Updated 05/06/2008 09:26 PM
UFC wants ultimate fighting to be legal in NY
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NEW YORK STATE -- Ultimate Fighting, or cage fights, are gaining big-time in popularity around the country. It's a sport that's also referred to as mixed martial arts.
New York banned cage fighting back in 1997. Ultimate Fighting Championship officials say it's now a safe, regulated sport that's legal in 32 states and now wants New York to be next.
UFC says New York State is critical for its growth.
"I’m not going to sugar coat this thing or say anything other than this is extremely important to us and that's why we're here and that's why we're spending the time and effort to try to talk to people, educate them and hopefully get this passed this session in the state of New York," said Lawrence Epstein, Executive Vice President and General Counsel for Zuffa, LLC, the company that owns the UFC.
UFC say's mixed martial arts is the fastest growing sport in the country.