Mixed Martial Arts is currently the fastest growing sport in the world. This sport that changed drastically since the 1990s has caused a lot of controversy. NFL players, boxers, wrestlers, and even hockey players have taken a huge interest in the sport. NFL players such as Matt Mitrione, Marcus Jones, Herschel Walker and Michael Westbrook have all joined the sport and proven themselves to be legitimate Mixed Martial Arts Fighters. Wrestlers such as Greco- Roman Olympian Dan Henderson, Division 1 Champion Phil Davis, World Runner up Chael Sonnen, and many others such as former WWE Champion Brock Lesnar, professional soccer player Jose Aldo, and boxing legend James Toney have all jumped on the boat.

MMA in the '90s was a whole different sport. UFC 1 slogan headlined "There Are No Rules!" Things such as hair pulling, groin strikes, head butting and fish hooking were legal. It's no wonder why many would not consider MMA an actual sport. Fighters could wear basically anything they wanted too. Gloves were to a requirement, shoes were allowed, worst of all there were no time limits. Many people, including Senator John McCain were appalled, labeling MMA as "human cockfighting." Thirty-six states immediately banned the sport, including New York.

  In 1997, New York Governor George Pataki signed the bill that set an active ban on MMA. This ban was enacted on the day of UFC 12 forcing relocation to Dothan, AL. Many, including the UFC, former governor David Paterson and former fighter Frank Shamrock, have put forth efforts to lift the ban; still the sport of Mixed Martial Arts is still outlawed in the state of New York

Due to all the controversy surrounding the sport, the UFC increased its cooperation with state athletic commissions and redesigned its rules to remove the less palatable elements of fights while retaining the core elements of striking and grappling. UFC 12 was the first event to introduce weight classes. In UFC 14, gloves became mandatory. In UFC 15, strikes to the back of the neck and head, head butting, small joint manipulations, and groin strikes were banned. Over time the rules became more and more evolved. UFC 28 introduced the newly developed Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts. Knee strikes to the head of a downed opponent, elbow strikes to the spine or neck, limits on ring attire, medical requirements, and a new weight class system. These new set of rules is currently the de facto standard for MMA events in the U.S. and is still in use by the UFC.

Barry Friedman, the lawyer who will be representing UFC owner Zuffa, feels the ban of Mixed Martial Arts is going against their first amendment rights. He points out that there are countless MMA gyms in New York. He states, "You'll see that there are fighters and fans' talking about all the messages that fighting does send other then violence. Things like discipline, hard work, strength, courage, respect for you opponents. But even if the whole reason is because of violence it still violates the constitution."

Ben Goldstein and Ben Foulkes editors of MMA website cagepotato.com have stated "There's no data to suggest that MMA is any more dangerous than other high-impact sports like boxing, football, or hockey. In fact, a recent study at John Hopkins University School of Medicine Study concluded that the lower knockout rates in MMA compared to boxing rates may make MMA fighters less susceptible to brain injury. They also showed results from another study commissioned by the UFC and conducted by HR&A Advisors found that a UFC event in New York City would generate $11.5 million in "net new" economic activity, $5.3 million in direct event spending, $1.4 million in none lodging visitor spending and $4.9 million in indirect, induced benefits, equaling a $15 billion shortfall.

UFC president Dana White showed his feelings about the ban and feels like its unfair.

"Here's the reality: This is the most regulated sport in the world, guys in the NFL and NHL can't miss three months for a concussion, there would be no NFL, or NHL that's the difference. Our sport is a million times safer." The average UFC fighter fights every 6-8 months. So they have lots of recovery time, meaning competitors have a smaller chance of sustaining injury.

Above all, it is irresponsible of the state of New York to not lift the ban of Mixed Martial Arts. Millions of people watch it, and it is the fastest growing sport in the world. The idea of modern MMA as "no holds barred" couldn't be further from the truth. Opponents of MMA offer no evidence or data to prove that it is unacceptably dangerous to competitors or harmful to spectators, and the current resistance to MMA, in my opinion, comes primarily from an incomplete understanding of the sport and positive impact it would have on New York's economies. Don't allow legislation be dictated by emotional reactions rather than a reasonable consideration of the facts.