More Than Just Brawling

Central New Yorkers Learn Mixed Martial Arts from Professionals

By: Doug Plagens - NCC News

Not often does a recreational athlete have the opportunity to learn a sport from a professional every week. But at CNY MMA in Cortland and Binghamton, students are taught by up-and-comers near the top of their sport. As Tamdan McCrory says, he has seen the benefits of training Mixed Martial Arts, or MMA. The goal is to "give back."

TRAINERS

An Ultimate Fighting Championship contract does not stop Tamdan "Barn Cat" McCrory from giving back. At 21, the SUNY-CORTLAND senior has a record of 10-1, and is viewed by many as a top prospect in the sport. He credits MMA for his development as a person.

"I redirected my negative energy into something positive, and I went from being a self-loathing outcast college student to becoming one of the youngest up-and-comers in the UFC," McCrory said.

His partner in running CNY MMA, Erik "Chainsaw" Charles, is also a professional fighter. He trains regularly with McCrory, and enjoys the sport's "challenge of having to be good at a lot of things. You can't just be a good boxer, can't just be good at jiu-jitsu. You have to be good at a whole spectrum of things."

MMA

Mixed Martial Arts is a combination of fighting styles; it's also the violent cagefighting seen on television. While it's a violent sport, Charles says "so is football." But football games are allowed in New York.

THE BAN

MMA events are banned by the New York State Athletic Commission. In 1997, Governor Pataki called the sport barbaric, and to this day, no MMA events can be held in the empire state. But some feel that could change.

"Now that they see the dollars are there, it would make sense for them to [approve] it," Charles said.

MMA: GOOD FOR YOU

CNY MMA's trainers say MMA is good for everyone, and the students agree. One student, Mike O'Connell, called training "a great workout" saying MMA never "goes stale," because fights are always different. Jermey Murphy says getting to fight is the reward- the fun- that comes from all the training.

And McCrory and Charles are qualified instructors. Think about if two of the top young NFL stars stayed in their hometowns and taught football to anyone who willing to learn.

Aspiring fighters in Central New York may have better opportunities than any athlete, anywhere.