If you can't beat 'em, sue 'em.
Zuffa LLC, parent company of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), has filed suit against the state of New York on Tuesday (Nov. 15, 2011), calling "The Empire State's" ban on mixed martial arts (MMA) "unconstitutional."
Here's a an excerpt from today's filing:
New York's live professional MMA ban violates numerous provisions of the United States Constitution, including the first amendment, equal protection clause, due process clause and commerce clause. The live professional MMA ban limits the liberty of those who would, but for the ban, attend live professional MMA events, as well as those who train in MMA and want to exhibit their skills as professionals before a live crowd. Indeed, for the many New Yorkers who devote endless hours of training in MMA and who cannot afford to displace their homes and families to fight elsewhere, New York's live professional MMA ban presents a serious infringement of their rights.
Also named as plaintiffs in today's suit are Jon Jones, Frankie Edgar, Gina Carano, Matt Hamill, Brian Stann -- even SB Nation's own Beth and Donna Hurrle, who have been fighting the good fight over at Gal's Guide to MMA since day one.
A full copy of the complaint, after the jump.
UFC President Dana White and co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta stormed Madison Square Garden (MSG) earlier this year with New York assemblyman Dean Murray and MSG Sports president Scott O'Neil to present an independent economic impact study indicating the "Empire State" would generate about $16 million from the UFC alone based on just two pay-per-view (PPV) events per year, split between "The World's Most Famous Arena" and Buffalo's HSBC Arena.
And that doesn't include the jobs and additional income from regional or independent promotions also throwing their hat into the New York fight scene. Put simply, money talks … and the UFC has the numbers to back it up.
Unfortunately, no one is listening, which has prompted hem to take it to the next level.
See you in court!
For more on New York's MMA ban click here.
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