Lift the Ban Watch: Maine Legalizes Mixed Martial Arts

Maine's Governor John Baldacci makes it official:

While acknowledging some early reservations about the measure, Baldacci said he was convinced that the law will adequately regulate the fighting events, according to Capitol News Service.
 
The bill's sponsor, Rep. Matthew Petersen, a Rumford Democrat, said the booming professional sport could help boost M aine's eonomy.

"We're very excited to bring an event here, hopefully in 2010," Petersen said. "The documented impact of their events: 60 percent of those dollars that are spent at an event come from out of state.  So we're excited to follow in our great tourist history here in Maine, and tradition, and bring them in."

Maine's inclusion in the ranks of states properly regulating MMA isn't some sort of game changer (don't tell that to the disappointed locals), but another chip in the stack is always helpful. And for the record: fights will be allowed to be held in the state no sooner than March 1, 2010. That's when, at the earliest and only if they're ready to do so, the athletic commission apparatus and subsequent body of rules (presumably the Unified Rules) will be in place.

So where do things stand? By my count, 40 states have legalized the sport with potentially three more on the way (and Connecticut's already there if you want to count Indian reservation territory). Two states still don't even have an athletic commission, which means it will be some time for the government to create the agency once legislation is approved and written into law.

Oh, and since I had a very small if marginally formal role in MMA's legalization in Maryland: John Rallo of Ground Control (Team Renzo Gracie) out of Baltimore is hosting the first ever legal MMA event in that state on October 24th. MMA fights with crab cakes? Yes, please.

HT: ESPN's Mixed Martial Arts Blog