New York MMA Sanctioning Not Happening
- By: Eric Shapiro | Jun 19, 2008
Remember when people thought that obtaining MMA sanctioning in New York was the UFC’s big announcement? Well that dream is now more defeated than ever, thanks largely to a man by the name of Bob Reilly:
“A measure to legalize Mixed Martial Arts, AKA Ultimate Fighting, or Cage Fighting, is apparently down for the count in the Assembly Tourism committee after it looked like it didn’t have enough votes to move forward this afternoon. Among those taking credit for the knockout was Assemblyman Bob Reilly, D-Colonie who argued that the state shouldn’t sanction a sport characterized largely by its brutality.
“We ban cockfighting and dog fighting — should we allow humans to enter a cage to knee, kick, and punch each other?” asked Reilly. Last week Reilly had expressed concern that the measure might pass, given the big money and lobbying pressure involved here. But ultimately, the argument against it prevailed.
Ultimate Fighting Championship, the organization that promotes such activities, has been lobbying to get in New York since 2001. It’s currently illegal in over 20 states, including New York, said Reilly.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship said Reilly is wrong, and that the sport is banned in only 10 states: Connecticut, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.”
Clearly the powers that be do not exactly have a masters understanding of MMA, but at least the battle continues to be fought. Here’s to hoping these policymakers either get replaced by the less closed-minded, or at least receive a proper education as to why MMA deserves its place in the sanctioning universe.
of course, narrow minded politicians…
June 19th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/?ad=109
June 19th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
called it
June 19th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
Someone is missing easy money……
June 19th, 2008 at 1:24 pm
With boxing’s market share decreasing every year it would be unwise to turn down the revenue MMA could bring in. Way to go NY!
Dog and **** fighting are in the realm of animal torture, but the MMA fighters get in the octagon willingly.
June 19th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
I guess the Giants and Jets are going to have to move now….
If they think MMA is total brutality I guess they have never seen a receiver get blindsided going across the middle…
June 19th, 2008 at 1:39 pm
Very disappointing and hypocritical!! The NHL and NFL have been selling violence for decades(I happen to be a fan of both). Not to mention the current state of video games and movies/TV. How is MMA any differnet? Bob Reilly must be watching too much Bill O’Reilly. I thought the Democrats were the party of change. It seems like they’re stuck in 1992 to me.
June 19th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
UFC doesn’t need NY even though it would be nice to have.You would think NY politicians would be dying to get more tourism $ in this economy.
June 19th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
It’s their loss.
June 19th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
lolololol
now matt serra is useless
June 19th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
whaddya mean now?
June 19th, 2008 at 2:03 pm
I like your assesment Curtis! haha. Idiots dont know that the UFC is not a brutal sport. It looks brutal..but not as brutal as it used to be.
June 19th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
You know the fix is in when you see them ignore the obvious. The sport is proven and someone in NY politics has proven themself(themselves) to be a fraud.
June 19th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
Don’t need NY, having an event in North Jersey brings the NYC crowd anyway, so what is the UFC missing out on, Buffalo? Albany?
June 19th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
Bob Reilly is an idiot- “We ban ****fighting and dog fighting — should we allow humans to enter a cage to knee, kick, and punch each other?”
Like RLT said, the NHL and NFL are violent as well, and there are plenty of injuries in those sports. Boxing isn’t exactly ballet either, there are a lot of head trauma injuries relating to boxers getting punched in the head 500-600 times in a fight (look at Ali).
From the info I have heard, in MMA there are not nearly as many serious injuries as a lot of other sports, especially considering the referees are taught that the fighters safety is paramount, and these guys aren’t exactly made of paper. They are professional athletes and have a great deal of respect for one another, I’ve seen plenty of fight where the winner KO’s a guy really bad and immediately shows concern for his well-being.
Like I said, Bob Reilly is an idiot and needs to be better educated on the SPORT (and it is a sport, just not one for sissies), or maybe he is just too arrogant and stubborn to accept the idea and doesn’t even listen when someone is trying to tell him about MMA.
June 19th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
” “We ban ****fighting and dog fighting — should we allow humans to enter a cage to knee, kick, and punch each other?” asked Reilly ”
Its scary to know that people this naive, with such narrow minded robotic brains, have power…..
The only reason I can think of, is that they see it as violent, attracting violent crowds and NY has one of the lowest crime/violence rates believe it or not in the country………
Maybe thats why ?
Who knows ……………………
June 19th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
I am still disappointed though. I wanted to see a show at the Garden…
June 19th, 2008 at 2:41 pm
OH WELL WHO CARES. ITS NOT LIKE UFC CAN’T MAKE IT WITH OUT NEW YORK… THERE DOING JUST FINE
June 19th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
This is a big loss for the UFC. I do not think you guys understand how big an event at MSG would be. That is the only reason for them trying to get it legal in NY. They do not care about albany or buffalo. It just for the “biggest” venue in the world MSG. They are losing alot of money and publicity for no getting it legalized. It would be the great event in the history of UFC for them to hold it at MSG. UFC will not stop trying to get it legal because they know that they have no made it until you can have an event in a sold out Garden.
June 19th, 2008 at 3:37 pm
Ryan in NY,
Thank you for that contact information. I’m going to write this pu$$y a letter. I think I am going to be very creative on this one.
June 19th, 2008 at 6:43 pm
Kris,
More serious than my midget BS………When are you starting your new site,”Official Bob Reilly is a pu$$y POS?”
June 19th, 2008 at 6:47 pm
This shows to things…1) the west coast(the south bay and the oc) truely is the mecca of mma…2) People on the east coast (NYC) aren’t that bright!
June 19th, 2008 at 6:52 pm
“We ban ****fighting and dog fighting — should we allow humans to enter a cage to knee, kick, and punch each other?” asked Reilly.
Yes, actually we should you mother f-er. If boxing, kick boxing, kung fu, judo, wrestling, karate and jiu jitsu are okay seperately, what is the problem with combining them? I’m scared ****less knowing people like you Mr. Reilly have the power you do. I wish you the worst the world has to offer. Selfish political prick looking for controversey!
June 19th, 2008 at 6:52 pm
Someone just project the revenue losses out for his constitutents…..
June 19th, 2008 at 8:24 pm
I wonder ow much money NY is losing because they decline to sanction MMA… they will probably be the last to sanction MMA… BIG MISTAKE if you ask me
June 19th, 2008 at 8:52 pm
Animals fight because they are trained to. By trainers who don’t give them a choice to make money for themselves.
Fighterd do it on their own free will. They know what they are getting in for, and in the US don’t you have to have medical insurance? So they have to have this paid up before they can fight??? It wont be a financial or safety issue as there will not be a drain on the economy.
If a martial artist trains in 3 different disaplines each week and then goes in a tournament, could that be illegal? He’s a trained fighter with the skills.
NY are missing out. And they aren’t doing their homework enough to justify the loss accordingly.
June 20th, 2008 at 5:43 am
Eddyr92806,
People on the east coast aren’t that bright yet you can’t spell the word “two”??
Well done.
June 20th, 2008 at 9:33 am
If only McCain hadn’t called it ‘human ****fighting.’ Now it seems every politician is picking up on theme of ****fighting and running with it. Thanks McCain, Thanks Michael Vick, Thanks to whoever does ****fighting out there.
June 20th, 2008 at 10:41 am
I e-mailed Mr. Reilly. I started out by asking what is the difference between competing in each art of fighting seperately compared to combining them. I went on to tell him his decision was obviously uneducated. Suddenly I got really angry and went on a tangent. I think I said something on the lines of having a bear with a spiked pen!$ rape me would be better than Mr. Reilly having his current power. I tried being disgusting, crude, sub human, vulgar and insane. Probably succeeded far beyond most your imaginations. I excused my actions in the end by using a life of mental abuse as an excuse. I also stated not to look at “me” as the type of person MMA attracts…..I am just a fan who feels it is an unjust punishment to athletes who train their asses off and cannot fight in the great state of NY. Anyway, if I am gone for a while, you guys know what happened……
June 20th, 2008 at 11:01 am
Hopefully they won’t send the secret service after you KOuch. :)
June 20th, 2008 at 11:36 am
Everyone should email reilly. Maybe leave out the bear rape part though. I just did. don’t mention that you are not from his district or he wont care what you have to say.
reillyr@ assembly.state.ny.us
June 20th, 2008 at 2:06 pm
Thanks Tmoney…emailing now.
June 20th, 2008 at 2:12 pm