Legalization of MMA Facing Opposition in NY
Mixed martial arts has garnered near country-wide support as organizations like the UFC have continued to grow and expand their influence. Picking up where withering sports like boxing have left off, MMA is seen as both engaging and brutal. Fans believe the sport is safe and well regulated while opponents feel it is dangerous and overly aggressive.
New York is the last remaining state to allow officiall MMA events to take place within its borders. Pressure has been building to allow entry but it looks like the sport will run up against opposition once again:
“The fight to legalize mixed martial arts in New York is probably facing another split decision this year.
The state Senate passed a bill Tuesday to legalize the controversial but popular sport for the fifth straight year.
But the effort is likely to be knocked out in the Democrat-dominated Assembly, which thus far has refused to allow a vote to come to the floor.
Insiders close to Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver don’t expect that to change before the legislative session ends in June.
New York is the only state in the country that still outlaws the sport.” – NY Daily News
The tide seems to be turning against those opposed to MMA but that doesn’t mean the sport will be a shoe-in for NY fans any time soon. The battle continues through the legal process and MMA proponents will have to watch closely as the votes come down one way or another.
An important part of the decision making process is the involvement of women in the sport. Most female MMA athletes would suggest their training has been empowering but other voices suggest it is exploitation and degradation. A close examination of how the female athletes are both marketed and handled throughout MMA organizations might reveal truth in both arguments.
