Update: MMA in New York

A source told Fightin' Words that the topic of legalizing mixed martial arts will be a topic for discussion with the state Assembly on Monday.

The bill passed through the state Senate last week, as first reported here, and is also on the governor's extender budget. Still, the Assembly needs to approve the bill for it to be legalized.

Gov. David A. Paterson has been a supporter of the sport's legalization for some time, so if the Assembly approves the bill, it is assumed that Paterson will sign the bill into law without hesitation.

"We have 44 states that have already approved the sport of MMA," Marc Ratner, UFC's VP of Regulatory Affairs, told Fightin' Words. "New York will be No. 45. We have met with the New York State Athletic Commission and they are 100 percent behind regulating the sport of MMA."