(The Long Island boys are right.  It really does feel like we’ve been here a hundred times before.)

Remember when we told you the vote to legalize mixed martial arts in New York was imminent?  Turns out it’s even imminenter (that is so a word) than we thought.  The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle cites the UFC’s Julie Wood in a report that says a vote on the bill to lift the MMA ban in New York is expected this week or some time in early May.  The moment of truth, she approaches.

First they’ll vote on it in the state’s Tourism, Arts, and Sports Development Committee, and if it makes it out there the bill goes to the whole assembly and the state Senate before requiring the governor’s approval.

Of course, no discussion of the potential legalization on MMA in New York would be complete without UFC nemesis Bob Reilly dropping in to reaffirm his hatred for MMA and his love of faulty reasoning.  This quote should sound familiar to anyone who read our interview with him:

"I think we have to reject it just because of the violence," Reilly says. "I believe it is harmful to the fighters and people in general. We can’t tell kids in school not to bully other kids if, in fact, we allow this ultimate fighting."

Got that?  The state that allows boxing, kickboxing, pro football and hockey would lose its moral authority on the issue of bullying in schools were it to allow MMA.  Sounds like some real Bob Reilly logic at work there.

We’ll keep you updated on news of the vote as we get it, but in the meantime you ought to sign our petition.  If you’ve already done that, get someone you know to sign it.  If you’ve already done that, go make yourself an ice cream sundae.  You’ve earned it.

Related: Join the Facebook group to support MMA in NY