By FCF Staff

As expected would be the case, the effort to sanction professional mixed-martial-arts in the state of New York has failed for the fourth year in a row.

According to a report from the New York Daily News, after a prolonged and “contentious” debate, the Democrat Party has decided that it will not pursue a bill to legalize MMA this year. If the Democrats had decided to bring the bill to the floor, it likely would have needed the support of residing Republicans to pass.

The legislative session for 2013 reportedly ends this week.

While the decision is the latest setback in the drive to sanction MMA in New York, the cause is gaining momentum in the state. Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver reportedly told the Daily News that support to legalize MMA is growing in the Democratic Conference.

New York and Connecticut are the only states in the U.S. that currently do not sanction pro MMA, although Connecticut legislators recently passed a bill to legalize the sport.