The Top Five of 2015 Countdown - #4: The USMTA

NEW YORK

We're counting down the top five most notable aspects of New York MMA from 2015, and we're up to...

#4: The USMTA - By now the story is so old it's growing grey hairs: The UFC filed a lawsuit against the State of New York in late 2011, claiming the law banning MMA was Unconstitutional, and in early 2012, in a legal brief that was responding to those claims, the State Attorney General offhandedly admitted that amateur MMA wasn't banned at all. Thus the modern amateur MMA scene in New York was born, and with that birth came the inclination for some promoters to "do things by the book" and be sanctioned.

The Top Five of 2015 Countdown - #5: The Revised MMA Bill

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The timekeeper has given us the ten-second warning, and the clock is running out on 2015. That means it's time to count down the top five most notable things pertaining to New York MMA from the last 12 months. Because although we can't have a UFC here - yet - we sure as hell have a ton of mixed martial arts.

#5: The Revised MMA Bill - This year was not politics as usual when it came to the seemingly never-ending slog to get the law banning pro MMA changed. First, longtime hater Sheldon Silver fell prey to corruption charges, which prompted him to step down as Assembly Speaker. He was replaced by Assemblyman Carl Heastie, a supporter of the sport, and while the sudden shift in power may not have forced a recalculating of the legislative math, it did create an opening.

Aggressive Combat Championship 14 Poster

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UFC on FOX Open Workouts: Nate Diaz

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UFC on FOX Open Workouts: Don Cerrone

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UFC on FOX Open Workouts: Michael Johnson

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UFC on FOX Open Workouts: Rafael dos Anjos

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New York Fight Exchange Livens Up the MMA World Expo

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It was a slimmer, trimmed-down version of the MMA World Expo at the Javits Center on Saturday, but livening up the festivities was an abbreviated of the New York Fight Exchange's brand of amateur MMA action.

Vincent DeRiso def. Doiogo Herique via Split Decision

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Jon Bianco About to Finish Mason Digiacopo With a Triangle

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Vegan Fighter Omowale Adewale Hawking His Vegan Book in the Cage

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Davon Zimmerman Taps Eric Finch With a Choke in Round 3

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Manny Gomez Taps Josh Phillips via Armbar in Round 1

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Ricky Guzman TKOs Florentino Laureano in 34 Seconds

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The Legalize MMA Panel at the MMA World Expo

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Dan Severn Talking About the Need for MMA Regulation in New York

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Veteran Fighter Talking MMA in New York

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This Is What a Successful Legalize MMA Rally in New York Looks Like

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Top Notch Kickboxing Going Down in NYC on Friday Night

NEW YORK

Between the three UFC events on TV, the Legalize MMA rally on Friday and the MMA World Expo and New York Fight Exchange event over the weekend, there's a lot of action in the cage New Yorkers have to savor. But there's also some sweet violence happening in the ring - Friday Night Fights' ring, to be exact.

Broad Street Ballroom is the venue, doors open at 7pm, and the kickboxing is going to be top notch. FNF has been doing their thing for years, so expect some high-quality stuff.

Jon Jones at MMA World Expo on Saturday

NEW YORK