In 2016,
New York became the 50th
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...
to legalize and regulate
mixed martial arts
Mixed martial arts (MMA), sometimes referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred (NHB), and ultimate fighting, and originally referred to as Vale Tudo is a full-contact combat sport based on striking, grappling and ground fighting, inc ...
(MMA), after the sport had been banned in the state in 1997.
The
New York State Athletic Commission
The New York State Athletic Commission or NYSAC, also known as the New York Athletic Commission, is a division of the New York State Department of State which regulates all contests and exhibitions of unarmed combat within the state of New York, ...
(NYSAC) oversees mixed martial arts contests in the state.
History
Pre-ban
UFC 7
''UFC 7: The Brawl in Buffalo'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on September 8, 1995, at the Memorial Auditorium in Buffalo, New York. The event was seen live on pay per view in the United States, and l ...
was held on September 8, 1995, at the
Memorial Auditorium in
Buffalo,
New York.
Ban (1997–2016)
In February 1997, Governor
George Pataki
George Elmer Pataki (; born June 24, 1945) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the 53rd governor of New York from 1995 to 2006. An attorney by profession, Pataki was elected mayor of his hometown of Peekskill, New York, and went on ...
signed into law a bill that banned MMA in the state. This resulted in the
UFC 12
''UFC 12: Judgement Day'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on February 7, 1997 at the Dothan Civic Center in Dothan, Alabama. The event was seen live on pay per view in the United States, and later releas ...
event being moved from its originally scheduled location of Buffalo, New York, to
Dothan, Alabama
Dothan () is a city in Dale, Henry, and Houston counties and the Houston county seat in the U.S. state of Alabama. It is Alabama's eighth-largest city, with a population of 71,072 at the 2020 census. It is near the state's southeastern corner ...
.
Post-ban (2016–present)
On March 22, 2016, New York became the 50th U.S. state to legalize and regulate the sport when the New York State Assembly approved Bill No. A02604. From 2010, the
New York State Senate had passed a legalization bill, but it had never passed the State Assembly, largely due to the opposition of
Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver.
''
UFC 205: Alvarez vs. McGregor'', held at
Madison Square Garden on November 12, 2016, was the UFC's first event in New York following the lifting of the MMA ban. ''
UFC 210: Cormier vs. Johnson 2'', held on April 8, 2017, at the
KeyBank Center
KeyBank Center is a multipurpose indoor arena located in Buffalo, New York. Originally known as Marine Midland Arena, the venue has since been named HSBC Arena and First Niagara Center. Home to the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey Leagu ...
, was UFC's first appearance in Buffalo since UFC 7 in 1995.
U.S. President
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of P ...
attended ''
UFC 244: Masvidal vs. Diaz'', held on November 2, 2019, in
Madison Square Garden.
In June 2019, the ''
Times Union'' reported that MMA expansion in New York was being hindered by the lack of regulations permitting
pro–am
Pro–am (or pro/am, pro am, ProAm; a contraction of professional–amateur) refers to a sporting event where both professional career athletes and amateurs compete. It could also refer to a collaboration between professionals and amate ...
events. Small- and medium-sized promoters are restricted to organizing amateur-only events because they are unable to cover the high insurance costs for professional events.
See also
*
Mixed martial arts in the United States
References
{{reflist
Mixed martial arts in New York (state)