Fightin' Words
A mixed martial arts blog about UFC, Strikeforce and other MMA promotions and fighters
Now serving: The Gian burger
Photo credit: Newsday
UFC light heavyweight Gian Villante is a piece of meat, emphasis on the light.
See, there's this restaurant on Hicksville Road in North Massapequa. It's called Sal's Place. At this restaurant, there's a burger menu. At the bottom of that burger menu, there's this: "Gian burger."
Yes, Villante has a burger named after him. Rather impressive for the 27-year-old MMA fighter...
Read more »Some MMA numbers to go with Gov. Cuomo's words
Photo credit: Getty
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo was quiet on the bill to legalize MMA in New York until earlier this year.
And on Tuesday in Albany, the governor spoke publicly again about becoming the 49th state to legalize the sport. He told the Capitol Pressroom radio program that if state lawmakers continue to promise "significant economic advancement," then they should take MMA "seriously."
“I...
Read more »LI's Ryan LaFlare wins UFC debut at UFC on Fuel TV 9
Photo credit: Mike Stobe
For all of Benny Alloway's ability to avoid taking much damage, this much can be said: Ryan LaFlare spent 15 minutes putting him in disadvantageous situations.
That's the nature of LaFlare, the Lindenhurst native who won his UFC debut by unanimous decisoin at UFC on Fuel TV 9 in Sweden on Saturday. All three judges scored it 30-27 for LaFlare (8-0).
LaFlare scored three takedowns...
Read more »LI's Ryan LaFlare at ease for UFC debut
Photo credit: Mike Stobe
Folks speak of the "UFC jitters" when it comes to fighters making their promotional debuts inside the Octagon.
For Lindenhurst native Ryan LaFlare, that may not be the case.
Yes, this Saturday, the undefeated welterweight fights in Sweden on the prelims for UFC on Fuel TV 9. But for a 29-year-old whose previous seven fights were in the regional promotion Ring of Combat, the...
Read more »Bermudez, Grice talk about their thrilling UFC 157 fight
Photo credit: AP
Long Island's Dennis Bermudez and Oklahoma's Matt Grice put on a thrilling fight Saturday at UFC 157 -- an instant candidate for every "Fight of the Year" Top 10 list that will surface in mid-December.
They each earned Fight of the Night honors and an accompanying $50,000 on top of their show money, and in Bermudez's case, win money, too.
Here's the video of Bermudez and Grice...
Read more »Michael Bisping continues anti-Chris Weidman talk
Photo credit: Getty
Michael Bisping never runs short on words to say. And when the UFC middleweight from England uses his words talk about Long Island's Chris Weidman, they're usually not nice ones.
A report surfaced late this week from Brazilian publication Tatame that the UFC is negotiating with Anderson Silva to defend his title against Weidman in July.
When asked Friday about that, Bisping said Weidman...
Read more »Long Island's influx on the UFC
Photo credit: AP
Long Island's closest UFC title contender, Chris Weidman, remains on the shelf as he rehabs from a shoulder injury. But as Weidman continues his way back to the middleweight division and a possible fight with champion Anderson Silva, plenty of other local fighters have UFC fights scheduled in the next two months. Here's a quick rundown: Featherweight Dennis Bermudez (Lindenhurst) will fight Matt...
Read more »World Series of Fighting gets big NBC Sports deal
Photo credit: World Series of Fighting/Lucas Noonan
The World Series of Fighting, one of the newest MMA promotions, announced Monday a three-year broadcast partnership with NBC Sports Network, one that promises at least six live events per year.
NBC Sports Network is NBC's fairly new 24-hour sports channel. The deal gives them another live event to promote -- and more importantly, the MMA audience to promote to. The network already airs NHL,...
Read more »Wantagh's Al Iaquinta on UFC 159 fight card
Photo credit: Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC
Al Iaquinta, a finalist on The Ultimate Fighter's "TUF Live" season in 2012, has his first UFC fight booked.
The Wantagh-raised Iaquinta will fight Joe Proctor, a teammate of his on "TUF Live," at UFC 159 on April 27 at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.
Since losing in the final by first-round submission to Michael Chiesa last June, Iaquinta (5-2-1) underwent...
Read more »Dana White: Chris Weidman vs. Anderson Silva is 'closer' and 'more possible'
Photo credit: AP
UFC president Dana White says it's possible Long Island native Chris Weidman will be the next fighter to challenge Anderson Silva for his UFC middleweight title.
(Of course, he also said that Silva's next fight would be against Georges St-Pierre, and said the same thing about Jon Jones as well, so take this for what it's worth.)
“That fight’s closer and more possible than people think,"...
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