An open letter to Sheldon Silver and the New York State Assembly on MMA

There is a popular sport in this country that has come under scrutiny in recent years for the long-term damage it does to its athletes and the culture of self-destruction it breeds. Medical examinations show that repeated concussions, both those that are and aren’t diagnosed, lead to more brain damage than previously thought. Children and teenagers have been severely injured, crippled, paralyzed, and even killed in pursuit of this sport, both as an official activity and a hobby.

In case you don’t know already, I’m talking about football, which has become America’s number one team sport. We do not outlaw football, however, because it is a part of our culture and while there are legitimate concerns, the benefit it has to our society far outweighs the negatives. Moreover, its athletes are well aware of the physical risks, and regulations are put in place to protect them from unnecessary risks and further harm.

Mixed Martial Arts, on the other hand, has experienced only two deaths since adopting a more strict set of rules regulations in 1997 and at the highest level has never seen a fighter paralyzed or otherwise permanently disabled during a fight. In fact, the vast majority of fighters walk away unassisted from fights, a stark contrast to the ambulatory removal of players seen every week during the NFL season.

My point is not to demonize other team sports but to appeal to reason, logic, and common sense.

Despite misconceptions from those who have not been exposed to and educated on the finer points of the sport, MMA is not any more dangerous than other sports in terms of statistics, practice, or regulations. Although words like “knockout” and “submission” can elicit visions of cruelty and bloodlust, the reality is much different. Most “knockouts” are in fact referee stoppages, which occur when the referee sees that a fighter is in a position where he or she will eventually knocked out. While flash knockouts do occur as they do in boxing, more often than not a fight ends after what may be a minor concussion; unlike boxing where fighters are given to a count of ten and receive more damage and repeated shots to the head, which studies have shown exponentially compounds the long-term damage done to participants.

Even still, as alluded to in a previous point, MMA is no more dangerous than even beloved team sports such as football and hockey.

You will notice that I have not used the argument that we can generate revenue. That is because despite the fact that it’s true, I do not want you to think that myself or anyone else is suggesting you throw your hands up and allow MMA to be legalized because someone’s going to make money off something detrimental to society, so it might as well be us. Rather, my point is that Mixed Martial Arts is not the evil, immoral, hedonistic activity you think it is. It is a sport, it is heavily regulated, and through Athletic Commission oversight and provisions in the legislation you have the opportunity to pass in this session, many of the concerns you have will be addressed.

MMA is not a perfect sport, but what is?  To say that Mixed Martial Arts is barbaric and that it should remain illegal in the State of New York is not only baseless and morally inconsistent, it is not in keeping with the level of honor and respect the vast majority fighters have for their sport, each other, and their fans.

I urge you to do what you have been unable to do in the last few years: pass the bill to legalize Mixed Martial Arts. Show your constituents and the rest of the country (which allows the sport) that you are not subject to the false assumptions, misconceptions, and knee-jerk reactions to the sport and can judge it on its own merits. You’ll find that if you do so, passing this legislation will be one of the better votes you cast in this session.