Buffalo Sen. Mark Grisanti today is calling for a vote in the Demcoratic-led Assembly on a measure that would legalize mixed-martial arts in the state.

In a statment, Grisanti pointed to the economic benefits of bringing MMA bouts to Buffalo, which actually hosted an event before the statewide ban was in place.

Grisanti, no stranger to brawls, noted that an exhibition over the lake in Toronto brought in $11 million ticket sales.

“MMA has become a part of mainstream sports – it is one of the fastest growing sports in the world,” Grisanti said in a statement. “If violence and the risk of serious injury is a reason the ban is still in effect, activities like boxing, football, ice hockey, downhill skiing, rodeo and even tightrope walking across Niagara Falls should be banned as well. New York bans professional fights, but allows MMA gyms, amateur fights and other types of martial arts, such as judo and tae-kwon do.”

The call comes as Gov. Andrew Cuomo acknolwedged on Thursday that the state could reap the economic benefits from allowing MMA fights and said his office was studying the proposal.

Opposition to MMA has come from the Assembly, where several of the opponents of UFC-style fights have retired. Speaker Sheldon Silver said this week that he remained ambivalent over mixed-martial arts, but said that he expects MMA to become legal at some point.

Share|