After a near 20-year battle, the State of New York has finally lifted the ban imposed by former Governor George Pataki back in 1997 on mixed martial arts joining the other 49 States that had already allowed and regulated the sport.

The vote went down yesterday, with the New York State Assembly approving the measure by a vote of 113 to 25.

The initial expectation is that the UFC will run an event potentially at Madison Square Garden before the end of the year.