UFC hits roadblock in New York lawsuit, though Gov. Cuomo admits MMA a possible revenue source

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

The UFC's lawsuit against the state of New York and their MMA ban hit another road block, as the UFC lawyer revealed that the settlement talks urged by the court last month will no longer happen. Here's that statement (via Ariel Helwani on Twitter):

"The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is greatly disappointed that the settlement conference scheduled today before the Federal Court has been cancelled because the New York Attorney General is no longer willing to discuss a settlement consistent with the position his Office has repeatedly taken in Court."

"The Attorney General has once again changed his position on the meaning of the MMA ban in New York and we will vigorously urge the Federal Court to decide that the ban is unconstitutional."

That closes a potential loophole which may have allowed the UFC to run an event in New York State this year even if the ban remains in place through the current legislative session.

It has reached the New York State Assembly once again, though it remains to be seen whether it will be allowed a vote. However, the tide seems to be turning in its favor, as in addition to Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver admitting its inevitability, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has finally spoken out in positive terms about the sport, having previously kept his opinion on MMA quiet.

"I think it's making progress, and it's something that we're looking at," Cuomo said (via the Times Union). "It's a possible source for revenue in New York, and we are all about looking for revenue. So if we can bring economic activity in — shows et cetera — that’s something we're very interested in and we're reviewing the current proposals."

Penick's Analysis: It's disappointing for the State's Attorney General to continue changing their position after the judge urged settlement, but it's not entirely unexpected either. The UFC hopes for a full lifting of the ban with the legalization of the sport, and if they can get this current bill past the Assembly, it could happen. With support from Gov. Cuomo, perhaps it's heading the right direction.

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Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_16167.shtml

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