Promotion – Underground Combat League (UCL)

Rules – Full Unified Rules of MMA or UFC 1 “Vale Tudo” Rules, depending on agreement of fighters. Three 3-Minute Rounds.

Status – Amateur MMA Competition.

Sanctioned by Organization Approved by NY Statute – No.

Sanctioning Body –  Unsanctioned (legal).

Location of Show – World Class Boxing Gym – South Bronx, NYC.

Date of Show – May 2, 2015.

Featured Result: Jonathan Velez def. Peter Storm to retain the UCL Title.

Promotion – Underground Combat League (UCL)

Rules – Full Unified Rules of MMA or UFC 1 “Vale Tudo” Rules, depending on agreement of fighters. 3-Minute Rounds.

Status – Amateur MMA Competition.

Sanctioned by Organization Approved by NY Statute – No.

Sanctioning Body –  Unsanctioned (legal).

Location of Show – World Class Boxing Gym – South Bronx, NYC.

Date of Show – February 8, 2015.

Promotion – Underground Combat League (UCL)

Rules – UFC 1 Rules “Vale Tudo” (this was October, 2007).

Status – Amateur MMA Competition.

Sanctioned by Organization Approved by NY Statute – No.

Sanctioning Body – Unsanctioned (legal).

Location of Show – Undisclosed Martial Arts Gym – Queens, NYC.

Date of Show – October, 2007.

Featured Result:

Ryan LaFlare defeats his opponent in his first MMA fight.

Another NYC-area fighter that debuted in Peter Storm’s spectacular Underground Fighting Championship and made it all the way to UFC stardom.

Ryan Laflare Smashes His Opponent In His MMA Debut – October, 2007

Ryan LaFlare Defeats His Foe At The Underground Combat League – October, 2007

Undefeated NYC fighter Jerome Mickle (9-0) refused to defend his belt and fight promoter Peter Storm in their scheduled 185 pound title fight citing Storm’s weight as the reason. Storm reputedly weighed in at 186 lbs roughly 3 hours before the fights began, then gained 6 pounds of water and banana weight. Mickle arrived after the fights began and weighed in at 177. A rehydrated Storm weighed in again at 192. When it was time for the main event, Mickle refused to fight the larger Storm who took to the ring and confronted Mickle in front of the UCL audience, the video is posted below. Hopefully the two will fight in a future event.

Promotion – Underground Combat League (UCL)

Rules – Full Unified Rules of MMA or UFC 1 “Vale Tudo” Rules, depending on agreement of fighters. 3-Minute Rounds.

Status – Amateur MMA Competition.

Sanctioned by Organization Approved by NY Statute – No.

Sanctioning Body –  Unsanctioned (legal).

Location of Show – Bronx, NYC.

Date of Show – November 17, 2013.

Rules – Full Unified Rules of MMA or UFC 1 “Vale Tudo” Rules, depending on agreement of fighters. 3-Minute Rounds.

Status – Amateur MMA Competition.

Sanctioned by Organization Approved by NY Statute – No.

Sanctioning Body –  Unsanctioned (legal).

Location of Show – Bronx, NYC.

Why would somebody fight in an underground fight club for no money? While practicing and sparring at the gym, becoming better at one’s passion is an inherently worthy pursuit, some artists need to put their physical well-being in jeopardy and test their skills in front of a crowd for a few thrilling minutes.

Since New York is the only state to ban professional mixed-martial arts fights, and refuses to sanction or come up with standards for amateur fights, the only way a New York mixed-martial artist can showcase their talent in New York is to fight in an underground fighting show. Read More….

Promotion – Underground Combat League (UCL)

Rules – Full Unified Rules of MMA or UFC 1 “Vale Tudo” Rules, depending on agreement of fighters. 3-Minute Rounds.

Status – Amateur MMA Competition.

Sanctioned by Organization Approved by NY Statute – No.

Sanctioning Body – Unsanctioned (legal).

Location of Show – Bronx, NYC.

Quick Results:

Will Cavali def. Desmond Nelson (Strike Division) via Unanimous Decision

Pataudi Rambrose def. Alex Alayon via TKO (Punches from the Mount) Round 3

“The Punisher” def. Jarro Israel via TKO (Corner Threw In Towel) Round 3

Edwin Vasquez def. Levy Reyes via verbal submission due to exhaustion Round 3

Matt Ward wins via Suplex to Broken Collar Bone to Rear Naked Choke tapout

Jerome Mickle def. Mike Brown via Ref Stoppage following Knockdown into Wall Round 1

Pataudi Rambrose def. Desmond Nelson via TKO (Strikes from Mount) Round 2

Rules – Full Unified Rules of MMA or UFC 1 “Vale Tudo” Rules, depending on agreement of fighters. 3-Minute Rounds.

Status – Amateur MMA Competition.

Sanctioned by Organization Approved by NY Statute – No.

Sanctioning Body – Unsanctioned (legal).

Location of Show – Bronx, NYC.

The Underground Combat League’s 10 Year Anniversary show was highlighted by Radical MMA standout Chad Hernandez choking out his opponent to win the UCL Lightweight Belt.  Undefeated UCL Posterboy Jerome Mickle won the fate tourniment by overwhelming Dawadah David with a takedown and some very hard ground-and-pound. Part 2 of the UCL’s 10 Year celebration coming up in April.

Quick Results:

Mike Brown def. Rashad Clarke – Verbal submission due to dislocated shoulder (Round 1)

Desmond Nelson def. Adriano Nunez (Kickboxing) – TKO

Chad Hernandez def. P. Rambrose – Tapout from Rear Naked Choke (Round 1)

Jerome Mickle def. Dawadah David – Tapout from strikes (Round 1)

In the final matchup of the Fate of Eight tournament, Peter Storm, UCL legend and promoter, faced off with rising MMA star Jonathan Rodriguez.  Rodriguez used Storm’s Judo coat to his advantage and maintained a tight clinch throughout most of the two rounds, firing off knees at close range.  Storm connected with a good right at one point but frustrated by the clinch, he launched a few headbutts to the face of Rodriguez halfway through the first round.

After a minute of discussion (prompted by confusion caused by Rodriguez’s cornerman forgetting to tell him that this was a NHB rules fight where headbuts are allowed), the fight resumed with Rodriguez turning the tables and hammering Storm with a barrage of brutal headbutts of his own.  The round ended in a scramble with Storm cranking a deep heelhook and Rodriguez seemingly being saved by the bell.  Storm asked if he had won and an amped up Rodriguez stood over him and let him know in no uncertain terms that he had not. (The next day Rodriguez reported on facebook that his ankle was the size of a baseball)

This match was fueled by bad blood and in the second round, a battered Storm was on the receiving end of too many nasty headbutts and eventually was TKO’d by a particularly gnarly one followed up by a short flurry of ground and pound.  If this was the NFL, Rodriguez’s corner would have been flagged for excessive celebration but cool heads eventually prevailed and Jonathan left the building with a very hard fought and well deserved victory – the Fate of Eight 185 lb champion.

Quick Results courtesy of mmajournalist.blogspot.com & Underground Combat League’s Facebook:

Jerome Mickle def. Jairo Israel via tko, Round 1

Daniel Ramos def. Justin Brown via rear naked choke, Round 1

Desmond Nelson def. Will Cavali via decision (kickboxing only)

David Dawadah def. Ruben Brazzelero via verbal submission, Round 1

Nico Augusto def. Matt Ward via rear naked choke, Round 2

Jonathan Rodriguez def. Peter Storm via TKO (headbutts and G&P), Round 2

Redacted photos from the elusive NYC MMA club – the Underground Combat League –

Quick Results

— Danny Estrella def. Owen Thomas by Guillotine Choke

— Desmond Nelson def. Ty Navarrio by Guillotine Choke

— Peter Storm def. Adam Nadler by Kimura Shoulder Lock

— Chad Hernandez def. Pedro Villa by Tapout due to Strikes

Quick MMA Results from the Show:

Irish Todd def. Thiago Chavez – Guillotine Choke.

Israel Martinez def. Kevin Wall – Front Kick KO.

Jonathan Rodriguez def. Nico Agusto – Rear Naked Choke.

Mark Agnew def. Desmond Nelson – Rear Naked Choke.

New York Underground Combat League

In another action-packed unsanctioned MMA event, Peter Storm hosted the Underground Combat League – New York’s only NHB show.  This time out we saw the return of hard-hitting Kenny Rivera who stormed back onto the scene and took Chad Hernandez into deep waters earning the split decision victory and becoming the UCL’s only reigning champion.  The 155 pound belt was awarded to Rivera after a back and forth battle which saw Hernandez get cut up and battle back to dominate the third and final round.  Both fighters had a terriffic fight and undoubtedly gained some valuable experience along the way.  Scroll down for more photos and results from the top-secret event.

Melvin the Wolf def. Ty Nazaria via tapout due to strikes from the mount

Nico Agosto def. Dennis Murray via rear naked choke tapout submission

Rashad Clarke def. Thiago Chavez via TKO referee stoppage

Ken Wilson def. Justin Soto via TKO due to a knee injury

Richie Torres def. Will Cavali via Decision (kickboxing match)

Kenny Rivera def. Chad Hernandez via split decision

Unsanctioned Underground Fight Show Erupts During MMA Book Launch Event

Unsanctioned MMA fights in a cage in downtown Manhattan were the focal point of a book launch event this past Saturday hosted by authors Jim Genia (Raw Combat) and Matthew Polly (Tapped Out).  It nearly came to blows in the ring as Genia and Polly faced off, each clutching copies of their book in a pseudo-masterbatory staredown that seemed seconds from erupting into a frenzy of extreme violence.  Maybe the two authors were amped up on adreneline following a couple of spine-busting MMA fights or maybe they were just super pumped up amidst a fucking awesome media event.  Whatever the case may have been, these two large and imposing men, who as mma journalists clearly had something to prove, seemed willing to go to whatever lengths necessary to intimidate one another in the center of the ring.

Matthew Polly (6’11″/302lbs) came into the ring boasting a star-studded training team consisting of Phil Nurse and “New Zealand” John Danaher.  Jim Genia (6’10″/297lbs) was coming in with a decade-old blue belt in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu and a large pair of iron clad bauding balls.  Half the crowd wanted to see these two behemoths tear each other limb from limb and the other half seemed to be connected to the venue or publishing companies and were freaking out about liability issues should the two man-monsters end up brawling.  Unfortunately cooler heads prevailed and the fighting was left to the fighters.

Raw Combat by Jim Genia - A Must-Read MMA Book

Decades from now, long after MMA has been sanctioned and “legalized” in New York State, the tales and history of the mysterious and hidden world of Underground MMA would have long been forgotten … but for this book right here.  Having personally attended and photographed just about every NYUCL show since the beginning of the promotion (I was originally tipped off to its existance by Genia himself), I can say without hesitation that Jim Genia has masterfully illustrated the smokey and hard hitting nuances surrounding the gritty unforgiving world of Underground Mixed Martial Arts in New York City.

Genia takes you through the emotional and brain bruising journeys of some of the East Coast’s most and least promising MMA athletes, including Frankie Edgar, current LW Champion of the UFC who had his first fight in Peter Storm’s Underground Show.  Quick witted and deadly accutate this quintessential story of northeast MMA is a must-read for any fan of MMA and/or Human Cockfighting.

Order Raw Combat on Amazon – CLICK HERE

For now, New York MMA fights remain underground.

Local New York City fighters ride the subway to undisclosed locations every month or two to test their fighting skills in reality scenarios.  Style vs. Style vs. Crosstraining – the NYUCL is the original proving ground for the up-and-coming hard-hitting young breed of combatants, forced to fight off the radar until the Athletic Commission sanctions Pro-MMA and stops persecuting currently-legal amature mma.  SaveValeTudo.com

Closed Door Vale Tudo Invitational Fights in NYC

Hiding in plain sight, Peter Storm’s Underground Combat League showcases unsanctioned Vale Tudo MMA fights in NYC.  By invitation only, both spectators and fighters attend the city’s only long-running legitimate MMA show.  Operating just outside of the reaches of the NY Athletic Commission, this event is a throwback to the early days of MMA, using the old style NHB rules of Brazil Vale Tudo and the early UFCs.  If you get invited and want to fight, you won’t be the first to step out of the crowd and into the ring.  Maybe I’ve said too much already.

In the Far Reaches of NYC, Bruisers are Sharpening their Skills in Underground Combat

If you want to fight in NYC, you need an invitation to compete at the City’s only MMA club, the Underground Combat League.  There is no publicity and no purse.  These are not prize fighters, they are hard hitting warriors who fight for honor and experience.  Tossing aside the usual rules that govern sanctioned MMA events, here you can headbutt, knee a downed opponent, and break fingers if you please.  Although nobody actually attacks fingers because that’s some pussy shit.

Teacup Kung Fu was the style claimed by “Iron Will” back in September of 2004 when he faced NYC Boxer “Lump” Rasheen.  The party didn’t last long though.  After landing a few glancing blows to the much larger boxer, UCL legend “Iron Will” got blasted off his feet, pounced on, and throat choked into submission. It ended badly for Iron Will that day.

And Not a Single Cat Challenged Her That Day

With the grace and swagger of a seasoned prizefighter, the gym cat took center ring shortly before the first fight was set to begin.  In those few moments she gave fair warning to those who followed her: own the canvas, be at peace, never lose focus.  Her lessons were lost on most that day.

This Man is Undefeated in the UCL

His entourage wore suits and ties.  They could buy the room if they cared to.  Between high-stakes deals, they took a train from Wall Street and watched as their friend and coworker demolished his opponent with a series of viscious punches and kicks.  After his fight, the anonymous fighter changed back into his business attire and checked in with his boss.  He was needed back at the office, pronto.

Human Enigma Marches To His Destiny

Usually when the bell rings or in this case, the ref steps in, the fight is over.  Not the case this time around.  Emotionally charged underground fighter, tattooed from belly to cranium and identifying himself as “Sekau Mau Mau,” needed to be contained in his corner by promoter Peter Storm following his beatdown loss at the New York Underground Combat League in March of 2008.