Ultimate Fighting Championship President Dana White is taking one of New York”™s top politicians to the mat over the lack of mixed martial arts in the state.
Connecticut legalized mixed martial arts (MMA) last month, leaving New York as the only state that continues to ban the controversial but increasingly popular sport. Asked about the reason New York remains a holdout, White pointed the finger at state Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, a Manhattan Democrat.
“It”™s blatantly obvious it”™s all being held up by the most powerful man in New York politics,” White told reporters at a UFC press conference July 31 at New York City”™s Beacon Theater. “There”™s nobody in New York politics that”™s more powerful than Shelly Silver.”
The press conference was held to promote several pay-per-view title fights, but its location in Manhattan led to questions from reporters about why a bill to legalize MMA never came to vote in the Assembly for the fourth consecutive year.
A number of lawmakers have warmed up to MMA, citing the potential boost MMA events would bring to the economy and job creation. In the 150-member Assembly, the bill had 63 sponsors and was likely to pass after already having made its way through the state Senate. But, the legislation never came up to vote before the Assembly session ended in June.
White said he believed MMA would never be legalized so long as Silver is the speaker of the house. Silver was recently tangled up in a controversy in which he admitted covering up accusations of sexual harassment from female staffers against Assemblyman Vito Lopez, who eventually resigned.
“It”™s just a testament to how powerful one man can be in a state, which is crazy,” White said. “Is that democracy? It”™s not, it”™s a slap in the face of democracy.”
Silver had received a letter signed by 35 Assembly Democrats in June asking the speaker not to allow the bill to come to the floor for a vote.
The “violent nature of the sport raises serious concerns about the adverse effect that legalizing professional MMA events in New York could have on the well being of our citizens,” the letter stated.
MMA was banned in New York in 1997, though a loophole in the law allows for amateur fights. Despite a broader acceptance of the sport by viewers, many legislators and activist groups continue to oppose MMA due to its violent nature. Leading up to the most recent false start, some civic organizations accused the sport and its fighters of being intolerant or having an accepting attitude toward domestic abuse.
Anti-MMA sites, including unfitforchildren.org, have noted the activities of UFC fighters including fighter Quinton “Rampage” Jackson who starred in a YouTube video called “How to Pick Up a Gurl ”“ Fast,” which was essentially a rape how-to. Members of the anti-MMA movement have accused several fighters of being misogynistic and homophobic. UFC President White himself has been noted by his detractors for a short temper and affinity for profane language.
But many MMA enthusiasts say the accusations of intolerance and violence are not genuine and part of an effort orchestrated by a Nevada labor union currently feuding with UFC”™s owning and operating company, Zuffa L.L.C.
The Inside MMA website notes that Zuffa is owned by the same majority owners, Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta, who own Station casinos, the last nonunionized casino group in Las Vegas. The Culinary Workers Union Local 226 has been highly critical of UFC and launched several websites against legalizing MMA. UFC recently shot back with a website called The Truth About Culinary 226.
Brian M. Kolb, the Assembly minority leader, said he”™d like Silver to call a special session to consider several bills including the MMA bill. The majority conference has the power to control the agenda for any session or to call a special session and the possibility of Silver entertaining a vote on the MMA bill remains a long shot at best.
Kolb had taken issue with the blocking of a vote on the bill earlier this year. “The majority”™s decision to block mixed martial arts legislation despite bipartisan support in both conferences is another case of politics being put ahead of people,” Kolb, who represents portions of five upstate counties, said in a press release. “Is it any wonder why New Yorkers grow more and more disenfranchised with state government?”
Connecticut”™s MMA bill passed despite an aversion to the sport by the state”™s governor, Dannel P. Malloy, and others. Lawmakers in that state added provisions that hold promoters liable for injuries experienced by fighters as a result of training or matches.
”“ With reporting by Patrick Gallagher
