expects MMA to generate more than $130 million per year, while also encouraging even more of the sport’s stars to emerge from New York.
Long Island is already home to some of professional fighting’s best athletes, including Baldwin’s Chris Weidman, an Ultimate Fighting Championship star.
The law will take effect in September, and the first pro event is already scheduled for Nov. 12 at Madison Square Garden.
Since 2011, in New York City MMA was illegal, but sport is legal and regulated in the other 49 states. Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) experienced one of its biggest pay-per-view events ever in Las Vegas. MMA is widely considered to be the fastest-growing sport in America and perhaps even the world and many different cities both inside and outside the United States have hosted MMA events.
