MMA takes a step closer to legalization in New York despite a video that does nothing to advance the argument

The UFC has two huge targets for expansion in 2010: New York and Ontario (Toronto, specifically). MMA is currently illegal in both jurisdictions. But that’s about to change, at least in New York.

On Tuesday, NY governor David Paterson unveiled a bill that would lift the thirteen-year ban on MMA in the state, paving the way for the UFC to take Manhattan by the end of the year (assuming the bill clears the necessary hurdles to go into effect).

Now that just leaves Ontario, which is beginning to look increasingly behind-the-times and stodgy and out-of-touch with its refusal to sanction the sport.

Below is a plea to legalize MMA in New York. It’s a flashy promo/documentary created by filmmaker Bobby Razak (the guy behind the cool slow-mo Robert Drysdale flying triangle/armbar TapouT commercials) in conjunction with Mark Ecko of Ecko Unlimited. The problem is the doc just doesn’t work.

It’s preaching to the choir and would do little to convince non-MMA supporters to get behind the sport. It relies on fighters only fans would recognize (Frank Shamrock, Migel Torres) and provides no real information about the sport. And it muddies the water by bringing the situation in Ontario into the picture while relying on commentary from fighters in Montreal (which makes sense if you know the sport up north but again, would be useless in enlightening anybody else). Overall, it makes a nice commercial for Ecko, though.

Now, there’s a possibility that Razak might be making a similar film about legalizing MMA in Ontario. Sounds great – if he can give us more insight into the sport and maybe actually make a solid argument for its legalization, one that non-fans can understand and appreciate.