Sizzle Reel for MMA Platinum Gloves 6

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Long Island's MMA Platinum Gloves returns on September 6 for its sixth installment, and just in case you're unsure of what to expect, it will look a little something like this...

Take It To The Top 4 Poster

NEW YORK

The Best of MMA in a Catering Hall

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I love checking out fight shows at different venues, and Fists of Fury - which is based out of Long Island - has completely got the "amateur MMA show in a catering hall" market cornered. From the chandeliers, to the carpeted floors, to the retirees operating the concession stand doling out food they just made with the care only a retiree can muster, FOF has got it all.Don't believe me? Then check out this highlight video and draw your own conclusions.

Kings of New York Poster

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Just a Karate Dude and a Kung Fu Dude Sparring in the Park

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Question: What's a New York City park without some form of fighting going on in it? Answer: Not a New York City park.

Here's a Goju Karate dude taking on an Urban Bagua stylist.

Some Interviews From Saturday's Aggressive Combat Championship 7

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Yeah, I missed Saturday night's Aggressive Combat Championship 7 - so what? It doesn't mean I don't care. In fact, I've been scouring YouTube for videos to post about it. Here are two interviews "The Amateur Corner" did with a couple fighters. Watch them and you'll get a sense of what you and I both missed.

Will This Man Bring NYC a Win at the Fighters Source Finals?

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Aggressive Combat Championship 8 and 9 Poster

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Shout Out to a Fellow New York MMA Newsite

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New York is a big state and I can't cover it all, so here's a shout out to Warriors Instinct MMA. They cover things upstate, and today they got a little love from The Daily Mail.

“We set out to give the amateur MMA fighters in New York state a larger voice,” diMonda said. “Hero Fight League (at Basilica) was in Hudson then and they invited me in, so I came and my two sons came in representing Warrior Instinct MMA.”

Their site, www.warriorsInstinctmma.com, contains event schedules and results, photos and videos from events, as well as a directory of gyms and fight organizations.

Watch a Referee Fight a Muay Thai Bout

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It's not everyday that we can see a seasoned official lace up the gloves and step into the ring, so let's savor this video of World Kickboxing Association official Joel Bekker, who in May threw down at a Friday Night Fights event in Manhattan.

Say what you will about some of the goofy-looking characters we sometimes see reffing fights, but Bekker got in there and got it on. Props to him.

UFC Fight Night 45 Primer: Jim Miller vs. Chris Liguori II

UFC

Jim Miller is headlining a UFC Fight Night on Wednesday, and he gets to do so in his old stomping grounds of Atlantic City, N.J. This will be Miller's eighteenth venture into the Octagon, and after nearly six years of calling those hallowed grounds his home, it's hard to imagine he'd ever fought anywhere else.

But he did. Once upon a time, Miller was a rising star in the Northeast circuit, taking on the best and taking out the rest. He even had a little friendly rivalry going with perpetual Garden State tough guy and MMA pioneer Chris Liguori.

Fighters Source Poster

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Highlight Reel For One of New York City's Unsung Warriors

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Richie Torres. Unless you've been plugged into the combative sports scene in New York City for the last decade, that name might not ring a bell. But Richie's always been there, always been a part of it, scrapping MMA-style in early UCL events and in New Jersey shows, and later shifting his focus to kickboxing.

He doesn't compete much now, and though he does keep sharp in the gym, honing other fighters until they're a keen edge, it's probably more accurate to view him as an elder statesman of fistfights than someone willing to throw down anywhere and anytime.

Here's a highlight reel video for Richie. Watch and learn.

Friday Night Fights Primer: Another Video, This One Featuring Ladies

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FNF is tonight, and continuing in their efforts to drum up interest, the promotion has released yet another video of a bout from a past show. Now, I'm not entirely sure if these ladies are actually fighting on tonight's card, but hey, so what? It's still Muay Thai.

Some Aljamain Sterling Fights to Whet Your Appetite

UFC

UFC Fight Night 45: Cowboy vs. Miller will make Atlantic City, N.J. interesting this coming Wednesday, with the eponymous bout of Donald Cerrone and Jim Miller pretty much guaranteeing fireworks. But there are some sparks waiting to fly on the undercard, and you can credit a lot of them to the capable hands of Northeast MMA star Aljamain Sterling.

In case you've forgotten Sterling's level of badassery when he was a regional fighter, here's a little reminder.

Aggressive Combat Championship 7 Primer: A Manup Standup Champ vs. Team Tiger Schulmann

NEW YORK

Saturday night's Aggressive Combat Championship 7 at York College in Queens has a lot to offer in terms of compelling amateur MMA bouts, but there's also an intriguing Muay Thai bout or two lurking on the card - not the least of which is former Manup Standup champ Will Cavali versus Team Tiger Schulmann rep Steve Inoshima.

To fully grasp the potential for excitement in this pairing, watch the following videos. Then we'll be on the same page.

Throwback Thursday: EliteXC's "Heat" Event

AWESOME

EliteXC's "Heat" event, which was on October 4, 2008 at an arena near Ft. Lauderdale, F.L., was awesome on so many levels. The backstage food spread for the press was epic, there was high drama with Ken Shamrock cutting himself with a razor to sink the main event, and there was Kimbo Slice falling to last-minute replacement Seth Petruzelli - thereby pretty much killing EliteXC's prospects for a sustainable future.

By the way, I apologize for the quality of these pics. I was using a model of BlackBerry so retro, it had a rotary dial for making calls.

Aggressive Combat Championship 7 Primer: Up Close With Rashad Clarke

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As they're oft to do, another refugee from the underground fight scene will soon be making the transition to "above the board" event. I'm talking about none other than Rashad Clarke, who's been a staple in the Underground Combat League for years, and who will step into the cage on Saturday night at Aggressive Combat Championship to face Eric Taylor. In the spirit of getting to know New York City's MMA fighters better, The MMA Journalist shot Clarke a few questions; here are his answers.

Yes, There Are Compelling Regional MMA Stories Outside of New York - Why Do You Ask?

AWESOME

Sometimes it's good to gaze beyond the borders of the Empire State and examine the regional scenes that exist elsewhere in the world. Thanks to Portland, O.R.-based filmmaker Jin Ryu, here's a brief documentary on an aspiring local fighter (local to Portland, that is) named Hadi. Check it out.

Friday Night Fights Primer: Another Video Featuring NJ Mac

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Based on the frequency with which the promoters are releasing videos of kickboxer NJ Mac, you'd think Friday's edition of Friday Night Fights is all about that fighter and what he's going to do to the rest of the unsuspecting competitors of the eight-man tournament. Anyway, here's Mr. Mac in action once more. Watch him below, then show up at the Broad Street Ballroom down by Wall Street tomorrow night and watch him again.