MMA

MMA Is Now Legal In Massachusetts!

By Anthony De Franco

November 30, 2009, at 10:17 pm

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Rejoice, MMA faithful. The 41st state has legalized our ever growing sport.

Here’s the news from MMA Weekly:

The UFC’s trip to Massachusetts is inked.

On Monday, Governor Deval Patrick signed into law “An Act Regulating The Sport Of Mixed Martial Arts,” legally opening the door for MMA in the Commonwealth.

Since 2005, the sport existed in a legal gray area where it was not technically illegal, but was not formally regulated by the Massachusetts Boxing Commission, which had previously overseen events. In their absence, local promoters acted as the commission, hiring ring officials and personnel.

The act gives control of MMA fights to the Department of Public Safety, according to a UFC release.

UFC president Dana White, a onetime Boston resident, was overjoyed with the news.

“I am so excited words cannot describe,” he wrote via his official Twitter account. “Here we come Boston! NY is next!!”

The act was the second MMA bill introduced to Massachusetts lawmakers, but the first to make it to the governor’s desk. An earlier version of the bill introduced last year died in the senate when time constraints forced its shelving.

Jason has been pumped for a potential UFC in Fenway Park for some time now. Personally, I’m just happy for the fact that we are one step closer to MMA in New York. I would literally kill a man to get tickets for UFC 120 at Madison Square Garden.

Excuse me, I have to go. The FBI is at my door regarding that last sentence.