Brothers in Black Belts the Main Idea

Posted on July 29, 2014 by fighter in rockaway nj bjj

Rockaway NJ BJJ

Having a sibling on the mat almost always yields a synergistic effect. The combination of rivalry, support, understanding and accountability that brothers have with one another is a time honored recipe for success within Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. In Denville New Jersey there is another bloodline of black belts leaving their finger prints on the martial arts world – the Main Brothers.

Mikey and Andy always worked as a pair, each complimenting the other on their path. Andy is the leader, naturally assertive; aggressive in his training he pushes himself and his training partners. Tirelessly traveling, he constantly exposes himself to new ideas and training methodologies to avoid stagnating. Mikey was the innovator. Quiet and creative, he would take techniques and make them his own by finding new avenues of attack or combinations. His personality is laid back and relaxed and his techniques are a reflection of that, nothing is ever forced his game is smooth, flowing and efficient. They proved to be a perfect pairing. Mikey would make Andy more relaxed and technical, Andy would push Mikey to be more hardnosed and aggressive. Their symbiotic relationship was encapsulated in a mutual tattoo which reads “My brother’s keeper”.

Though their journey was forged together their destinations would be unique. Andy dove headfirst into the mixed martial arts world, which took him from the top shows in his home state, to the UFC’s Ultimate Fighter octagon, to the ring of Tokyo’s Pancrase. While Mikey’s passion lied on the tatami, he focused his efforts on becoming a grappling scientist, a top flight example of modern jiu-jitsu he quickly became one of the most feared brown belts in the northeast. His path has lead him to New York, California and Abu Dhabi as he put his version of the gentle art on display.

Rockaway NJ BJJ

While their competitive goals were different, Andy and Mikey found their larger calling to be teaching. Together they share their passion inside the walls of Pure Mixed Martial Arts in Denville, NJ and it was on these mats in front of over 60 students, friends and training partners that Mikey Main was awarded his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt. Remarkable that despite being only 22 years old, the consensus was that his achievement of faixa preta was long overdue. The momentous occasion brought about a tidal wave of emotion that brought the normally even tempered Mikey to his knees. Achieving a Brazilian Jiu-jitsu black belt is not simply a change in wardrobe, but the culmination of supreme effort and the realization of a hard fought goal. Now that the Main Brothers have ascended to the rank of black belt it is only a matter of time before their names are spoken in the same breath as Gracie, Machado, Valente and Mendes as brothers who have forged jiu-jitsu dynasties.

Train with the top BJJ Black Belts in Rockaway, NJ at Pure MMA visit http://www.puremixedmartialarts.com

Pure MMA & BJJ Rockaway NJ

BJJ for MMA – Points to Consider

Posted on July 28, 2014 by fighter in Uncategorized

Here’s a guest blog I did for the guys over at MMA.TV on how to make sport BJJ more MMA applicable.

http://www.mixedmartialarts.com/news/446250/BJJ-needs-rules-changes-to-increase-fight-relevancy/

Precision Boxing in Poughkeepsie, NY

Posted on July 21, 2014 by fighter in boxing

Poughkeepsie Boxing

Poughkeepsie played host to its first amateur boxing card in a number of years at Stitzel Field this past weekend. Fighters from across the Hudson Valley piled into the event hoping to show their skills and earn valuable experience. Precision MMA pugilist Brandon Clemente stepped up for his second amateur bout. His debut showed he had all the makings of a champion, but even a diamond needs polishing if it’s going to shine. His speed and head movement were on point, but he was also wild leaving himself exposed for more seasoned fighters, this time around he was looking for more, well, Precision.

Fighters have different reactions to stepping in the squared circle. Some are overwhelmed by the experience, stress and pressure causes a sense of panic that disrupts their skills and timing. Others are too passive, they fail to rise to the occasion and have a performance that resembles a sparring match. Then there are those who relish the moment. They fight boldly and confidently assert themselves, they channel their nervous energy into a focused concentrated attack. Brandon falls into the latter category.

Sporting a pair of Captain America socks, complete with dual foam wings, he marched into the ring and immediately took control of the bout. Swarming his opponent with flurries of punches and relentless pressure the referee was forced to give his opponent multiple standing 8 counts. Brandon then began stalking his opponent making him flinch and over react with well timed fakes and feints, creating openings for power shots. Following the advice of veteran trainer Derrick Ohlhoff he continued his assault until the referee was forced to call a halt to the contest awarding Brandon the TKO victory.

Poughkeepsie Boxing

Precision was the only mixed martial arts gym represented at the show. All other gyms were exclusively boxing based. However, despite housing multiple disciplines Precision showed they can more than compete with the best Poughkeepsie area boxing gyms.

Check out Precision MMA’s Boxing program for 30 days free visit http://www.poughkeepsieboxing.com