Nothing is more grindingly slow or maddeningly inefficient than politics. MMA may be creeping ever closer to legalization in New York, but creeping closer still means ultimately failing. That's what the latest, 2015 version of an MMA legalization bill appears to have done in the New York state legislature. It's the 8th straight year that a proposed MMA bill has failed to pass, but this one stings just a little more than the last few.

Following the arrest of Sheldon Silver, one of the state's main opponents to legal MMA in NY, many felt that this was keystone that would erode the state's long standing resistance to the world's fastest growing combat sport. The UFC even saved a date for Madison Square Garden at the end of the year, ready to put on their first ever show in New York City. Maybe next year?

Longtime New York based MMA reporter Jim Genia broke the news on Twitter:

Okay folks, I'm hearing the battle for the NY MMA bill is over. I'll give you details when I get them. — jim genia (@jim_genia) June 25, 2015

His report was confirmed by MMA legal expert Michael Kim, also via Twitter:

Politics on the Hudson was on the scene reporting on just why the bill failed to pass, and it looks like the biggest reason was that, on the last day of the session, a lot of lawmakers expected to support the measure just weren't around to voice that support:

"My big challenge today is that a number of members who are counted as supporters were just unavailable today because of the scheduling, that we weren't expected to be here this long," Assembly Majority Leader Joseph Morelle, D-Irondequoit, Monroe County, the bill's sponsor, told Gannett's Albany Bureau.

"And it's really complicated efforts to get to 76. I think it's looking less likely as the day wears on."

Without the available supporters, there's just not much chance that the bill gets voted on today, leaving it dead in the water, again, as the legislative session ends. New year, new speaker, same old song and dance.