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.

Defending The Under-Hook | Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Tip

Long Island MMA’s Head coach Gregg DePasquale is well known for being strict when it comes to promotions. So the fact that Billy is Gregg’s first Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black belt says a lot about him. Billy began training at Long Island MMA and immediately started helping out all of our MMA fighters with their Jiu Jitsu. 

When I began training with Billy I noticed some of my usual Jiu Jitsu tricks didn’t work on him. That was because Billy uses tips and tricks similar to the one he shares with us in this video.

Billy also runs an informative website called Training for MMA fitness. For more quick tips and tricks from Billy check out http://trainingformmafitness.com/

If any of you have any questions at all please feel free to leave us a comment or contact us and I will have Billy answer and questions you have asked!

Chris Wade Vs Zhang Lipeng | UFC Fight Night 59 | Long Island MMA

UFC Fight Night 59 is set to take place on January 18, 2015 in Boston, Massachusetts. What a card to be one of the first to usher in a new year of great fights! This card consists of several high profile match ups, each with great potential. These match ups range from the headlining “Notorious” Conor McGregor vs. Dennis Siver, to the explosive co-main event of Eddie “The Silent Assassin” Alvarez vs. “Smooth” Benson Henderson. However, I would like to turn the spotlight to the undercard. More specifically to Long Island Mixed Martial Arts fighter and New York prospect Chris Wade and his Lightweight bout against “The Warrior” Zhang Lipeng.

     The twenty six year old Wade is coming off of a spectacular first round submission victory against Cain Carrizosa in his UFC debut; adding another win to his now 8-1-0 record. Chris Wade is the fifth New York State Wrestling Champion to make it to the UFC. Prior to making his UFC debut he was the lightweight Champion of the Ring of Combat; a New Jersey based promotion.  Zhang Lipeng whom is 24 years old is associated with Fight Emperor and became the winner of The Ultimate Fighter China by defeating Wang Sai via split decision. He currently possesses an overall record of 8-7-1.    

     There are several factors that when added up bode for fireworks on the eighteenth. It has been said for some time that “styles make fights” and this fight certainly applies. Both fighters have submission victories which may telegraph some interesting grappling exchanges. However, it is notable that Zhang Lipeng has five submission losses. It would not be a surprise to see another slick submission finish that night in favor of Chris Wade. In terms of stature, Zhang Lipeng stands at 5’11”which is two inches higher than Chris Wade. However, while he holds the height advantage it is Wade who holds a half inch reach advantage.

     Should these fighters choose to stay standing it should also be extremely entertaining for fight fans. Zhang Lipeng has won via knockout in the past. It is also notable that this knockout took place while he was fighting in the welterweight division. Wade, however, trains with undefeated welterweight prospect and Co-Owner of Long Island Mixed Martial Arts, Ryan LaFlare. He possesses a reach of 74.0” and is a heavy handed welterweight. With partners like LaFlare, Wade will be more than adequately prepared to strike in this fight and it is also important to note that with Zhang Lipeng now coming to fight at lightweight it is conceivable that his power may be in jeopardy.

     Regardless of the avenue that these athletes choose to take this fight one thing is certain; on January 18, 2015 fight fans will be entertained! This is a bout that should certainly be on your list of fights to see in the up-coming months.

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.     

Long Island MMA at NYFE 4

On September 20^th in Jamaica, Queens New York Fight Exchange, New York’s premier mixed martial arts organization, put together another amazing night of fights in front of a packed house inside The Amazura Concert Hall. As always the fight card showcased the best amateur fighters from the tri-state area in the tough matchups. One of the gyms that shined the brightest was the home of UFC fighters Ryan LaFlare and Dennis Bermudez, Long Island MMA.

First to enter the cage was NYFE newcomer, standout wrestler Daren Feliciano. After Feliciano’s original opponent pulled off the card he debut against Andre Small of Extreme Couture. As soon as both men touched gloves in the center of the cage they began to exchange punches and moving at a fanatic pace. Feliciano locked in a tight body lock slamming his opponent to the cage canvas and scrambled into full mount position. As soon as the Long Island MMA fighter was able to posture up he unloaded a barrage of ground and pound punches causes the referee to call a halt to the action early in the first round. In his post fight interview with NYFE commentator Stan “The Man” Czarneki , Feliciano thanked his team and coaches over at Long Island MMA in Farmingdale, NY.

Second fight for the best mma gym in Long Island had “The Saint” Joseph Ninomiya square off against Daniel Rodriguez of The Jungle Gym in the Bronx. From start to finish this fight was pure action for the fans and had the NYFE crowed wishing it was a 5 round fight. “The Saint” came out in the first round and pushed the pace with fast and accurate combinations and a big belly to back supplex  bringing the fight to the mat where he was able to control his opponent with a tight body triangle while threatening with a choke while landing some short punches. In the second round we saw "The Saint" come out strong with a near submission, Daniel however was able to escape and get on top at the end of the round. The third round was also action packed seeing both fighters exchange in the middle of the cage. 

 The Judges decided that Daniel Rodriguez won this bout via Split Decision. How ever the fight could have went ether way. This fight would have won fight of the night honors had this been in the UFC.


Rob Scotti won the WKA title in one of the most exciting MMA bouts New York has ever seen.

Check out some of the highlights of the NYFE!

If you wish to train at long Island MMA please contact us as at www.limixedmartialarts.com 631-592-8339 590 Smith St Farmingdale NY 11735