Updates on sanctioning of MMA in New York

George St. Pierre takes down Thiago Alves at UFC 100
(AP Photo/Las Vegas Review-Journal, John Locher)

This weekend, fans flocked to the first MMA World Expo at the Javits Center in midtown Manhattan. While the majority of attendees came to see demonstrations by Vitor “Shaolin” Ribeiro and Phil Nurse or get autographs from Wanderlei Silva, just across the hall from the hustle and mob, the first open forum discussion panel about the future of MMA in the state of New York was being held.

The panel discussion was led by New York State Athletic Commissioner Melvina Lathan, author of the latest legislation to sanction MMA in New York Michael Kim, and combat sports’ journalism legend Eddie Goldman.

The first point the panel covered was an update on A-2009, the bill to sanction MMA that was submitted to the New York State Assembly last year but stalled out in the Ways and Means Committee at the end of the legislative session.

Kim informed the attendees that the bill will have to go through its committee of origin again, as well as re-passing through the Codes Committee before it can get back to Ways and Means, and finally the general assembly.

Even with the added red tape, Kim was optimistic that the bill would not only get through the old committees, but that the process would go much faster this time around.

“I don’t think it will be a step backwards,” said Kim. “Those votes [that passed the bill last year] aren’t going anywhere.”

Commissioner Lathan was unable to comment on her preferences on the proposed bill, given that her position towards the law is required in her job description to be a neutral one. However, the general feel was very MMA positive and even the Commissioner admitted that sanctioning of MMA will create a much safer environment for the sport in the state.

“We have a lot of problems with the unsanctioned bouts; the smokers,” Lathan said. “No data is collected. A fighter can fight one night, get knocked out, and be fighting somewhere else the next night. It is my belief that the regulated version [of MMA] will render the smokers gone.”

A little known fact about MMA is that New York was one of the first states to provide legal sanctioning for the sport back in 1996. However, due to a strong reaction by then mayor of New York City, Rudolf Guiliani, an obscure clause in New York State constitution that allows for the immediate repeal of a law was invoked. The repeal clause has only been used in cases of natural disasters making a law suddenly unenforceable and MMA.

Eddie Goldman provided the panel with a great deal of historical perspective on the creation of the Unified Rules of MMA and how the sport has evolved in America. In his lecture, Goldman took a unique stance by talking about societies that have benefited from the practice of competitive mixed martial arts.

During his time leading discussion, Goldman spoke on the Mohawk reservations that were home to many MMA events in Quebec before the Canadian province sanctioned the sport.

“One of the older members of the Mohawk tribe that helped coordinate the event told me ‘Our people face poverty, famine, and extinction,’” Goldman recounted. “[continuing the quote] ‘[MMA] helps our people build and preserve our warrior culture. And we need that warrior culture to survive.’ That was the best argument I’ve ever heard for the social benefits of MMA.”

Though the sanctioning of MMA in New York by early 2010 is looking hopeful, it is far from a done deal.

“The voices against MMA will try to have another bite at the apple,” Kim said regarding the next round of voting. “The most important thing we can do is keep the issue on the forefront.”