The fight over mixed martial arts just got more heated with a lawsuit now challenging New York State's ban. Innae Park reports.

  To view our videos, you need to
enable JavaScript. Learn how.
install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now.

Then come back here and refresh the page.

NEW YORK STATE – Mixed martial arts fighters and a major promotion company are aiming to bring New York State down.

“The state law that bans mixed martial arts (MMA) violates the U.S. Constitution in a number of ways,” said Barry Friedman, a professor at NYU Law. “Our argument is that being a mixed martial artist is protected by the First Amendment. It's a kind of expression by using one's body that sends a message to the fans by the fighters.”

It is this belief that has led to a lawsuit against the state, brought by 14 plaintiffs, including the parent company of UFC, Zuffa, LLC, and Utica native, Matt “The Hammer” Hamill. Friedman is one of the lawyers representing them.

New York is one of a few states in the country where live professional MMA fights are illegal. Among those who pushed for the ban is Assemblyman Bob Reilly, who believes the sport promotes violent behavior.

The Assemblyman representing Clifton Park said, “Violence begets violence. I don't think it's something that we want to show as being acceptable to children.”

However, Friedman argued, “Not only do we think that's not accurate, in terms of the message of MMA, but the first amendment prohibits banning activities because of their message.”

MMA fighters do admit that the techniques they use can be taken out of control and used violently. However, they say the way they bring all those techniques together makes it about more than just inflicting pain.

Mike Laduke, a professional MMA fighter, said, “If you look at any other martial art, it's considered an art. Now you're just putting all the different martial arts together.”

Others still challenge that call.

Reilly said, “When you put two human beings into a ring and say, fight until one knocks the other out, and then a death occurs, that's not art, and that's not freedom of expression.”

He cited at least one death that occurred after a fighter was knocked out. When it came to calling the sport, ‘art,’ he added, “It would almost be humorous if it wasn't so serious.”

Laduke and Friedman both say this is a complete misconception and the sport has evolved drastically since its inception.

“People still revert to where it came from. Bare knuckles, no rules, hitting to the groin, doing all this, hair-pulling,” said Laduke. “[Now] there's all these rules and regulations that prevent those things from happening.”

Friedman added, “Now MMA, as a professional sport, is regulated in almost every state in the country, according to a unified set of rules. And there are plenty of studies to show that it’s safe or safer than sports that are unregulated in New York, like professional football, boxing and alpine skiing.”

The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court is against New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. Schneiderman’s office declined to comment besides that they're reviewing the complaint.