BREAKING NEWS: RDA out of UFC 196 with foot injury

Rafael dos Anjos out of UFC 196 with Conor McGregor.

The biggest MMA fight in history was set to for Saturday march 5^th in Las Vegas, Conor McGregor the UFC featherweight champion of the world was set to fight Rafael Dos Anjos the UFC’s lightweight champion. This fight was going to be the first time two current UFC champions faced off inside the octagon.

However there have been multiple reports today saying Rafael Dos Anjos is out due to a foot injury. The UFC has not made any official announcements about the fight but a broken foot will side line RDA. It is also unclear if McGregor will stay on the card, but Long Island MMA believes it is more than likely that Conor will fight on the card.

This is not the first time something like this has happened to Conor, on July 11^th 2015 Conor was set to face the Jose Aldo who held the 145lb belt, but Aldo was sidelined. The UFC offered Conor Chad Mendes an almost complete opposite stylistic match up and Conor took that fight without hesitation. So if we had to guess we would imagine Conor would fight someone at 155 on March 5^th the question is who?

Congrats to UFC’s New Women’s Bantamweight Champion, Holly Holm! | Long Island MMA

Congrats to UFC’s New Women’s Bantamweight Champion, Holly Holm!

Holly Holm defeated Ronda Rousey at UFC 193, ending Rousey’s reign as the undefeated, undisputed champion of the women’s Bantamweight division.  After dominating Rousey throughout the entire fight, Holm finished her with a devastating head kick 59 seconds into the second round.  Holm executed her game plan perfectly; all the experts said that Holm needed to keep her distance and pick apart Rousey on her feet.  Dennis “The Menace” Bermudez, who fights out of Long Island MMA in Farmingdale NY, had commented that “The game plan that Holly stuck to is the only game plan I thought would ever work.” Rousey is known for being very aggressive, this is the reason she has won her fights in such a dominant and devastating fashion.  This is also a big reason why Holly’s game plan worked so well, Ronda needed to be patient and not let Holm pick her apart on her entries, but the more Holly landed the more frustrated and desperate Rousey seemed to become, ultimately ending in the head kick knockout. Having a new undefeated champion adds a lot of excitement to the Women’s Bantamweight division.We don’t know for sure what’s next for Ronda Rousey or Holly Holm, but we know that Holm’s career just took a big leap, and we could imagine Rousey will be getting a rematch sometime in the near future.

Pound for Pound Best Fighter in the World Returns to UFC!! | Long Island MMA

Pound for Pound Best Fighter in the World Returns to UFC!!

On October 23^rd 2015 the UFC announced the reinstatement of #1 light-heavyweight in the world, Jon “Bones” Jones.  Jones had pled guilty to his felony charge of a hit-and-run incident that left a pregnant woman with a broken arm.  As part of his plea agreement, Jones was given an 18-month probation stint and 72 community appearances.  Jones is eligible to return to competition immediately and the UFC expects him to meet all terms of his plea agreement as a condition of his reinstatement.  UFC Chairman and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta said “There are significant expectations we have regarding his conduct moving forward.”  And Jones had issued a statement saying “I am thankful to be able to do what I love once again and I look forward to proving myself as a champion in and outside of the Octagon.”  The future looks promising for Jones, hopefully he learned from this experience and will work to be the role model and inspiration that this sport needs.  Upon his return it is expected, though not confirmed, that he will have an immediate title shot with the current champion Daniel Cormier.  DC had lost his title fight against Jon Jones, but later replaced Jones in his fight against Anthony Johnson, where DC dominated Rumble Johnson on the ground and pulled out a submission victory in the 3^rd round to win the vacated Light-Heavyweight title.  The exact return date for Jones is yet to be determined but we are all looking forward to it, including Cormier, who congratulated Jones on his reinstatement to the UFC and said “I can’t wait to compete against him again.”

Long Islands Ryan LaFlare vs. Mike Pierce: December 11th 2015 | Long Island MMA

Long Islands Ryan LaFlare vs. Mike Pierce: December 11th 2015

Ryan LaFlare, fighting out of his gym Long Island MMA in Farmingdale New York, will be taking on Mike Pierce at The Ultimate Fighter Finale, scheduled for December 11th 2015.  This UFC card is very promising, also holding bouts with Frankie Edgar vs Chad Mendes and Khabib Nurmagomedov vs Tony Ferguson.  Both LaFlare and Pierce are coming off of a loss, but LaFlare has been a lot more active than Pierce.  Mike Pierce had suffered a sprained MCL and a torn ankle ligament due to his last opponent, Rousimar Palhares, neglecting to let go of a heel hook even after Pierce tapped out and the referee stepped in.  Palhares was then cut from the UFC the next day for his actions.  That fight took place on October 9th of 2013, more than two years before his upcoming bout with LaFlare.  Ryan LaFlare has had 4 fights in that time and has looked very good in all of them.  With wins over Santiago Ponzinibbio, Court McGee, and John Howard, and a 5-round decision loss to Demian Maia, Ryan Laflare is showing that he can go the distance and hang with the best of them.  Damian Maia is LaFlare’s first and only loss, and he plans to come back stronger and better than ever before.  The internet polls have Ryan LaFlare as the favorite and we are all excited to see him go out and represent the high-quality of fighters that comes out of Long Island New York!

THE SINGLE BEST EXERCISE TO IMPROVE STRENGTH FOR MMA | Long Island MMA

Rob Labiento Long Island MMA's head strength coach teaches us how to do a RDL or a Romanian dead lift.

Rob explains how and why this is the single best exercise you should add to your routine if you are interested in MMA or are an active hobbyist.

Check Rob out in this video!

Jiu Jitsu Technique - The Ninja Sweep from triangle

Jiu Jitsu Technique - The Ninja Sweep from triangle

     This sweep is a true testament to chain grappling! Professional MMA fighter Eric Uresk teaches us a counter to a counter off of the triangle choke that he calls the ninja sweep. This technique is excellent to apply during a scramble such as this and will help you maintain dominant position when you are in a tricky spot! We hope you can all apply it to your game.

Long Island MMA teaches us how to do an armbar from the mount | BJJ Technique

   
 This technique is taught by Long Island MMA’s own Brent Appiarius; a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. The arm lock from the mounted position is extremely efficient being that it allows the offensive man to maintain his position on top. Unlike other arm locks which require you to fall to your back, this variation lessens the chances of being reversed and ending up in the bottom position. Brent emphasizes that pulling up on your opponents head when in S-mount will nullify their ability to bridge you out of position. We hope that you are all able to make good use of this arm lock; stay tuned for more great techniques from Long Island MMA!

MMA Technique - Pole Drag Side Kick | Long Island MMA

In this video Long Island MMA Muay Thai coach, Anthony D’Angelo, teaches us the pole drag side kick. This technique is excellent for closing distance and entering into punching range. As demonstrated, the pole drag side kick is followed up by several punches and Coach D’Angelo stresses that the combination be ended with a kick; really sticking it to our opponent. This should be an extremely useful kick for strikers that are having trouble closing the distance to land their punches.

Brazilian jiu jitsu Technique - Ninja Choke | Long Island MMA

Brazilian jiu jitsu Technique - Ninja Choke

  
  This technique is taught out of Long Island MMA by Professional MMA fighter and Bellator bantamweight champion Marcos “Loro” Galvao. The ninja choke is excellent to apply against an opponent that is working an active half guard and is very tight in their transitions. This technique is simple and extremely effective! We hope that you will all be able to apply it to your game.


Marcos fights in Bellator defending his 135lb championship on October 23rd on spike TV!

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Train with LORO at Long Island MMA...
Long Island MMA & Fitness Center 
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The BEST MMA GYM on Long Island New York | Long Island MMA

     I am sure that most of us have heard the term “McDojo” before. It is a term used to describe a chain or individual martial arts establishment that lacks legitimacy or one could even say is poorly managed. As the sport of Mixed Martial Arts exploded into mainstream entertainment the martial arts world experienced a flood of these so called McDojos attempting to hop on the band wagon of Mixed Martial Arts popularity. To the untrained eye it is hard to tell a legitimate school from a farce, especially when they are toting flashy equipment and a clean facility. But time has shown that simply hopping on the popularity train does not prove enough to maintain a successful gym. Schools were opening under individuals with martial arts experience but no business sense, vice versa.

     When the dust settled from the excitement of the opportunity that MMA presented, schools were failing due to lack of business experience, or lack in legitimate training credentials. Certain gyms were forced to downsize and some even forced to close. But there are always exceptions to the norm. These came in the form of gyms run by professional trainers or fighters themselves; those that had the passion, experience and love of the sport. These gyms excelled where others failed. Long Island Mixed Martial Arts is one of those gyms and is a prime example of the criteria previously stated. They first opened their doors in November of 2011 and have been steam rolling the New York MMA scene ever since. Owned by now current UFC Welterweight Ryan LaFlare and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Blackbelt/ MMA Coach Gregg DePasquale; Long Island MMA was bred of a true love for the sport of Mixed Martial Arts and it truly shows in the way that members experience their training.

      There are other successful gyms in the Long Island area however, a key point that sets Long Island MMA apart is the fact that everyone that comes in to L.I.M.M.A. receives attention and is treated with equal priority. This is likely a big part of why the team of amateur fighters at Long Island MMA is so talent rich. Everyone has potential and the coaches at Long Island MMA make it their mission to bring out the best in all of their students! Aside from the more than qualified coaching staff another key part of running a gym, like any business would be an education in such an area. While Ryan LaFlare is a professional athlete, he also has a college education. Ryan graduated from Farmingdale State College with a business degree; a degree which has helped turn his once small gym from Lindenhurst into a massive 12,000 square foot facility located in Farmingdale NY. It is the business know how of its owners that has kept Long Island MMA constantly growing and improving, rather than downsizing like so many other schools have had to do.  At Long Island MMA classes are constantly being improved; be it adding more of them or simply improving existing ones. Needless to say, with the foundation and care that makes up Long Island MMA the only place that it will be going is forward to even greater things!

Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Mirco Cro Cop 2 | Long Island MMA

Set to take place on UFC Fight Night this Saturday, Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Mirco Cro Cop is quite interesting. For Gonzaga this fight will be an affirmation of his dominant victory in their first meeting. For Cro Cop this fight is all about redemption! When these two heavyweights last met their bout ended suddenly and with the utmost surprise. Gabriel Gonzaga was able to finish Mirco Cro Cop with his own signature technique, that which had defined his MMA career particularly during his time fighting for Pride Fighting Championships; after being dominated on the ground for the entirety of the first round he was knocked out with a devastating right head kick just shy of the bell.

     For Mirco Cro Cop there are a couple of key factors that should certainly be taken into account in this rematch. The first one would be for Mirco to open up with his striking. In their first bout Cro Cop only threw one straight right and one round kick the entire fight. Being that his base and strength is his striking it would make sense that he should use it to take control of the fight the second time around. The second factor is in regards to his movement and footwork. Mirco is a southpaw and Gonzaga is an orthodox fighter; for the duration of the first round each time Gonzaga would engage him Cro Cop would consistently circle to his left. This undoubtedly is the reason that Gonzaga was able to set up the round kick that ended the fight. The second time around Cro Cop should certainly consider mixing up his movement patterns and if possible avoid circling towards the power side of Gonzaga. 
     Lastly, it is extremely likely that Cro Cop will once again be on the receiving end of a takedown from Gonzaga and for their rematch working takedown defense and maintaining an active guard should he be taken down are of the utmost importance. Cro Cop was cut by one of Gonzaga’s elbow strikes from the guard. Gonzaga’s ability to consistently strike Cro Cop could be attributed to his lack of movement on the bottom. Come UFC Fight Night on 4/11/15 we will see if Mirco Cro Cop has made the necessary adjustments to achieve redemption against Gabriel Gonzaga!

Hendricks vs Brown UFC 185 | Long Island MMA

UFC 185 is set to take place March, 14 and it is a stacked card! The event is to be headlined by a lightweight title fight between Anthony “Showtime” Pettis and Rafael Dos Anjos. The main card is filled with exciting fights such as Johnny “Big Rig” Hendricks vs. Matt “The Immortal” Brown. This fight promises fireworks! Johnny Hendricks is coming off of two title fights, the most recent of which resulted in the loss of his welterweight title. He will certainly be returning to the octagon with a vengeance. Matt Brown had been riding a three fight win streak until his most recent loss to the current champion Robbie Lawler; a loss which is now shared by both men.

     Both of these contenders are extremely vicious in their striking and have the potential to knock each other out. While Johnny Hendricks is predominantly known for his wrestling and extremely strong knock out power The Immortal has a record of serious TKO finishes that are due to his instinctual pursuit of the kill so to speak. When Matt Brown hurts you, he continues to hurt you until you are finished.

     Having a bout between fighters possessing such entertaining finishing abilities bodes for a great contest. However, being that Hendricks’s last two fights have been five round wars one may infer that his conditioning and ability to push the pace may overtake Brown if they were to go the distance. Regardless, on March 14 fight fans are certainly in for a treat when Big Rig and The Immortal face off in the octagon!  

Ronda Rousey vs. Cat Zingano UFC 184 | Long Island MMA analysis

     The UFC women’s bantamweight champion “Rowdy” Rhonda Rousey has quite literally been ripping apart her competition since her debut in mixed martial arts on August 6, 2010. Rousey became the first woman to win an Olympic medal in Judo in Beijing two years prior. For the majority of her career it has been here extremely powerful judo base that has dominated here bouts and lead her to victory. Her consistency is quite the marvel considering her first eleven fights were all finished by way of arm bar. However, as some may suggest, Rhonda Rousey is not a one trick pony. She has been able to showcase her improved striking abilities in her last two bouts which have ended via TKO and KO respectively.  Rhonda’s title retention has created a situation similar to that of light heavyweight champion Jon Jones. Who is she to fight? With every victory the list of possible contenders keeps getting smaller and smaller. UFC President Dana White has even made jokes about having Rhonda fight men.

     However, simply because the list does seem to be shrinking the challenges presented still stand strong. Rousey’s next opponent is set to be Cat Zingano and she is no pushover. Zingano possesses some very high level wrestling credentials in that she is a four time all American national champion from the University of the Cumberlands. Cat brings ferocity to the competition in the way that she pursues the finish. This is particularly true of the way she fights in the clinch and it is perfectly exemplified in her TKO victory over long time title contender Miesha Tate. After landing several devastating elbows and knees Tate was unable to continue and the referee stepped in.  If there were a position that an opponent of Rousey’s would absolutely need to excel in it would be the clinch. Considering the clinch is one of Rousey’s most devastating it is an aspect of her game that needs to be neutralized in order to achieve victory.

     It would be safe to say that of Rhonda’s thirteen opponents none of them have been able to do any sort of significant damage from the clinch; damage which could turn the tables of the bout. If the clinch is too dangerous to enter and execute a throw how then will the champion acquire the takedown? If she is to resort to her wrestling it may become problematic considering the strong wrestling base of Zingano. These scenarios are what will undoubtedly make this fight exciting and also possibly the greatest challenge of the champion’s career.  Their bout is set to take place on February 28 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California and it is a date that could possibly shake the foundations of the division!

Jones Vs Rumble | Long Island MMA

     Ever since Jon Jones became the UFC’s youngest champion at the age of twenty three he has been dismantling every opponent that he has been given. It seems that no man has the physical or technical capabilities to defeat the champion. Jon Jones utilizes a wide range of unorthodox and sometimes perplexing attacks that are devastating to his opponents. Working in his favor is his massive length. The range that the champion possesses over the rest of the light heavyweight division is staggering.

    
     Essentially, for the majority of light heavyweight fighters Jon Jones is able to strike with elbows when they are in punching range; as well as land kicks when they are out of their offensive range all together. A good example of this range issue would be Jones bout against Rashad Evans. Evans is a former champion and no slouch, however, he was simply unable to strike effectively against the champion. He was struck several times with elbows and was unable to return anything of merit. The only individual able to mount a successful offense against Jon Jones was Alexander Gustafsson. Known as the Mauler, Gustafsson is actually taller than Jones and their similar physique made for quite the even match up, however, the bout ended in a decision in favor of the champion.

   
    Now, with his latest victory over Daniel Cormier the question is to be asked: who can beat Jones? It may in fact not be such a hard search! The Blackzilian’s camp has proven itself time and time again with impressive talent such as Long Island native Ryan LaFlare who will be facing Damian Maia at UFC Fight Night 62.  In regards to the light heavyweight title however, one of LaFlare’s teammates may be the one to dethrone the champion. Anthony “Rumble” Johnson has been tearing through the division in a terrifying way. He has had several impressive victories which display his destructive power. Most prevalent to the question would be his victory over Jones greatest challenger, “The Mauler”. Johnson finished Gustafsson within the first round of their bout and Gustafsson’s bout against the champion went the distance; so this leads one to wonder just how will Jones fare against such a seemingly unstoppable force in the division? If Jones was unable to finish Gustafsson will he be able to go the distance with “Rumble”.

    
     Some keys for Jones to defeat Johnson would be to utilize his technical striking abilities to land precise strikes and then exit the range of Johnson. However, the tenacity and ferocity of Johnsons striking may prove to be too overbearing, as seen in his stoppage of Alexander Gustafsson. This will certainly be a fight to watch! For the first time it may seem more likely than not that the champion will fall. We will see when the two collide if in fact Jones is ready to rumble. 

By Joe Ninomiya 

6 Key Factors in Finding a Legitimate MMA Gym | Long Island Mixed Martial Arts

With the rapid increase in MMA’s popularity it is extremely important to be sure that when seeking instruction you are able to find a legitimate and well equipped facility. For someone who is new to Mixed Martial Arts training it may be difficult to tell just who is really worth training with, especially when certain academies may be quite expensive.

6 Key Factors in Finding a Legitimate MMA Gym

1) Experience: Above all things, finding a gym that has experienced and accomplished coaching staff should be a top priority. Before signing up to train always be sure to do some research as to who will be training you! Ex: state/national champion Wrestling, Jiu Jitsu Black Belt, Professional MMA fighters, etc.

2) Diversity: MMA is based on diversity. Not only is it important to find an experienced coach but to find coaches that are specialists and work together to train you. Ex: Wrestling/Muay Thai/ Brazilian Jiu Jitsu/Strength Training. Learning from coaches that specialize in certain areas will help you become able to compile ideas and have a well-rounded experience.

3) Proper Equipment: When training in MMA it is important that your gym be able to supply the proper equipment. This is key for effective and especially safe training. For example: there is a specific reason why MMA predominantly uses the cage as opposed to a ring; it is a safety issue! If you or your training partner were to roll too close to the edge of a ring you run the risk of injury where as a cage would keep both of you from falling. This is besides the fact that the cage looks extremely cool.

4) A Strong Team of Competitors: Even if your goal isn’t to become a fighter and compete, it is important that your gym has a strong team. This proves that the techniques you are being taught have been tested and are effective. This also ensures that there is a system of growth. Every fight your team mates have there will be something new to learn based on legitimate combat, those corrections and adjustments to training by your team will benefit you even if you would rather not step into the cage yourself.

5) Social Environment: What are your teammates like? You want to surround yourself by positive individuals that are focused on becoming better martial artists and better people. Having a positive environment to train in builds a sense of camaraderie and helps to make coming to training something that you will look forward to doing!

6) Cleanliness: Last but certainly not least is cleanliness. Mixed Martial Arts is a sport that involves getting up close with your training partners. Having this type of close contact on a regular basis makes it extremely important that your facility is clean. Are the mats cleaned regularly and are they cleaned properly? Are there showers on site? Keep this in mind when searching for a place to train, even though you are working out your health could be at risk if the facility is not kept in proper order.

Honorable Mentions

- Great music being played during training

- Children’s programs

- Sauna (Cutting weight? No problem!)

- Open Mat Times (Why let class times restrict you? Train when you want to!)
-Enough bags for everyone.

Does Brazilian Jiu Jitsu work in a street fight? | Long Island BJJ | BJJ on Long Island

     As the sport of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has evolved it has developed more and more complex techniques. Most of these techniques have been designed particularly to win matches in competition. For example, the berimbolo which is used to take the back and acquire points, the worm guard, an extremely tight position used to control your opponent. It is often the complexity of this evolution that leads people to ask the question, “is Brazilian Jiu Jitsu an effective means of self-defense”?

    
    A video has recently surfaced that may shed light on the issue. The video consists of two men seen having an altercation on a basketball court over the game that they have been playing. The argument continues to escalate until finally one of the men becomes violent. He throws a punch at the man who happens to be a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and immediately takes action. The video captures him pulling guard and immediately transitioning to his attackers back, not only nullifying his ability to strike him but placing himself in a position to stop the attack. Several attempts by the Jiu Jitsu fighter to submit his opponent are flaunted by two men who begin to grab and attempt to pull him away but he doesn't give up knowing he will most likely take damage otherwise.

  
  Seeing as they can’t remove him the men let the altercation continue and after a short scramble both men end up sitting down in what appears to be 50/50 guard. He has secured a heel hook and warns his attacker to stop. He says “I will tear your knee…. You’ll never play basketball again.” His attacker seems to heed his warning as the scrambling stops and the altercation ends. Regardless of what anyone has to say about the legitimacy of Jiu Jitsu on the street it is irrefutable that the simple knowledge of positioning and control is enough to turn the tables on an assailant, as was displayed by the practitioner in this video.

The Rise Of The Coat Hanger | Long Island MMA

     The team of amateur fighters competing out of Long Island Mixed Martial Arts is without a doubt a force to be reckoned with; consisting of fighters such as Mike “The Caveman” Kuhn, “The Saint” Joseph Ninomiya, and Daren “The Bat” Feliciano. All of these young athletes are talented; however, one specifically stands out. That fighter is Robert “The Coat Hanger” Diggle. Robert is an extremely talented grappler and brings quite an unorthodox method to the cage when he fights. Although Robert is a well-rounded fighter possessing striking ability as well as a wrestling background, it is his skill on the ground that makes him truly lethal.

     Robert’s main inspiration for his unorthodox style of fighting comes from Japanese MMA fighter Masakazu Imanari. When he first saw one of Imanari’s fights he was fascinated by the intricacy and the precision with which he was able to secure and finish his leg locks. Robert decided that he too would become skilled in this respect, and he has absolutely done so. As portrayed by his new highlight video, his leg locks are dangerous and judging by the looks of pain on the faces of his opponents they seem to agree.

       Over the years Robert has secured several first place victories in Jiu Jitsu tournaments, both in the gi and without. He currently competes as a purple belt. In regards to MMA, Robert has fought for the New York Fight Exchange and the MMA Platinum Gloves and holds a record of 2-1-0. The MMA talent being produced in the state of New York is becoming more and more recognized and it is safe to say that one day “The Coat Hanger” will too make himself known to the greater MMA world.

Ryan LaFlare Vs Rick Story | A fight for the fans

The world’s highest profile Mixed Martial Arts organization, the UFC, showcases the best fighters from around the world. The organization is full of fighters that have dominated their respected regional level shows and have had the privilege of having all their hard work, dedication and sacrifices validated when invited to compete on the big stage. One of the most talent filled weight divisions is the UFC’s welterweight division, once controlled by George St. Pierre, is the home of some of the best fighters on the planet.

Recently there has been a lot of movement in the official UFC rankings especially in the 170lb class

because of a combination of fighters winning, losing and injuries. One fighter that has ended up in the UFC



top 15 ranking is Rick “The Horror” Story (18-8) of The MMA Lab. Rick jumped to  the 12^th spot after his split decision win over the highly respected Iceland native Gunner Nelson at UFC Fight Night on October 4^th. Story is a tough fight for anyone; he entered the octagon the underdog and escaped with a victory. Story used his wrestling and punches to solidify the win and his spot inside the UFC “Top 15” rankings. Prior to Story and Nelson stepping in the cage, Nelson was scheduled to fight fellow undefeated UFC welterweight Ryan LaFlare. LaFlare for several years prior to the UFC destroyed the northeast in the New Jersey based promotion, Ring of Combat, going 7-0 with all stoppages while capturing and defending the ROC Welterweight title before the call up. Once in the UFC LaFlare racked up 4 unanswered wins in his first year including wins over Court McGee and John Howard. Unfortunately, due to a knee injury LaFlare was sidelined and the battle of the unbeaten welterweights never took place.  

Now with Story coming off his victory and LaFlare appearing to be getting prepared for his return to the cage I believe a match up with these two would make sense for both men.  A win for Story would show he belongs in the top 15 and that the “peaks and valleys” of his career are past him and he has turned a corner in his career. If LaFlare’s hand is raised I believe it means much more. The Long Island MMA fighter, LaFlare, would show the world that this injury is just a bump in the road on his journey to the top. LaFlare was one of the biggest prospects in mma throughout the country even during 2010-2013 time frame when working through injuries and launching one of New York’s best mma gym, Long Island MMA in Farmingdale, New York mixed martial arts insiders still spoke of him in the highest regard.

I believe if the fight takes place, it will be a great fight and a true test for both athletes but ultimately LaFlare’s hand will be raised and he will stay undefeated. In the Nelson Fight a key to Story’s victory was stuffing his takedowns. I do not believe he will be able to stuff LaFlare’s shot and underrated Jiu Jitsu. I believe LaFlare will be able to take down his opponent the same way he has throughout his UFC career thus far. As for the striking department Story can pack a stiff punch but LaFlare is great at avoiding taken damage as well as using his longer frame and extending his reach. This fight will hopefully  happen and I believe  it will be the fight that launches LaFlare into the mainstream!

The Best MMA Gym On Long Island | Long Island MMA | Long Island Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

                Long Island MMA is growing more elite by the day. We have many professional fighters under one roof, and many amateurs that are on the rise towards there professional goals. Some of our elite athletes include UFC fighters Ryan LaFlare, Dennis ‘The menace’ Bermudez, and Chris Wade.

              


             Ryan Laflare competes in the UFC’s Welterweight division and is currently on a 3 fight winning streak (11-0 total). Ryan was the Ring of Combat welterweight champion, a huge promotion here on the east coast, before getting called to the Ultimate Fighting Championships. Ryan is one of the main coaches here at Long Island Mixed Martial Arts, always offering his superior knowledge and years of experience in each class he teaches. LaFlare Co-owns the gym alongside Greg Depasquale who is also a main instructor here at our state of the art facility.

                 
               Greg (also known as coach Depo) is a high level Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and one of the best overall mixed martial arts coach’s around. Long island MMA is widely known for constantly winning at many local and east coast competitions , a high percentage of that is due to coach Depo’s dedication to the gym and hands on training during his classes.

              
                Chris Wade who recently had his UFC debut last month, and finished his opponent in quick and devastating fashion, also is a wrestling and MMA coach here at the Farmingdale facility. Wade has been wrestling all his life and was an All-American. Wade is currently a 8-1 overall mixed martial artist with a bright future. Chris always dispenses his knowledge, showing great techniques in each class taught to his students. Anyone that takes Chris’s classes can tell the love and passion he has for competition and for the sport of Mixed Martial Arts.

        
               Also we have one of our undefeated amateurs and striking stand out Al Jones making his professional debut Oct 11^th in the CFFC promotion located in Pennsylvania. Al is known for his impressive finishes and entertaining fights. Come show your support by buying tickets or staying updated on LiMixedMartialArts.com

                Anyone looking to get into fighting , get in shape, or just want to learn self defense is more than welcome to come down to 590 smith street for a tour of our facility and to have a chance to meet some of our professional athletes. Get a good workout, good sweat, and walk around with confidence! Schedule a FREE introductory lesson today and take the first step to change your life. Call 631-592-8339

Dennis Bermudez would beat Conor McGregor | Long Island MMA

On Saturday, September 27^th The Ultimate Fighting Championship held one if it’s most highly anticipated events in some time, UFC 178, in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event was filled with a title fight, the return of Cat Zigano and Dominick Cruz and the UFC debut of Eddie Alvarez. After all these great fights, one of the most talked about moments from UFC 178 is the Irishman Conor McGregor stopping Dustin Poirier in the first round. Before the fight there was a lot of back and forth between the two featherweights via twitter. After 1:46 of the first round and some good punching combinations, Herb Dean had seen enough calling a halt in the action. At the post fight interview UFC president Dana White said” The UFC has never seen anything like this”,” He is bigger than Brock Lesnar and George St. Pierre” when speaking about pay per view buys and ticket sales.   

With a lot of hype and a string of impressive victories over some of the division’s toughest competitors, what’s next for McGregor? I believe a great fight that would really solve the questions regarding the top tier of the UFC featherweight division would be putting him across the cage from fellow fan favorite “The Menace” Dennis Bermudez.  The Long Island MMA fighter Bermudez brings a full arsenal of high level skill whether standing or on the mat he is always a threat.

I believe with Bermudez’s endless gas tank and iron chin he would smother the Dublin native with constant pressure. The Menace’s striking game is always evolving looking crisper and more dangerous every time he steps inside the cage. We all have seen Bermudez in wars and see how he pushes through adversity, how he reacts in the deep end, when other men’s will breaks Dennis is just getting started. The main reason I believe after the fight Bermudez’s hand would be raised is old fashion pure American wrestling. Dennis was ranked 22^nd in the nation at the NCAA division 1 level, he then became a college free-style all- American in Akron, Ohio. Many fans might not be aware of this because most of his fans see him standing in the middle of the cage exchanging leather. There are many high level wrestlers in the division few can mix up their striking and grappling as seamlessly as Bermudez, he masks his takedowns leaving his opponents uncertain if he will be throwing strikes or taking a shot at a takedown. Another reason I believe Bermudez will have the upper hand is training. Dennis resides and trains in Long Island, New York home of some of the best fighters. He coaches and fights out of Long Island MMA in Farmingdale, NY alongside fellow UFC fighters Ryan LaFlare and Chris Wade as well as countless others.      

If this fight takes place after Bermudez is victories over Ricardo Lamas at UFC 180 I believe the winner will receive a title fight against the champion. After beating Lamas, according to UFC current rankings, that should catapult Bermudez into the top 3 of the division. I believe Conor ‘s striking although very effective in his past fights would not be a threat to Bermudez. “The notorious one” McGreggor stands 2 inches taller than Bermudez and his striking stance is a more erected stance, standing more straight up than traditional mma stance he shows his background in Karate.   While exchanging on his feet he also has a very wide stance leaving his lead leg out in front him. This will all play into what I believe is Bermudez’s strengths, with his quick head movement he will be able to get around punches and get in on the inside and right under McGreggor’s chin. In his past fight Bermudez has set up some of his most effective punching with chopping his opponents lead legs with powerful leg kicks. If Bermudez wants to take the fight to the mat, which is where I believe he would win this fight, I believe he will be able to take McGreggor down at will given his superior wrestling pedigree and his opponents stance.