Fighters
Professional New York MMA Fighters
We have compiled a list of New York professional MMA fighters from numerous sources. However, we recognize that this list is likely incomplete and the stats and info may need updating so please contact us at mac@macsmma.com with any additions or corrections. We want this to be as accurate as possible. We will be adding our interviews and pictures of the fighters in as we go along. We want this to be a good promotional page for the fighters in New York. Thanks!
Fighters are arranged alphabetically within geographic areas: NYC Metro (incl. Long Island), Eastern/Central New York and Western New York.
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NYC Metro Area
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Nabih Barakat
Nickname:
Ht: 5’9”
Wt: 185 lbs
Pro MMA Record: 3-1
Style: Kickboxing, jiu jitsu
Affiliations: Serra-Logo – Long Island, NY
Other:
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Phil Baroni
Nickname: “The New York Badass”
Ht: 5’9”
Wt: 170 lbs
Pro MMA Record: 13-11
Style: boxing. Kickboxing
Affiliations:; Currently training out of Las Vegas
Other: Phil has fought in numerous organizations including UFC and Pride, and recently signed contract to return to the UFC.
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John Beneduce
Nickname: “Manamal”
Ht:
Wt:
Pro MMA Record: 2-1
Style:
Affiliations: Team Insight – Valley Stream, NY
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Luke Cummo
Nickname: “The Silent Assassin”
Ht. 6’0”
Wt/class: 170lbs
Pro MMA Record: 6-6
Style: Muay Thai, BJJ
Affiliations: Longo/Serra, Garden City, Long Island, NY
Other: Appeared on the Ultimate Fighter Show, season two.
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Nardu Debrah
Nuckname: unkown
Ht. 5’11”
Wt: 155
Pro MMA Record 4:3
Affiliations: Team Insight, Brooklyn, NY
Note: Nardu competed in the Bodog event USA vs Russia in 2006, among many other competitions
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James Gabert
Nickname: “The Angry Snowman”
Ht: 5’7”
Wt: 185 lbs.
Pro MMA Record: 4-4
Style: Muay Thai, jiu jitsu
Affiliations: Serra-Long Fight Team; Serra Jiu JItsu
Info: Has fights against Jonathon Goulet, Jorge Rivera and Mike Swick.
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Lyman Good
Nickname: “Cyborg”
Ht: 6′0″
Wt: 170 lbs.
Pro MMA Record: 10-0
Style:
Affiliation: Team Tiger Schulmann
Other: Lyman is currently the Bellator Welterweight Champion.
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Daniel Gracie
Nickname: “Ikemen”
Ht: 6′ 1″
Wt: 205
Pro MMA Record: 4-2-1
Style: Gracie Jiu Jitsu
Affiliation: Renzo Gracie – NYC; Originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
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Igor Gracie
Nickname:
Ht:
Wt: 170 lbs
Pro MMA Record: 2-2
Style: Gracie Jiu JItsu
Affiliations: Renzo Gracie/NYC
Info: Moved from Brazil to New York to assist his cousin, Renzo Gracie, in teaching at his academy. Igor recently had a first round submission victory at Wreck MMA event in Ottawa.
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Renzo Gracie
Nickname:
Ht 5’10”
Wt:/Class: 185lbs
Record: 13-6-1
Style: BJJ/Gracie Jiu JItsu
Affiliations: Renzo Gracie Academy, NYC
Other: One of the pioneers of the sport, has competed in Pride, Elite XC, K-1, IFL among others. Has fought and beaten some of the best mma fighters in the world. Renzo recently signed a contract with the UFC and is expected to be fighting in the spring of 2010.
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Rolles Gracie
Nickname:
Ht: 6′4″
Wt: 240 lbs
Pro MMA Record: 3-1
Style: BJJ
Affiliations: Team Renzo Gracie – NYC; Team Jackson MMA – Albuquerque, NM
Other: Rolles had his first fight in the UFC against Joey Beltran at UFC 109 losing by way of TKO in second round. Roles has a 2nd degree black belt in Gracie jiu jitsu and is the son of the late Rolls Gracie.
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Christian Montes
Nickname: Unknown
Ht:
Wt:
Pro MMA Record: 2-1
Style:
Affiliations: Ronin Athletics, New York, NY
Other: Has not fought since 2006.
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Philipe Nover
Nickname: “The Filipino Assassin”
Ht. 5’9”
Wt: 155lbs
Pro MMA Record: 9-6-1 (5-2-1)
Style: BJJ, Muay Thai
Affiliations: Team Insight, Brooklyn, NY
Other: Philippe appeared on the Ultimate Fighter: Team Noguira vs Team Mir, and made it to the final before losing decision to Efrain Escudero.
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Costa Phillipou
Nickname:
Ht: 5’11”
Wt: 185 lbs
Pro MMA Record: 5-1
Style: Boxing
Affiliations: Serra-Longo
Other: Highly decorated amateur boxer in Europe; 3-0 pro boxing record before switching to mma. Currently fights in Ring of Combat
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Carlos Rodriguez
Nickname:
Ht:
Wt: 205 lbs
Pro MMA Record: 1-5
Style:
Affiliation(s): Combat Martial Arts – Bronx, NY
Other:
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Joe Sampieri
Nickname:
Ht: 5′ 8″
Wt: 155 lbs
Pro MMA Record: 1-2
Style:
Affiliation(s): Team Renzo Gracie – NYC
Other: Joe won his last fight in 2008 at the CBS televised Elite XC event against Mike Groves. Joe has also fought in the IFL.
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Pete Sell
Click here to watch an Interview with Pete
Nickname: “Drago”
Ht. 5’11”
Wt. 170
Pro MMA Record: 13-8
Style: BJJ, boxing
Affiliations: Serra-Longo Fight Team, Westbury, Long Island
Note: Pete appeared on the Ultimate Fighter : The Comeback
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Matt Serra
Nickname: “The Terror”
Ht: 5’6”
Wt.: 155lbs
Pro MMA Record: 10-6
Style: BJJ
Gym/Assoc.: Serra Jiu Jitsu, Huntington, Long Island
Note: One of the most successful fighters to come out of New York, Matt won the UFC welterweight belt by defeating Georges St Pierre in 2007. Matt recently defeated fellow New York native Frank Trigg at UFC 109.
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Nick Serra
Nickname: “Mad Monkey”
Ht: 5’9”
Wt: 170 lbs.
Pro MMA Record: 8-3
Style: BJJ
Affiliations: Longo-Serra Fight Team
Info:
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Danny Suarez
Nickname:
Ht. 5’8”
Wt 155lbs
Pro MMA Record: 6-4
Style:
Affiliations: Trains out of NYC
Other: Fought in the IFL; last fight appears to be in 2007.
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Bryan Vetell
Nickname:
Ht: 6′1″
Wt: 265
Pro MMA Record: 4-3
Style:
Affiliation: Team Renzo Gracie – NYC
Other: Bryan has fought some upper echelon heavyweights including Ben Rothwell and Roy Nelson.
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Chris Weidman
Nickname:
Ht: 6’2”
Wt: 185 lbs
Pro MMA Record: 2-0
Style:
Affiliations: Serra-Longo Fight Team – Long Island, NY
Other: Two-time NCAA Div. 1 All American wrestler.; won Grapplers Quest Absolute division after only three months of jiu jitsu training.
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Eastern and Central New York
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Pat Audinwood
Click here to watch an interview with Pat
Nickname: “Awesomely Awesome” “The Triple A of MMA”
Ht. 6’ 1”
Wt. 155
Pro MMA Record: 8-0-1
Style:
Affiliations: Bombsquad – Cortland/Ithaca, NY
Other: Pat is the Battle Cage Xtreme Champion at 155lbs. Both the UFC and the WEC have expressed interest in Pat.
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Harley Beekman
Nickname:
Ht: 6′0″
Wt: 189 lbs
Pro MMA Record: 3-0
Style:
Affiliations: Spa City BJJ – Saratoga Springs, NY
Other:
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Pat Bennett
Nickname:
Ht:
Wt:
Pro MMA Record: 1-0
Style: Wrestling
Affiliations: Team Bombsquad – Cortland, NY
Other: Pat’s a 3 time All-American wrestler.
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Zachary Burhans
Nickname:
Ht: 5’8”
Wt: 137 Lbs.
Pro MMA Record: 3-0
Style:
Affiliations: Bombsquad – Cortland/Ithaca, NY
Other:
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Erik Charles
Nickname: “Chainsaw”
Ht:
Wt:
Pro MMA Record: 4-5
Style:
Affiliations: CNYMMA – Cortland, NY
Other: Erik appeared on the Ultimate Fighter tv show, and is the owner if CNYMMA, a well-regarded mma gym with locations in Cortland and Watertown, NY.
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Don Carlo Clauss
Click here to watch an Interview with Don
Nickname:
Ht: 5′9″
Wt: 155 lbs.
Pro MMA Record: 6-3
Style: Wrestling
Affiliations: Team Bombsquad – Ithaca, NY
Other: Don is a two-times New York State wrestling champion. He recently had a big win over highly regarded Calvin Kattar at XCFL in Massachusetts.
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Pete Cole
Nickname:
Ht: 5’3”
Wt: 130 lbs.
Pro MMA Record: 3-2
Style:
Affiliations: Bombsquad
Other:
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Kenny Foster
Click here to watch an Interview with Kenny
Nickname:
Ht: 5’8”
Wt: 155 lbs
Pro MMA Record: 6-1
Style:
Affiliations: Team Bombsquad – Cortland, NY
Other: Kenny is a Division II All-American wrestler from Carson-Newman. Kenny had back to back wins in an 8 day period
winning at the Wartown Beatdown and then at Cage Warriors event in November. He recently won a split decision at the PA Figting Championships in Harrisburg, PA.
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John Franchi
Click here to watch an Interview with John
Nickname
Ht: 5’6”
Wt: 145 lbs
Pro MMA Record: 5-2
Style: Wrestling, kickboxing, BJJ
Affiliations: Bombsquad MMA, Ithaca, NY
Other: John has fought in the IFL and is currently fighting in the WEC. He recently won Fight of the Night honors in a three round battle with Cub Swanson who submitted John in the last minute of the fight.
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Tom Gallichio
Nickname: “Da Tank”
Ht. 5′9″
Wt: 170lbs
Pro MMA Record: 12-4
Style: BJJ/kickboxing
Affiliations: Bombsquad – Ithaca, NY
Other: Tom is a USKBA champion
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Mike Geurin
Nickname:
Ht. 6’1”
Wr. 185lbs
Record: 5-1-1
Style: Wrestling
Other: Mike recently won back to back fights including stopping Jesus Ortiz in the Main Event of True Cage Warriors by KOing him in just 21 seconds of the first round. Mike was a 2 time Division I All-American for Lock Haven University
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Matt Hamill
Click here to watch an Interview with Matt
Nickname: “The Hammer”
Ht: 6’1”
Wt: 205 lbs.
Pro MMA Record: 8-2
Style: Wrestling
Affiliations:
Other: Matt appeared on the Ultimate Fighter show but had to drop out of the semi-finals due to injury. He has fought several times in the UFC. A movie about his life was shot in the Rochester area and is scheduled to be realeased in late 2010. He recently won his fight against Jon Jones by way of DQ from an illegal elbow.
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Eric Henry
Nickname: “Dragon Style”
Ht: 5’10”
Wt: 170 lbs
Pro MMA Record: 10-7
Style: kickboxing, karate
Affiliations: Bombsquad – Ithaca/Cortland, NY
Other: Eric fought in Chuck Norris’ World Combat League. He has a unique fighting style he calls “Dragon Style.
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Jon Jones
Click here to watch an Interview with Jon
Nickname: “Bones”
Ht. 6’4”
Wt: 205
Pro MMA Record:9-1
Style: Wrestling, Muay Thai
Affiliations: Bombsquad, Ithaca, NY
Other: Jon is recognized as a rising star in the UFC. His decisive win over UFC veteran Stephan Bonner has many seeing him as a strong contender for the light heavyweight division belt. He recently lost his fight with Matt Hamill by way of DQ as a result of an illegal elbow at the TUF 10 Finale in December.
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Kevin Jordan
Nickname:
Ht: 6’4”
Wt: HW
Pro MMA Record:
Style: Modern Army Combatives
Affiliations: Bombsquad
Other: Kevin has fought in major promotions including the UFC and Strikeforce. He recently defeated UFC veteran Pat Smith
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Casey Lamb
Nickname:
Ht:
Wt: 205 lbs
Pro MMA Record: 3-1
Style:
Affiliations: Bombsquad – Ithaca/Cortland, NY
Other:
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Cory LaPlant
Nickname: “Iron Man”
Ht:5′10″
Wt:155 ibs
Pro MMA Record: 4-4
Style:
Affiliations:
Other:
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Matt Lee
Nickname:
Ht: 5’11”
Wt: 155 lbs
Pro MMA Record: 11-7-1
Style:
Affiliations: Team Bombsquad – Cortland, NY
Other: Matt has fought in Bodog, Strikeforce, AFC and the MFC. Matt is perhaps best known for losing a close decision to Eddie Alverz , one of the best fighters in the world. Matt lives in Massachusetts.
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Anthony Leone
Click here to watch an Interview with Anthony
Nickname:
Ht. 5’8”
Wt: 155 lbs
Record: 5-0
Style: BJJ
Affiliations: Team Bombsquad – Cortland, NY
Other: Trained with BJ Penn in Hawaii, and has a fight with Uriah Faber on his resume.
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Jenn Martin
Nickname: “Vice Grip”
Ht:5′3″
Wt: 145 lbs
Pro MMA Record:
Style:
Affiliations:Team Vanquish, Elmira, NY
Other:
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Mike Massenzio
Nickname:
Ht: 6’2”
Wt: 185 lbs
Pro MMA Record: 12-3
Style:
Affiliations: Team Bombsquad, – Cortland, NY
Other: Mike has wins over UFC veterans Drew McFedries, Dan Miller and Dante Rivera. Mike had to drop out of Ultimate Fight Night 20 due to injury.
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Tamden McCrory
Nickname: “The Barn Cat”
Ht: 6’4”
Wt: 170 lbs,
Pro MMA Record: 11-3
Style:
Affiliations: CNYMMA – Cortland, NY
Other: Has fought in the UFC six times including wins over Pete Spratt, Luke Cummo and Ryan Madigan. He’s considered to be one of the best fighters coming out of New York State.
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Jared Palmer
Nickname:
Ht: 6’2”
Wt: 240 lbs
Pro MMA Record: 4-0
Style:
Affiliations: CNYMMA – Binghamton, NY
Other: Jared holds a Master’s degree in Physical Education and Health and is a certified Strength and Conditioning
Specialist.
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Eric Reyell
Nickname:
Ht. 6′0″
Wt: 170 lbs
Pro MMA Record: 2-0
Style:
Affiliations: Spa BJJ – Saratoga Springs, NY
Other:
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Gybson Sa
Click Here to Watch an Interview with Gybson
Nickname:
Ht:
Wt: 205 lbs
Pro MMA Record: 2-0
Style: BJJ
Affiliations: East West Combat Club – Liverpool, NY
Other: Gybson recently came to the U.S. from Brazil to join Hermes Franca in teaching at East West Combat Club. Gybson is a decorated BJJ player who recently began his mma career. Gybson’s father is a Red Belt back in Brazil.
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Colin Schrader
Nickname:
Ht: 6’1”
Wt: 170 lbs
Pro MMA Record: 1-0
Style:
Affiliations: Bombsquad – Cortland, NY
Other:
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Marc Stevens
Nickname:
Ht:
Wt: 185
Pro MMA Record: 13-5
Style: BJJ
Affiliations: Watertown, NY
Other: Marc won the Ring of Combat Middleweight Championship belt and recently took home a victory at the PA Fighting Championships in Harrisburg, PA.
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Matt Zaccaria
Nickname:
Ht: 5’6”
Wt: 153 Lbs.
Pro MMA Record: 2-1
Style: BJJ
Affiliations: Bombsquad – Cortland/Ithaca, NY
Other: Matt won the Battlecage Extreme Flyweight Championship.
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Western New York
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Mahnsea Boley
Nickname “The Monster”
Ht :5’11”
Wt: HW
Style: Wrestling
NY Gym: WNY MMA
Record: 2-0 -0
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Lance Evans
Nickname:
Ht:
Wt. Class: HW
Pro MMA Record: 1-3
Style: Wrestling/Boxing
Affiliations: TKO MMA – Niagara Falls, NY
Other: Lance appeared on the Ultimate Fighter show: Nogueira vs Mir. He is Rashad Evans brother.
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Rashad Evans
Nickname: “Suger” “Suga”
Ht:5′11″
Wt: 205 lbs.
Pro MMA Record:14-1-1
Style: Wrestling
Affiliations: Jackson’s MMA – Albequerque, NM
Other: One of the most successful fighters to come out of New York State, Rashad has held the UFC light heavyweight title and has an impressive 14-1-1 record. He recently defeated Thiago Silva putting him back into contention for the belt.
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Chris Howard
Nickname:
Ht: 6′2″
Wt:205 lbs
Pro MMA Record: 0-1
Style:
Affiliation(s):
Other: Chris is from South Dayton, NY.
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Josh Lydell
Nickname:
Ht: 5’9”
Wt: 170 lbs
Pro MMA Record: 2-4
Style:
Affiliations: Knockout Factory – Salamanca, NY
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Wally MacDonald
Click here to Watch an Interview with Wally
Nickname: The Weapon”
Ht. 5’ 11”
Wt. 155 lbs
Record: 4-0
Style: Muay Thai, Jiu Jitsu
Affiliations: Empire Academy, 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu – Rochester
Other:
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Jesus Ortiz, Jr.
Nickname: “Zeus/ The Punisher”
Ht: 5’8”
Wt: 205 lbs.
Pro MMA Record: 0-3
Style:
Affiliations: Ibuke-Do Kick Fighting – Dundee, NY
Other:
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TJ Sumler
Nickname: “Hitman”
Ht: 6’1”
Wt or class: MW
Pro MMA Record: 2-1
Style: MMA
Affiliations: WNYBJJ & Kickboxing/Team Evolution, Lockport, NY
Other: TJ just picked up a win at RW 5 – Mayhem in the Mist with a submission victory over Felix Lopez.
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Jason Trzewieczynski
Nickname: “Ba Bu”
Ht: 6′0″
Wt: 156 lbs
Pro MMA Record: 2-2
Style:
Affiliations: Buffalo Training Center – Clarence, NY
Other: Jason recently won a fight in the World Cagefighting Championships in Greensburg, PA
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Tom van der Horst
Click Here to Watch an Interview with Tom
Nickname: “Iron Man”
Ht 6’0”
Wt: 170lbs
Pro MMA Record: 2-0
Style:
Affiliations: Bedroc MMA – Rochester
Other:
Tom recently picked up his second pro victory at Reality Fighting in Plymouth, MA with first round submission victory by arm bar.
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Scott Yokel
Nickname:
Wt: 145 lbs
Ht:5′8″
Style: Muay Thai/Jiu Jitsu, wrestling
Pro MMA Record: 2-0
Style: BJJ, Muay Thai
Affiliations: Team Empire/10th Planet Jiu Jitsu Rochester, NY
Other:
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Justin Zaczek
Nickname: “Venom”
Wt: Welterweight
Ht:
Style: BJJ/Muay Thai
Pro MMA Record: 3-0-0
Style: BJJ, Muay Thai
Affiliations: WNYMMA Buffalo, NY
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