UFC 143 Diaz Vs. Condit

On February 4, 2012, two of the top ranked welterweights will face off in the Mandalay Bay Events Center for the interim welterweight belt. Nick Diaz and Carlos Condit are two of the most exciting fighters today in the world of mix martial arts. Nick Diaz, who was originally scheduled to faced current welterweight champion George St. Pierre back at UFC 137, however, being unable to show up to multiple pre fight conferences, the opponent was replaced by Carlos Condit, while Diaz was rescheduled to face BJ Penn in the co main event. Then a week prior to the event, the champion suffered a knee injury that forced him out of the fight, the bout was dropped and the co main was then promoted to the main event. Although the changes to the card displeased many fans, both BJ Penn and Nick Diaz put on a great fight for the fans, both fighters were awarded the fight of the night award, and with Diaz solidifying his number one contender status.
Carlos Condit was the last WEC Welterweight champion before the organization dissolved the division. He has won his last four of five fights with two knock out of the night and one fight of the night bonus. While Nick Diaz was the reigning Strikeforce Welterweight champion who is riding on a eleven fight win streak with three title defenses. After the UFC brought out Strikeforce, Nick Diaz vacated his belt in order to face St. Pierre.
Although the fight card for UFC 143 is not complete, other announced bouts will be scheduled to the fight card, such as Josh Koscheck,who was Condits original opponent, against Mike Pierce and Roy Nelson vs. Fabricio Werdum.

11-Year-Old Jiu Jitsu Hero Attacks Kidnapping Suspect, Saves Himself & Younger Sister | 30 Days FREE Jiu Jitsu Classes in Queens NY

11 Year Old Jiu Jitsu Student Protects Himself and Sister from Kidnapping Suspect

Jay Yano didn’t have the day after Thanksgiving off, so he planned to take his two young children to work with him. As his son Jonah (who trains Brazilian Jiu Jitsu) and his daughter Brooklyn loaded into his truck, parked right outside their home, Yano left the vehicle running as he quickly walked to the truck’s rear.“That’s when I noticed the guy walking from across the street, coming over,” said Jay Yano. The truck quickly began to pull forward, with 9-year-old Brooklyn and 11-year-old Jonah inside.

He ran to the driver’s side door. “When I opened the car door, I saw my son holding the guy down with his left hand,” said Yano.

 “I just grabbed his shoulder and started punching his face, telling him to get out of the truck,” said Jonah Yano.

Jonah Yano, a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner said he wasn’t scared

his younger sister was in trouble and he needed to help her. Despite being much smaller than the 35-year-old man, Jonah gave his father enough time to pull the suspect out of the truck. “If my son didn’t jump in, he would have just taken off with her down the street,” said Jonah Yano.

After making sure his children were safe Jay Yano caught the suspect and held him until police arrived.

Jonah Yano’s parents said their son’s years of jiu jitsu practice came in handy but beyond that, it was a brotherly love, which can’t be taught. “I’m proud of him,” said Jay Yano.

Letter to Joe Frazier

    

     Hey Joe.When I started boxing I would watch your videos and try and copy your moves. I thought you were the best. Before my first amateur fight, I bumped into Chuck Wepner in the lobby. I asked him about you and told him how much I idolized you and he said you were incredibly tough and such a nice, decent man. That same hour, at an auction being held,I saw a picture of you throwing that hook at Ali with him falling onto the ropes. It lit a fire in me. I knocked my opponent down twice in the first round with my left hook. After the fight Wepner congratulated me and told me I had a hook just like yours. Maybe he was just buttering me up but man did it work!
     I even thought it was funny how my coach always got on me on never throwing my right hand.. I fell in love with my left haha. I knew you barely threw that right, too. Anyway, when i watched documentaries about you and read any articles about you I felt some sort of connection to you. I dont know why since obviously we’ve never met. I love hearing you described as an underdog because it makes underdogs like myself feel like we can get on your level.
     Not too long ago I met you at a DVD signing at Barnes and noble in Manhatten. I remember thinking to myself ” He’s not gonna give a damn about me. He’s just gonna think I'm another person just asking for his autograph”. When I told you about how I watched your fights to teach me you gave me a big hug and invited me to your gym for sparring. It made my day and I went back to the gym and bragged endlessly about i as if we went to dinner or something (haha).
     I had heard of you attending some Golden Gloves shows in New York and would dream that after my surgery, I would fight at a venue where you would be and after i won you’d congratulate me. I pray that i get that opportunity, but that’s also quite selfish. Really what I hope is that you beat this thing and that you are happy, surrounded by friends and family. When I get better and have my next fight, I will be fighting with you in mind, as I always have..wondering ” would Joe Frazier like my left hook?” Again, I may not know you personally but man do you mean a lot to me and on some unexplained level, I've got a lot of love for you. I am praying for you and thinking of you constantly. Thank you for everything.
Amanda

My Favorite UFC Light Heavyweight

             Mixed martial arts is the fastest growing sport of the 21st century. Ever since the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) was founded in 1993, it has become the largest MMA promotion company in the world within a decade, and is continuing to expand to other countries such as Europe and Asia. There are 7 different weight classes that are featured in the UFC. The Light Heavyweight division is one of the most exciting and competetive classes they have to offer, from the long time reigning champ Tito Ortiz to the legendary Iceman Chuck Liddell.

           Mauricio Rua  is one of the top fighters in the world. Famous for his wild and aggressive style, Shogun quickly became a fan favorite. During his days in Pride, Shogun became the 2005 Middleweight Grand Prix winner. By the time the UFC brought out Pride, Rua was ranked #1  light heavyweight in the world. He later made his debugt against one of the UFC's favotie sons, Forrest Griffin. Due to his poor condition(resulting from knee injuries), he suffered a 3rd round submission loss and later a lackluster victory over fromer heavyweight champion Mark Coleman.

          After a rough start in the UFC, Shogun reinvented himself and returned in excellent shape, with improvement in his overall game. He faced the divisions former king, Chuck Liddell and struck the knockout artist, eventually TKO'ing him in the first round. Mauricio Rua earned himself a title shot due to this impressive victory.

          At UFC 104, he fought against then champion, Lyoto Machida, who was described as a puzzle due to his unorthodox fighting style. Both men fought to the decision in one of the most technical fights I've seen. Although Shogun fell short in the judges scorecards, he was given an immediate rematch with Machida. Shogun would later knock out Machida, giving him his first loss and was awarded the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship Belt (the 11th in the division).

       Although Shogun would lose his title to Jon Jones, he would knock out Forrest Griffin, avenging his loss. He would remain one of the top 10 Light Heavyweights in the UFC. He is scheduled to fight former Pride Champion and Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion Dan Henderson.

      Ever since his loss in the title fight against Lyoto Machida, I've been a fan of "Shogun" Rua. He displayed disciplined yet aggressive striking against Machida. It was some of the most technical and beautiful Muay Thai I have seen.  I attended UFC 128 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, headlined by my favorite light heavyweight. Although the outcome was disappointing, Shogun would still have a place on my list as one of the greatest fighters ever.





Halloween Party

This year for Halloween we wanted to have some fun with the kids. So what's better than a party? A Halloween Costume party!

                As our adorable, pint-sized patrons arrived, they were greeted by bowls of chips, candy and other treats! Later on we would all enjoy more candy, soda, chips, and  pizza!

                 Games included Pin the Tail on the Black Cat (Congrats to Yameci!) and Witch Hat Ring Toss. I think it's safe to say that everybody's favorite part of the party was the pumpkin pinata. For arts and crafts, we made ghosts and drew on our very own pumpkins to keep. We also had a face paint and tattoo station.

                As for our Instructors and assistants: Head Coach Butch Rinaldi was the grim reaper , Coach Amanda was a cat, Wrestling coach Louie was Pauly D and assistant Gus was Mayhem Miller (hence the red streak in his hair and the mean black eye), Jennifer"Smalls" Rubin was a rather convincing nerd.

                Everybody wore pretty cool costumes but the grand prize had to go to Marcus, 10. He was a terrifying zombie-surgeon with guts and gore spilling out of his surgical attire. His prize was an assortment of 120 temporary tattoos-which he took with a pretty satisfied grin.

                We want to thank everyone for coming and celebrating with us and look forward to next years Halloween party-now on to Christmas!

Why Should New York Legalize Mixed Martial Arts?

The legalization of mixed martial arts in the state of New York has become a hot topic for the past five years.  Each year numerous states are legalizing this once banned sport because of the lack of rules and no holds barred mentality attached to it.  In November of 2000, the UFC broke ground by establishing unified rules to the sport and getting sanctioned by the state of New Jersey.  This has of course become a growing trend for the past eleven years due to increases in safety for the fighters and of course the increasing amount of revenue that is generated by the sport.  States on average earn about         $5 million dollars in economic activity from hosting a mixed martial arts event by the UFC.  As of the writing of this article only three states have not legalized mixed martial arts and in fact made it illegal: Vermont, Connecticut, and New York. 

            Politicians in the state of New York have been at a tug of war over whether to legalize mixed martial arts in the state of New York.  Some politicians argue that to legalize mixed martial arts would open the door to “giving them clubs with spikes on the end.” said by Herman Farrell chairman of the Ways and Means Committee.  The media also portrays mixed martial arts in a negative light by showcasing it as a brutal blood sport with no rules.  A recent segment on Fox 5 news by Andrea Day took a look at an underground mixed martial arts club (http://www.mmafighting.com/2008/09/11/fox-5-does-its-part-to-keep-mma-illegal-in-new-york/).  The whole report focused on the injuries to the fighters such as a swollen eye or a broken nose, injuries very common in hockey and boxing. 

            The positive effect of mixed martial arts is the amount of economic revenue a state can obtain from one event.  New York in an essence could hold three to four events a year plus a fan expo thereby achieving economic revenue of $20-$30 million.  Mixed martial arts have had two fatalities since the sport has been on sanctioned ground.  Mixed martial arts though are not the only sports in the United States to have fatalities.  American Football since 1976 has had over three hundred fatalities but yet it is still considered an American past time next to baseball which has had more fan fatalities than player fatalities.  No fans who observe a mixed martial arts event have to worry about hockey pucks or baseballs traveling a hundred miles an hour at them.  Mixed martial arts are also different to boxing in relation to the knock down rule.  When a fighter in boxing is knocked down they receive a ten count but in mixed martial arts the fights over.  Mixed martial arts have been noted to have a reduced risk of traumatic brain injury because of this practice.  Underground fight clubs are seen as a negative because of the lack of regulations applied to them.  They are only underground though because a sport pretty much legalized across the country has still not found a home in New York.  If you watch the bold link in the previous paragraph you would see that the underground fight club reported for Fox 5 news looks very similar to amateur mixed martial arts events held in other states that have legalized mixed martial arts and thus regulate these events.

            Why should mixed martial arts be legal in New York? Why do you think it is illegal at this point in time? Please feel free to comment.

Is Competition Good For MMA?

The sport of mixed martial arts has become very popular in the past ten years due to an avid fan base and appeal of the sport itself.  Ultimate Fighting Championship or UFC has been established as the main global brand and premier league for the sport where the best fighters often ply their trade.  Throughout the years various leagues or promotions of mixed martial arts tried to compete with the UFC but eventually ended up being bought out by the UFC or went bankrupt. 

The history of mixed martial arts leagues and their rise and downfall is nothing uncommon in the realm of sports.  The NBA of basketball had competition from the ABA back in the 1960’s and 1970’s for dominance of the sport.  Two different leagues with their own brand of stars and style of play each attracted their own fans.  The ABA though was unable to compete with the marketing machine of the NBA and could not acquire the revenue that the NBA obtained.   In 1976, the NBA eventually became the premier league of basketball when the ABA merged with them.  The ABA of course has been long since forgotten since their name has never been tied to the NBA since the merger, only one league survived.  The 1976 merger of the NBA and ABA echoes the exact results of the UFC-Pride merger.  Pride was the main competitor for the UFC during the 1990’s and was seen as the better league.  Pride though was unable to financially compete with the UFC and their expanding global brand over mixed martial arts.  The UFC in a sense became mixed martial arts to the casual fan.  In 2007, the UFC eventually merged with Pride and imported Pride’s top fighters into the UFC.  Pride suffered the same fate as the ABA 31 years later.

The question for this article “Is competition good for MMA?”.  Is it good for mixed martial arts to have the best athletes and fighters in one league? 

UFC 136 Predictions

Edgar vs. Maynard
Both are good wrestlers. Frankie is the better boxer; Gray is the stronger of the two.
This is going to be another great one; it’s so hard to pick this one. Both men are tuff & fight so hard. Since I have to pick, I’m going with……
The Bully is the New Lightweight Champion of the World
Aldo vs. Florian
I like Kenny Florian but he always come in wrong for a title fight i.e. not enough wrestling, not enough boxing. Maybe it’s too much brother get back to Mark Dellagrote & get back on top.
Jose Aldo retains his Featherweight Belt by decision.

Sonnen vs. Stann
I always like to root for my fellow Marines, My heart says Brian Stann by KO, My head says Chael Sonnen  by ground & pound.
Since my divorce I don’t listen to my heart any more.
Chael Sonnen by TKO
Guillard vs. Lauzon
Melvin Guillard, is an athletic freak, who has been sticking to the Greg Jackson fight to win plan. Joe Lauzon will keep the pressure on Guillard ruin the plan & break Guillard. I don’t think Guillard is mentally tough enough to deal with Lauzon.
Joe Lauzon wins by decision
Leonard Garcia vs. Nam Phan
Nam Phan got robbed in their 1^st fight, not this time.
Leonard Garcia crushes Nam.
Leonard Garcia wins by TKO 2^nd round


Spike TV Prelims
Demian Maia vs. Jorge Santiago
Demian Maia wins by submission

Anthony Pettis vs. Jeremy Stephens
Jeremy Stephens wins by decision

I can't wait to see these fights!
I'll be watching them with all my MMA fanatics at New York Mixed Martial Arts in Queens NY.

Queens boxer wins in Connecticut.

Spotlight

Jenn "Smalls" Rubin
Boxing out of Queens NY

Jenn Rubin is a 20 year old majoring in political science at Baruch college. She is also one baaad NYMMAer (and by bad we mean good). Nicknamed Smalls due to her 4'10 stature, she is force and focus of our boxing program.

Scheduled for her first amateur boxing match on September 24th in Connecticut, Jenn has been displaying her undying work ethic. When asked what her main driving factors are she told me:"Originally it was fun and offered a challenge I never had physically and mentality . Now, I want to fight because I know I will never have this opportunity again once I head back to school. Also I want to showcase what I have been working so hard on and make everybody proud. Her commitment doesn't go unnoticed by anybody! Her last training day went as follows:

3 rounds-light drilling

6 rounds-sparring with Pro Patricia Alvicar

4 miles-about 29 minutes

5 rounds of interval training (usually does 10-15 rounds. Those of you that know our interval training-it's EXHAUSTING.)

3 rounds shadowboxing

3 rounds heavy bag

3 rounds slip bag

3 rounds double end bag

3 rounds-more sparring (this time with training partner Rachel)

2 rounds- shadowboxing

4 rounds- drilling/wall drill

Brief bio

Name: Jenn Rubin

Age: 20

Weight: 125

Live in: Queens NY

Train at: New York Mixed Martial Arts in Queens NY

How long have you been with us? 1 1/2 year.

What got you started in boxing?

I use to play softball back in high school. When college hit, I was feeling out of shape and decided I wanted to get back and shape and hit things.

What part of your training is most enjoyable?

Sparring. I like getting in the ring with the people from the gym because each person has something to offer. There is such a variety of talent at the gym. Each person forces me out of my comfort zone and makes me a better boxer.

Least enjoyable?

Running. Running. Oh and running

Inspirations?

My brother Jed who is a Corporal in the United States Marine Corps, my sister Janelle and the general NYMMA lifestyle : )"

Ultimate goal(s)?

Win

 Signature move:

Right uppercut to the body followed by a cross to the head.

UFC 132 Tito Ortiz

Tito Ortiz was during the early part of the 2000’s known as the premier fighter in the UFC. Tito revolutionized the ground and pound by staying in the opponent’s guard and controlling them from that position earning multiple TKO victories.  Ortiz’s dominance in the light heavy weight division ended however, with his second loss to Chuck Liddell where he then dropped the next three fights and drew one.  Ortiz’s last lost to Matt Hamill showed how his skills and fighting ability were beginning to deteriorate and that he was not the fighter he once was.  The UFC then decided to make Ortiz’s last fight of his contract against Ryan Bader, the up and coming prospect.

                The UFC making the match between Bader and Ortiz clearly intended to make this his last swan song.  Many people considered this fight to be nothing more than throwing Ortiz into a den of lions, there was no way he would get past the first round.  The result of that fight would completely shock me and the MMA world.  Ortiz did not land a lucky punch akin to Serra vs. GSP but instead threw a combination, caught Bader, and then submitted him with a guillotine choke.  Ortiz has not won a fight decisively since October 10, 2006, beating Ken Shamrock by TKO.  Ortiz is now the talk of the MMA world and the internet with this fight being labeled as his comeback. 

                Ryan Bader is a great fighter and Ortiz’s victory over him does showcase that "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" is not a stepping stone.  The fight does allow Ortiz to resurrect his career and perform one more time for his fans and fans of MMA.  The question is: can Ortiz beat his next opponent or will that be his swan song?  In my opinion, Ortiz always does what you least expect, never allowing you to count him out.
You can learn the moves Tito used in his comeback at http://www.ny-mma.com/.
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Marlon Espinosa: A first look at an up and coming Amateur standout

On Saturday May 14 at the LA Boxing gym in Paramus New Jersey, Proud parents, brothers and sisters, uncles, cousins and close family friends all gathered to watch the youth in the New York Metro area step in to the ring (many for the very first time) and put their own stamp on the sweet science. Featured on the bout sheet is 125lb amatuer boxer Marlon Espinosa (1-0).
The reason Marlon is featured on the bout sheet and in this article is because Marlon trains at the NY Mixed Martial arts gym in College Point NY, Which happens to be the same gym that "Yours truly" trains in. Over the past few months, I`ve gotten to know Marlon a little bit. Marlon is a 15 yr old Venezuelan Queens native, and Like any other 15 yr old kid, Marlon goes to high school and plays video games, but Marlon does something else exceptionally well, He boxes. I know this because I see it every time I`m in the gym with him. Tonight I wanted to see all the hard work he puts into his training to good use in the ring. I missed Marlon`s first amateur bout when he scored a third round stoppage, I would not be missing this one.
First of all, LA Boxing in Paramus did an excellent job with Saturday nights event. The gym looked great and all in attendance seemed to be enjoying the action and atmosphere. Luckily for Us, We didn`t have to wait long for "Our Boy" because Marlon`s fight was first to kick off the evening. Speaking with Marlon`s coaches Butch Rinaldi (NY MMA Owner and Operator) and Amanda "Tyson" Isaac (2009 Women`s 132 lb Golden Gloves Champion) before the bout, I asked what type of game plan do they put together at such an entry level point in Marlon`s career? Coach Amanda "Tyson" told me they tried to concentrate on controlled aggression, pressure and punch volume.
As the bell rang for round one Marlon came out with the intensity that was asked for by his coaches. Both fighters landed punches in bunches but it seemed early on that Marlon was controlling the ring more and getting the better of his opposition. About mid-way thru the first round Marlon`s opponent`s head snapped back from well timed punches 2 or 3 times in a row causing the referee to give him a standing 8 count. Less than a minute later, Marlon again found a home for a straight right hand that rocked his competitor as the ref came over to give another standing 8. At the end of round 1, Marlon easily had a comfortable lead, which is exactly what Coach Amanda didn`t want Marlon to feel, comfortable.
Marlon started round 2 the same way he ended round 1, in control. Halfway thru round 2 the comfort zone disappeared as Marlon was hit hard with a looping left hook that dazed him and now it was Marlon on the receiving end of a standing 8 count. Coaches Butch and Amanda yelled instructions from the corner as Marlon cleared the cobwebs, settled himself and got back into the fight. Round 2 ended with Marlon probably still up on the judges scorecards but his coaches urged him to use the game plan and close the show.
Round 3 began and Marlon, with his feet back under him, took control again. Coach Butch Rinaldi found a hole in the opponent`s defense and wanted Marlon to start throwing the uppercut. Marlon once again rocked "that other kid" (Sorry, I didn`t get his name) and the ref came over to issue another standing 8 count to Espinosa`s counterpart. Both fighters gave it their all towards the end of the fight and left it all in the ring as the crowd applauded the effort. Now it was up to the judges!
Because they dont give scores in Amatuer boxing, I`ll give you guys my tally round by round. Round 1 was an easy 10-7 round for Marlon after scoring 2 standing 8 counts vs his opponent. Round 2 could`ve been a 10-8 round for the other kid because of the standing 8 count against Marlon, but I didn`t think the kid won the round so I scored it an even 9-9 (Ok, so what, I`m biased). Round 3 was a good competitive round but Marlon took it 10-8 because he scored another standing 8 count. 29-24 was my final score in favor of Marlon Espinosa. Team NY MMA stayed around for a while to watch some of the other competition and Marlon had the pleasure of signing his first autograph for a young fan in the crowd. Great fight and Congratulations Marlon, 2-0!! We`ll work on a nickname at the gym!

Joey Santana can be reached at theboxingkidd@verizon.net

MEN, WOMEN, and CHILDREN of ALL AGES: please TAKE ADVANTAGE  of our 30 DAY FREE TRIAL! It will CHANGE YOUR LIFE. http://www.ny-mma.com/

UFC 132 Predictions

Brian Bowles vs Takeya Mizugaki
   Brian is a short strong fighter fighter as a bantamweight with great knockout power.  Brian is all,so crediited with ending the win streak of Miguel Angel Torres with one punch.  Takeya has great striking and has shown the ability to go the distance.
Bowles --> KO over Mizugaki-->strength and power will cause Mizugaki problems

George Sotiropolis vs Rafael dos Anyos
Both fighters have great BJJ and submission ability.  Should be a great grappling match.
George--> Decision

Melvin Guillard vs Shane Roller
Shane Roller has good wrestling and submission ability.  Melvin Guillard though has finally found a trainer (Greg Jackson) to amplify and direct his speed and strength. 
Guillard will end this fight in ths first round.

Dennis Siver vs Matt Wiman
Matt Wiman is an above average all around fighter while Dennis Siver has great stand up and improved wrestling.  Dennis Siver's continued improvement in wrestling and clinching will be the deciding facotr in this fight.
Siver by decision

Carlos Condit vs Dong Hyun Kim
When Condit fought Hardy no one expected a KO from Condit.  Carlos thus has shown that he is more than a grappler and submission fighter.  Dong Hyun Kim will be truly be tested by this well rounded fighter but Condit's stand up could be the advantage.
Carlos Condit-->Decision

Tito Ortiz vs Ryan Bader
Ortiz in his prime could come through victroious in this fight but due to ring rust and age I see this as his last true swan song for the UFC and possibly MMA.
Bader-TKO

Wanderleigh Silva vs Chris Leben
I hope to see Leben force Silva to return to his killer instinct apporach that earned him the "Axe Murderer" nickname. 
Leben by knockout.
Dominick Cruz vs Uriah Faber
The first fight between these two had Faber come out on top, this time though Cruz is a completely different fighter.  Cruz has reinvented his movement reinvoking images of Muhammad Ali.  Cruz needs to utilize his speed advantage in order to win this fight while Faber needs to grind him out.
 This fight is a complete coin toss.

Want to train like these high level fighters?MEN, WOMEN, and CHILDREN of ALL AGES: please TAKE ADVANTAGE  of our 30 DAY FREE TRIAL! It will CHANGE YOUR LIFE.
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An Introduction to Ny-MMA Blog





Welcome to the official NY-MMA blog!

We are creating a new interactive environment for prospective students and trainees. You can now follow us/like us/read about us on:

Twitter (Where we'll post the day's events)

Facebook (For information about upcoming events and to discuss MMA)

Stumble Upon (To find useful links about MMA & Fitness to further your training outside our gym)

YouTube (See videos of our fighters and soon demonstrations from our classes)

Then there is here, the blog. We will be having students and fighters posting about what they're working on and where they're going.

If interested in joining us at the gym, we do offer a 30-Day Free Trial. Classes are offered in:

• Boxing
• Kick Boxing
• MMA (UFC)
• Fitness & Training
• Self-Defense
• Co-Ed Adult Classes
• Co-ed Children's Classes
• Private Training Sessions

Contact us now and get started today!

For further information contact: Butch Rinadli (Coach & Owner)