Deadspin Article on the New York Amateur MMA Scene

NEW YORK

I wrote THIS article for Deadspin on the New York amateur MMA scene, calling to task those who've let fighters who were medically disqualified in other states (for HIV, Hepatitis, etc.) compete here. Check it out.

Some things to note, though:

• I didn't come up with the "disaster" part of the title, that was added by Deadspin (which is fine - it's their site). I think there's a big, gaping hole in the medical screening of fighters, but I love going to New York shows and believe most of the promoters are doing a great job with regards to fighter safety.
• There definitely needs to be some oversight of what's going on at all the shows, and that's an issue the legislature has to address. No promoters or sanctioning bodies have been breaking the law. But the law itself is certainly broken.
• I don't know the identities of the fighters with HIV, Hepatitis or whatever, nor do I know what shows they fought on. I only know they exist.

That's all. Please let me know what you think in the comments.

UFC 173 Primer: Al Iaquinta in Action

UFC

UFC 173 is this weekend, and there's a lot to love about the main card - champ Renan Barao will get another chance to kill a man, Daniel Cormier will get to prove that Dan Henderson is old, and Robbie Lawler will get to show Jake Ellenberger what it means to stand and bang. But kicking off the prelim card on FOX Sports 1 is a bout between Al Iaquinta and Mitch Clarke, and guess what? AL IAQUINTA, YO.

Poster for Next Golden MMA Championships Show

NEW YORK

Some Manup Standup Action

NEW YORK

Thanks to all the big amateur MMA shows that seem to happen every month in New York City, the proud institution of the underground show is dying out. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it's most certainly a sad thing.

There are rumbles that the next Manup Standup event will be happening in August. However, if I'm interpreting the signs correctly, MUSU has put together a single boxing vs. Tae Kwon Do fight for 10pm tonight on a rooftop in the projects in Harlem.

Fists of Fury MMA Show Poster

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Tito Ortiz, Tom DeBlass and a Cool Comic From Tap.Nap.Snap

AWESOME

All you need to know to appreciate this awesome comic is that the good folks at Tap.Nap.Snap made it. Heh-heh.

I Don't Even Have to Know the Details to Know That Renzo Had a Good Reason...

NEW YORK

According to the New York Post, Renzo Gracie was arrested along with six others (including his nephew Igor) outside a Manhattan nightclub early Monday morning for beating the holy hell out of a bouncer.

As per the Post:

It Doesn't Sound Like MMA is Getting Done in the Assembly This Year

NEW YORK

If you pinned your hopes on sanctioned MMA in New York courtesy of a brand-spanking new law this year, prepare to have your hopes dashed. The New York Daily News is reporting that the man in charge of legislative traffic - Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver - might be putting the issue off for another year.

Said the News:

Yours Truly Was on Yesterday's "The MMA Word" Podcast - Check it Out

AWESOME

I was on Mike Wellman's "The MMA Word" podcast yesterday, rapping about New York MMA and what's going on up in Albany with the MMA bills. Check it for the info, check it out for the insight, check it out just to hear my dulcet tones emanating from your speakers. Just check it out.

Would MMA Lose a Floor Vote in the Assembly?

NEW YORK

An editorial in the Albany Times-Union today is calling for the State Assembly to allow the MMA bill to the floor for a vote, with the presumption that it will lose such a vote if it were to happen.

Given the amount of support the sport has by both the Democrats and the Republicans, it's long been asserted that if the Assembly's MMA bill were to finally escape committee it wouldn't be long before it was made into law. Suggesting otherwise kind of flies in the face of basic math and logic...

The Best of Bellator's Pay-Per-View

BELLATOR

A lot of cool and interesting things happened at Bellator 120, which was the organization's first foray into the world of pay-per-view and, given how things played out, quite possibly their last. Of course, at the top of the list is former lightweight champ Michael Chandler losing a split decision to last-minute replacement Will Brooks. Then there's washed-up Tito Ortiz choking middleweight champ Alexander Shlemenko to sleep, promising featherweight Shahbulat Shamhalaev getting his arm broken... the hits just kept on coming.

ROC 48 Postscript

NEW JERSEY

From what I saw on the GoFightLive broadcast, Ring of Combat 48 was a solid installment in the venerable Northeast promotion. However, since I wasn't there, I can't really give you much personal on-the-scene insight. But hey, what's Twitter and Instagram for if not to turn the whole world into a journalist collective?

Here then is some additional perspective on ROC 48, courtesy of social media.

Ring of Combat 48: Liveblog Part 3

NEW JERSEY

Next bout is a flyweight title fight.

Matt Rizzo vs. Jimmy Grant

Round 1: Sporting a decent height and reach advantage, Rizzo's strategy is clear: pick Grant off from a distance. Grant counters with a takedown, the scramble furiously, and Grant ends up first with a guillotine attempt and then is in Rizzo's guard. Rizzo gets back to his feet, steps in to do something, and BAM! Grant blasts him with an uppercut that has the taller guy KO'd. That's all she wrote. Grant is now the flyweight champ.

Ring of Combat 48: Liveblog Part 2

NEW JERSEY

Next bout:

Michael Elshamy vs. Zed Mitchell

Elshamy's got Matt Serra in his corner, so maybe that means he knows something about grappling.

Ring of Combat 48: Liveblog Part 1

NEW JERSEY

Welcome to the ROC 48 liveblog, which I'm doing from the comfort of my home office thanks to GoFightLive and it's absolutely perfect stream. Since I'm not cageside for this one, I won't be able to tell you which fighter freaked out and trashed the locker room after his loss, and which section of the audience threw a hissy fit because their hero got crushed. But I can - and will - describe the fights. So giddyup!

Check Out These Photos From Victory 5

NEW YORK

Once upon a time there was maybe one photographer shooting New York MMA shows. Of course, back then there was only the Underground Combat League churning out fights, and that lone photog was Anil Melwani (whose web gallery is down for some reason). But nowadays there are tons of shows, and at each, a variety of lenses aimed at the action.

Here's Jacob Klensin's collection from the last Victory show. Check it out.

Ring of Combat 48 Tonight on GoFightLive

NEW JERSEY

Ring of Combat 48 is tonight in Atlantic City, N.J., and with it will come all the usual thrills top-notch local fights bring. But if you're like me, and not keen on trekking to South Jersey, there is another option to take in the action: GoFightLive.

Go here to order the online pay-per-view, which is $16.99 and starts at 8:30ish (I say "ish" because one of the fights on the card got scrapped, so the start time might be pushed back a little).

Watch Rival New York Promoters Break Bread on This Week's East Coast MMA Show

NEW YORK

It's a beautiful thing when rival promoters can set aside their differences and talk shop - which is exactly what happened on this week's installment of the East Coast MMA Show. With host Tom Kilkenny of Aggressive Combat Championship behind the wheel, and guests Tom Sconzo of New York Fight Exchange and Jerome Mickle - NYFE's reigning welterweight champ - in the passenger seat, listeners are taken along for a ride that's both educational and entertaining.

Topics touched upon include, well, pretty much everything to do with the New York MMA scene. Definitely check it out.

Throwback Thursday: Ricco Rodriguez vs. Tim Sylvia at UFC 41

UFC

Once upon a time in 2003, our favorite premiere MMA organization came to Atlantic City, N.J. and had their heavyweight champ take on some tall dude from Pat Miletich's camp. Said tall dude had only fought in the Octagon once before, so it was assumed that the champ was going to kill him. But I'm talking about UFC 41, which saw champ Ricco Rodriguez's clash with challenger Tim Sylvia, and, well, yeah. That was the end of Rodriguez's title reign.

Battle at the Aviator Poster

NEW YORK