Who Wins When Mixed Martial Arts Becomes Legal

Now that the New York legislature has voted to legalize professional mixed martial arts, new business opportunities could open up.

Mixed martial arts, or MMA, looks like a hybrid of boxing and jiu jitsu. Making professional MMA legal could give a small boost to gyms that teach it and bars that show matches.

But the real winner is UFC, or Ultimate Fighting Championship, a privately-held Las Vegas company that's the leading promoter of MMA tournaments.

A study commissioned by UFC in 2013 claims a single event in New York City could generate ticket sales of more than $12 million.

Public records show UFC's parent company, Zuffa, spent millions over the last decade lobbying Albany.