Event – Rally to Legalize Mixed Martial Arts in New York.

Location – 250 Broadway, outside of the offices of the State Assembly.

Date – December 11, 2015.

Featured in the Images – David N. Weinraub (Lobbyist for the UFC http://www.brownweinraub.com/), Bruce Kivo (http://www.MMAConfidential.com), “Sambo” Stephen Koepfer (http://nymmanow.blogspot.com/ http://www.nycombatsambo.com/), Jim Genia (http://www.themmajournalist.com/), Manny Martinez (MILE Apparel Maximum Impact Little Effort), Anil Melwani (http://www.MMA.us), Michael Brancata (http://mmaworldexpo.com/), Phoenix Carnivale (Fight Commentator), Thiago Chavez (MMA Fighter http://mma.us/category/mma-fighter/thiago-chavez/).

Caol Uno fights off a choke attempt by the always-lethal BJ Penn

Caol Uno calmly strategized his escape from BJ Penn’s grasp.  Just minutes from glory, the two courageous lightweights honed in on the UFC’s first lightweight belt.  Two UFCs prior, Uno and Penn both advanced in the lightweight tourniment which led them to this fight.  At the end of five hard fought rounds, the UFC 41 judges announced a draw.  Following the bell, a shocked BJ left the UFC to pursue a fight in Japan and later ended up becoming multiple time champion of the UFC in 2 different weightclasses.  BJ Penn is generally considered to be one of the most talented fighters of his generation.

Tito's stretch as Light-Heavyweight Champ of the UFC was one of the Dominant to Date

Soon after Zuffa purchased the UFC in 2001, UFC 32 took the NYC area by storm.  Blasting off just miles from the heart of the city, the Arena at the old Meadowlands in NJ was host to Tito Ortiz and Elvis Sinosic, headliners of this pivotal fight show.  Tito showed the world why he was the poster boy for the UFC, wrecking Elvis in classic fashion – takedown, elbows, referee stoppage.  Since the ban of professional MMA events in NY in 1997, this is the closest the UFC has been to Manhattan.  Now, ten years later, it seems as if its only a matter of time before we get another taste, maybe this time in Madison Square Garden.  My guess: Summer 2013.

At UFC 39 Baroni machine-gun-punched Menne's face for the KO

Dribbling his opponent’s head off the cage twelve times in a couple of seconds cemented Phil Baroni’s knockout of recently dethroned middleweight champ Dave Menne at UFC 39 as one of the most exciting and popular finishes in MMA history.  After one of the most explosive finishes in Zuffa-era UFC, Phil straddled the cage and announced to the world that he was “the best eva.”