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.

Al "M0ther#ucker" Jones' Next Fight | Long Island Mixed Martial Arts

     Long Island Mixed Martial Arts has been putting out very impressive talent since their arrival on the MMA scene. One of the newest fighters out of Long Island’s premier MMA facility to make his professional debut was none other than Alfred Jones. Alfred had carried an undefeated amateur record of 7-0 before his move to the professional stage. Each of these bouts labeled him as someone to be feared. Each fight was a showcase of his vicious striking ability and all ended via KO or TKO. Alfred Jones made the decision to turn pro and compete for the CFFC (Cage Fury Fighting Championships) at their 41^st event. Alfred shocked the fans by not only showcasing his enhanced wrestling abilities, but his superior grappling! He won his professional debut against Noel Arcibal via Brabo Choke in the third round of the bout.

     Alfred Jones next fight for the CFFC will be taking place at CFFC 44 This will be Al's second Professional Fight with this organization. This opponent undoubtedly has their hands full with a fighter as well rounded as Jones. Alfred trains with  world class coach Gregg DePasquale whom also trains the likes of Chris Wade and Dennis Bermudez,  who are both UFC fighters. He is surrounded by a tough team and having proven in his debut that he is not only a striker one can imagine the statement that sent to the division. Whereas some might have once said “Al Jones is a dangerous striker” they now say “Al Jones is dangerous” and he will continue to prove he is a dominant force in the division come CFFC 44.

CM Punk to the UFC WTF?

          At UFC 181 pay-per-view on Saturday night December 6^th, former WWE champion "CM Punk" reviled that he had signed a multiple fight deal with the UFC. CM Punk’s real name is Phil Brooks and Phil Brooks has zero combat experience outside of his WWE roots.
          CM Punk can be seen as far back at 2012 training with Rener Gracie in some YouTube clips. In those clips he is wearing a white belt indicating to us who have participated and competed in Jiu Jiu that he is a beginner. In 2 years of training it’s unlikely that his blue belt level of Jiu Jitsu will be enough to help him win a professional fight in the biggest organization on the planet. Phil “CM Punk” Brooks is 36 whereas many UFC greats have been competing into their late 30’s some even 40’s, those men have extensive combat backgrounds that Phil does not.
          At Long Island MMA we have seen multiple fighters make it to the UFC we have witnessed fighters like Chris Wade put it all on the line and quit his job to pursue fighting full time. The signing of CM Punk bothers me because the UFC purposely didn’t hire fighters who are legitimately the best in the world like Ben Askrin and chose instead to pick out fighter like Punk who has only the ability to draw eyes to the UFC. Now I understand the UFC is trying to make up for the ratings drop off that happened when Brock Lesner left but Brock was a legitimate combat athlete.
          Sorry Punk but we have no faith in you at Long Island MMA and fully expect this to blow up in your face.

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!