CFFC 43 Poster

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Top Kick Superfights Poster

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Another MUSU Fight From the Weekend

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You know the kung fu is strong when the fighters wear those uniforms and incorporate poses into their fights like they're essential ingredients to success. Anyway, here's another fight from the latest installment of Manup Standup from Saturday. Giddyup.

AKBF With a Blast From the Past

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Yeah, that poster says 1996. Back then, MMA was still legal in New York, and the UFC was planning to hold their second show in the state.

There Was An Underground Fight Show in New York City on Saturday

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From the Department of Keeping the Underground Scene in NYC Alive: Manup Standup, which went down at a tiny kung fu school in Jamaica, Queens on Saturday and featured competitors from as close as Brooklyn and as far away as the Netherlands. Yes, people actually traveled across an ocean to compete at MUSU - crazy, huh?

Happy Labor Day! Here's a Video of Aikido in Action!

AWESOME

Happy Labor Day! To celebrate, here's a video of what happens when an Aikido black belt takes on a submission grappler. Enjoy!

ROC Amateur Show Poster

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AKBF Fight League Poster

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Long Island Gladiator Poster

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The View From Upstate, Part 1 - An Interview With Cory Schafer of the ISKA

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New York is a big state. So big, actually, that to drive from Montauk – the state’s eastern-most point – to Buffalo would require about nine hours and a ton of coffee. The state’s great size is why, when talking to a native New Yorker, the geographical parlance of the conversation will include references to “the city” (i.e., New York City), “out on the island” (i.e., Long Island), and “upstate” – a catchall for anything north of the Big Apple. And a glance at the map will tell you that the area encompassed by the word “upstate” is huge.

In 2012, when the Zuffa vs. New York State lawsuit forced the Attorney General to admit that amateur MMA was legal, that huge area was suddenly awash with aspiring promoters and hastily-erected cages. But who would regulate them? Who would oversee the goings-on in and around the cage, making sure events were staffed by trained officials and guided by codified rules? Not the New York State Athletic Commission – the law banning pro MMA also prevents the Commission from playing a role in amateur versions of the sport. No, for the folks upstate, the void created by the influx of fight shows was filled by a third-party sanctioning organization. Overseeing amateur MMA was, for the most part, handled by Cory Schafer’s International Sport Karate Association (ISKA).

More Tidbits From Zuffa vs. New York Lawsuit

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We're definitely at a cool juncture in the Zuffa vs. New York State lawsuit. All the evidence needed to make the respective parties' arguments has been gathered, and for the sake of bolstering each side's motions for summary judgment and rebuttals, a multitude of facts are being revealed. Here's some of the pretty interesting stuff gleaned from the most recent round of filings:

Check Out This Interview With CFFC Honcho Rob Haydak

NEW JERSEY

You know what's awesome? Years ago, before the advent of social media and the need for promotions to maintain an online presence, I had to do all the legwork and rustle up these kinds of interviews. Now they get done for me! Anyway, here's Cage Fury Fighting Championship grand poobah Rob Haydak, talking shop. Watch and gain some insight on one of the Northeast circuit's top organizations.

MMA Platinum Gloves Sizzle Reel

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We're less than two weeks away from the next installment of the MMA Platinum Gloves, which is turning into one of Long Island's preeminent fight shows. I've only been to one of them, and the promotion is on show number six, so for a somewhat more accurate glimpse into what you may expect at their September 6 event, check out the sizzle reel below.

More Trouble in New York

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From the Facebook of someone in New York in the know:

NY MMA PROMOTERS!!!!

Supplying bloodwork for Hep B, Hep C and HIV in order to participate in amateur MMA event in NY is pretty much the norm. Problem is, not everyone is requiring bloodwork and that is a sad, stone cold fact. I know of one recent case that will be made public very soon, which I'll be sure to share any links when they become available.

I call for more up to date bloodwork, dated after participation with the shady promoters of the state. In other words... If a fighter's bloodwork IS up to date, but they've fought with a questionable promoter, require new bloodwork.

For the safety of the athletes and the officials, blackball those supporting the troublemakers or require more recent bloodwork.

It is sad that those that are making a conscious effort to be safe, may be putting others in harms way, without any knowledge of it.

The Next MUSU Is Saturday - What the Hell is Going to Happen?

NEW YORK

The next installment of Manup Standup is on Saturday, and though I've been to a handful of them, the way they've hyped this coming show has me scratching my head and wondering what the hell is going to happen. Seriously, it's usually just some unsanctioned fights with a serious kung fu slant. But videos such as the one posted below are keeping me guessing.

There Was a Fight Show in Brooklyn This Weekend

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There was another installment of Take It To The Top in Brooklyn this weekend. I missed it, but thanks to the wonders of YouTube, you and I can still get a feel for what it was like. Behold! One of the kickboxing bouts on the mixed MMA/kickboxing card!

Whither Thou Goest, Atlantic City

NEW JERSEY

The Revel, which has been hosting UFCs for a while now, will soon be closing its doors, the victim of lack of revenue, the ever-changing tides of legalized gambling and Atlantic City, N.J.'s role as a regional hub for people who like to throw their money away. But what, if anything, does this mean for the strange yet enduring marriage between MMA shows and the casinos there? After all, AC has been hosting such events for about 14 years, and has long been the home for such organizations as Ring of Combat and the Cage Fury Fighting Championship.

According to the Press of Atlantic City, "Atlantic City is betting on sports such as mixed martial arts to help save the city."

Top Team Serra/Longo Prospect Signs With Bellator

BELLATOR

A few months back I was wowed by Jonny Bonilla-Bowman's performance at a Combat at the Capitale and wrote about it. Well, according to former Bellator matchmaker Sam Caplan, the Team Serra/Longo prospect is one of the revamped Scott Coker-run organization's most recent signings.

The Latest on the Zuffa vs. New York Lawsuit

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The latest round of filings (i.e., the responses to the recent motions for summary judgment) in the Zuffa vs. New York State lawsuit were filed today, and while I'm still going through them, I just thought I'd post this little gem here. It's from the State's side and it's about how their interpretation of the law in regards to amateur MMA has been "consistent" throughout the years.

Gladius Fights Poster

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