A Manhattan federal judge Tuesday dealt Mixed Martial Arts’ top promoter a big blow in its attempt to overturn New York’s ban on live bouts, by dismissing a claim that the ban violates the First Amendment.
The claims were made in a 2011 lawsuit filed by Ultimate Fighting Championship against state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr.
Judge Kimba Wood did leave UFC some hope to finally bring the popular sport to the state by leaving open in the complaint an argument that the MMA ban is “unconstitutionally vague.”