This morning, the Times-Union’s Jimmy Vielkind reveals a renewed push to lift the ban on mixed martial arts events in New York State.

ALBANY — It was blocked from the state budget passed last month, but legislators trying to legalize mixed martial arts hope it will pass before lawmakers leave the Capitol in June.

They’re rebooting their push. Sen. Joe Griffo, R-Rome, said after coming “pretty close” in the busy budget process, he hopes the Senate will pass the bill before the end of the month.

He said the bill would change sponsors in the Assembly, where it has never advanced to a vote. Assemblyman Steve Englebright, D-Long Island, will drop his sponsorship of the legislation; he no longer chairs a legislative committee with jurisdiction over it.

Assemblyman Joe Morelle is expected to pick the bill up. He told the Times Union last week he was “seriously considering” taking the reins, and Griffo said the two were due to meet about it soon.

Lifting the ban on MMA also ends a discrimination against women. Like Jon Jones, NY women are prevented from competing in their home state. Passing legislation this June that lifts the MMA ban would honor the 40th anniversary of President Nixon signing Title IX — which outlawed sex discrimination in higher education and athletics– into law.
Read full Times-Union article here – Fight goes on over mixed martial arts – Times Union.
Lift the MMA ban! You can do your part to lift the ban.
Petition Governor Cuomo here: http://nymmanow.blogspot.com/2011/08/get-cuomo-on-board-for-ny-mma-now.html. Support the NY MMA Now documentary "New York Mixed Martial Arts" and the effort to get the word out to New York's voters: www.nymmafilm.com
Lift the MMA ban!