link Working with the New Jersey Athletic Commission, the new UFC established a set of "Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts" The New Jersey Athletic Commission accepted these rules and sanctioned the fight under the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board's "Unified Rules" Most other states, primarily New York, California and of course Nevada quickly followed (Michigan only recently accepted in the Spring of 2008) and this allowed UFC to return from the back alley's to front stage
Not sure about the comment of New York I don't think that they ever sanctioned UFC events Thanks to a man by the name of Randy Gordon. That being said he is now fighting to get into New york