MMA » Precision MMA Blog

Nov 302018

Precision Fighter Garret Volpe made it to the front cover of the Poughkeepsie Journal this Friday. If you met Garret Volpe today, you would have no idea that two years ago he was forced to face his own mortality. As a committed athlete who trains tirelessly and is constantly seeking new information on nutrition and fitness, it was a complete shock for him to find out that he was facing heart failure. After Volpe was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, and beneath his muscular frame his heart was functioning at approximately 40% of normal rate. Those who know Garrett would attest that he is not only in good shape, but a living embodiment of peak physical fitness. His family, friends, coaches and teammates were in dismay and disbelief, but none more than Garrett himself. He has dedicated years of his life to training martial arts, in hopes of pursuing his long-time dream of fighting in a mixed martial arts bout. This dream is what kept him in positive spirits, despite being told that he may need a heart transplant if he was going to survive. Check out his article in the Poughkeepsie Journal to learn more about Garrets struggle to make it from heart failure to getting his hand raised. If you live in Poughkeepsie or the Hudson Valley and would like to train MMA, give Precision Boxing and Mixed Martial Arts a call at (845)392-8495 or visit us at precisionmixedmartialarts.com

Poughkeepsie MMA fighter Garret Volpe wins

Exciting Weekend For The Hudson Valley’s Precision Boxing & MMA

BJJ, Boxing, grappling, jiu-jitsu, martial arts, MMA, precision boxing and mma, Wappingers Falls No Responses »

Nov 282018

It’s been an exciting couple of weeks here at Precision Boxing and MMA! Last week, Precision fighter Lindsey VanZandt was featured in the Poughkeepsie Journal. The Journal articulated Lindsey’s pain in dealing with her family’s struggle to understand her career path and outlined everything that she’s sacrificed to make it to where she is today. Now 4-1 as a professional, fighting for top organizations such as King of the Cage and Invicta FC, she’s eagerly looking forward to her next fight.

In addition to Lindsey making it into the Poughkeepsie Journal, a couple of our fighters stepped up to compete for the first time. On Saturday, Precision boxer Marcus Grey had his boxing debut; fighting at 205 pounds for the American Kickboxing Federation. Marcus took the first round, cutting angles like a seasoned vet, slipping punches and continually moving forward.

The second round had the audience erupting with cheers over the beautiful beautiful exchanges, both men pushing forward aggressively and trying to impose their game plan. In the third round Marcus was picking precise shots to catch his opponent rushing in, but his adversary was incredibly tough and kept moving forward. Marcus’s opponent kept pushing forth, throwing punches the whole time. Marcus kept himself safe and picked shots from the outside, but unfortunately the judges gave his opponent the decision. It was an incredibly close bout, Marcus came out unscathed and excited to get back in the gym.

There was a plethora of exciting matches, all varying between boxing, kickboxing and MMA. The first MMA bout on the card was Precision fighter Brandon Mohammed’s MMA debut. Both men made the 170 pound weight limit and stepped into the cage. It was a short and sweet night for Brandon. After getting the better of a couple standup exchanges, Brandon took his opponent down and immediately moved to mount. Brandon switched to side control and his opponent turned his back, only to be met by a vicious storm of knees. As his opponent turned back to face Brandon, he slid back into mount to deliver some ground and pound before stopping his opponent by keylock for a first round submission victory.

The excitement continued on Sunday when we headed over to Sparta, New Jersey for a friendly smoker with Miller Brothers MMA. Our guys took exhibition matches against their students in kickboxing and Combat Jiu Jitsu. All the matchups ended up being back and forth battles. Everyone kept calm in the face of adversity and left it all in the cage. Most guys could barely stand afterwards! It was a phenomenal display of tenacity, technique and aggression by both teams.

If you want to make your MMA dreams a reality, come checkout Precision Boxing and MMA; the Hudson Valley’s premier Mixed Martial Arts Academy. Give us a call at (845)392-8495 to set up your free lesson today! Visit us online at http://www.precisionmixedmartialarts.com

Poughkeepsie Native Lindsey Vanzandt’s Commitment to Becoming a Champion

BJJ, jiu-jitsu, martial arts, MMA, precision boxing and mma, Uncategorized, Wappingers Falls No Responses »

Nov 132018

To say Professional Mixed Martial Artist Lindsey VanZandt of Poughkeepsie, NY is a hard working and dedicated fighter would be a huge understatement. Weighing only 105 pounds, Lindsey is an unstoppable competitor with a big heart and equally huge dream to succeed in the world of MMA. With her impressive striking power, great character and coordinated movements, she has the potential to become one of the best fighters in her weight class. Lindsey recently earned a victory from a King of the Cage match that she agreed to take last minute with little time to prepare for the fight. Proving that Lindsey doesn’t ‘get ready for fights’, she stays ready due to her commitment to being a professional fighter. Despite such a short notice, Lindsey won the victory by a second-round knockout that improved her professional fighting record to 4-1. It’s evident that Lindsey has no plan on stopping until she becomes a champion of the sport and we’re willing to wait.

Lindsey Training with Precision Boxing Coach Crazy Jon

While Lindsey most certainly some pretty impressive attributes as an unmatched fighter, what stands out most about Lindsey is her good heart and commitment to the sport. She always has a smile on her face and focuses on the positive aspects of things. It wasn’t always an easy ride to victories and success, Lindsey had to overcome some difficulties in her path that would have set her back if she had not been as dedicated and strong willed. Want to learn more about Lindsey’s story? The Poughkeepsie Journal covered an article about her. Click HERE to read it.

Live in the Hudson Valley and looking to train MMA? Visit us at http://www.precisionmixedmartialarts.com or call 845-392-8495 so we can get you started today!

Your Excuses in The Hudson Valley are Invalid

BJJ, jiu-jitsu, martial arts, MMA, precision boxing and mma, Precision MMA, self defense, ufc, Wappingers Falls No Responses »

Nov 012018

We’ve all made excuses to get out of doing things that we don’t particularly feel like doing or going somewhere we really didn’t want to go. While some of these excuses may seem harmless, often times we use these excuses to stay in our comfort zone or take the easy way out which can ultimately prove to be harmful to ourselves. Making excuses only sets us back from unlocking our full potential and takes us further away from reaching our goals. An excuse is just a preventable setback from achievement that we have full control over. Excuses keep you from growing and reaching opportunities. From time to time we use the excuse of being ‘too tired’ or ‘being too busy’ to train. While there isn’t a cure for physical or mental exhaustion except a good night’s sleep, all too often, this is just one of the many excuses used to justify skipping class to snack on pizza and nachos. For training MMA to be effective, we must develop a workout schedule and stick to it to expand knowledge and better our martial arts. Nothing was ever accomplished or achieved by not taking any action or making excuses. In our schedule we should incorporate specific days to rest that are consistent to allow our bodies to rejuvenate and adequate rest.

Sometimes excuses are made to disguise the feelings of shortcomings. It’s important to develop a positive mentally when training martial arts. We should try to learn to view our shortcomings as improvements instead of failures. It can be difficult to not dwell on past mistakes, but in order to better ourselves and master that technique we’ve been drilling for ages, we must view the mistakes as something to learn from and move on. It’s not an overnight process, but with discipline this mindset can be achieved. As a result of this, you’ll eventually learn to recognize your mistakes, accept them, and learn how to fix them instead of making excuses for them.

Before you make an excuse to use as a reason not to train or for your poor performance, you should ask yourself whether or not the excuse is valid.

Live in the Hudson Valley and interested in training MMA? Call 845-392-8495 or visit www.precisonmixedmartialarts.com today so we can help you get started!

MMA in Poughkeepsie, NY

Precise Recollections: Friends Turned Foes

BJJ, Boxing, grappling, jiu-jitsu, martial arts, MMA, precision boxing and mma, Precision MMA, ufc, Uncategorized No Responses »

Oct 192018

Anybody who’s been following MMA for the past couple of weeks will likely be discussing the aftermath of the long awaited bout between “The Notorious” Conor McGregor and Khabib “The Eagle” Nurmagomedov. This bitter rivalry hit a new boiling point after Khabib, a UFC world champion, hurled himself over the cage and lunged at McGregor’s Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu coach Dillon Dannis. Dannis, a grappling phenom and Bellator MMA star answered with a quick flurry of punches towards Khabib before the two were separated by security.

Dillon Dannis and Precision Head Coach Brian McLaughlin

Khabib “The Eagle” Nurmagomedov and Dillon Dannis

A fact that most people are unaware of, is that at one point Dillon, Khabib and Precision head coach Brian McLaughlin all trained together under the same roof at AMA Fight Club in Whippany, NJ. At the time, Khabib was preparing for his UFC debut and Dillon was an up and coming prospect; a teen just getting started at Pro Practices. Coach Brian was instructing at AMA as well as sparring with pros himself. Back then, Dillon was quiet and kept a low profile but would show flashes of the brashness that has become his calling card. Khabib was all business from day one. He would come in with his small army of Russians and each of his training partners would pray that they’d make it out of practice with all of the limbs they came in with.

In the days of AMA Fight Club, Dillon and Khabib were always cordial, but life took them in different directions. Khabib relocated to San Jose, California and Dillon became a prodigy under Marcelo Garcia and eventually caught the eye of Conor McGregor; the biggest star that the sport has ever seen. Although the world sees them as bitter rivals at each other’s throat, the memory remains of them being two hard working martial artists sharing the mat in the quest toward greatness.

Head Coach of Precision Boxing and MMA Brian McLaughlin poses with Dillon for a group photo after training.

If you live in the Hudson Valley area and want to make your MMA dream a reality, learn how to defend yourself and get into the best shape of your life, give us a call at: 845-392-8495. Come check out Precision Boxing and MMA, the Hudson Valley’s premier mixed martial arts academy precisionmixedmartialarts.com

UFC History with Jim Miller

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Sep 272018

Precision MMA Head coach is a proud member of Team Miller

Jim Miller has done what no other fighter in history has done before. He has fought 30 times inside the UFC octagon. With long time coach and Precision head instructor Brian McLaughlin in his corner Jim put on possibly the best performance of his historic UFC career. Showing flawless muay thai, vicious ground and pound, and his trademark submission skills Jim was able to overwhelm his opponent just moments into the very first round securing the rear naked choke finish. Jim further extended his record of most wins in UFC lightweight history as well.

If you’d like to make your UFC dreams come true check out Precision Boxing & MMA in Poughkeepsie, NY call 845-392-8495 or visit

http://www.precisionmixedmartialarts.com to get started

Poughkeepsie MMA fighter Garret Volpe wins his MMA debut

MMA, Uncategorized No Responses »

Sep 272018

Precision Boxing and MMA fighter Garret Volpe earned a hard fought victory on Saturday, but it wasn’t long ago that he was in a hospital bed, not fighting for fame, but his survival. Garret fell victim to a heart complications that occured after being infected with an otherwise harmless virus. The situation became so dire that he was one step away from being on a donor list. See the video below to learn more about Volpe’s journey and recovery.

While this news would terrify most people, Garret faced his illness with steadfast determination and optimism, confident that he would not only survive, but thrive.

Once he was back on his feet he did not waste any time and refocused himself on his martial arts goals. First he stepped into the ring for his first boxing match, a grappling superfight followed, then a muay thai bout. All matches had one constant, a notch in the win column for Volpe.

MMA competition remained Volpe’s ultimate goal though. At Cage Wars he would have his opportunity. Standing in his way was a fierce competitor from Team Renzo Gracie, a camp that has numerous past and current world champions to their credit. Volpe knew a hard battle was ahead of him, but he welcomed the challenge with open arms.

The first round began and Volpe began putting his trademark combinations together. Using his whole body as a weapon and his opponent’s whole body as a target Volpe unleashed lightning quick punches, knees and kicks to the head, legs and body.

In the second round Volpe showed his grappling and Brazilian Jiu-jitsu skills taking the fight to the ground and progressing to a near fight ending choke hold. Saved by the bell his opponent came out in the final round determined to win and late in the bout landed several hard punches opening a cut around Volpe’s eye. Volpe wethered the storm though and showed that his heart and determination matched his technique en route to a decision victory.

Poughkeepsie MMA fighter Garret Volpe wins

If you live in the Poughkeepsie are and would like to make your MMA dreams come true check out Precision Boxing & MMA at 845-392-8495 or visit http://www.precisionmixedmartialarts.com

Women Should Train BJJ for Self Defense in Poughkeepsie

BJJ, jiu-jitsu, martial arts, MMA, self defense, Uncategorized No Responses »

Sep 152018

Women are no strangers to violence. It’s not rare that we hear of women being victimized in modern society. The statistics of women experiencing sexual or physical violence are scary and a true realization that women aren’t being encouraged to be properly taught how to defend themselves in assault situations. While abuse may happen to anyone, women are by far the more frequent victims. This is the optimal reason why instead of participating in spin class to get better at riding a bicycle women should view learning how to protect themselves as a priority. Women shouldn’t rely solely on male figures, groups or weapons to defend themselves, they should be mentally and physically prepared to defend against attackers if need be at any moment. Men are often viewed as stronger and bigger, which may often be the case in most confrontations, but knowing how to use your opponent’s mechanics against them is key to surviving and protecting yourself in any situation. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu or BJJ is a martial art that teaches smaller individuals how to use bigger opponent’s height, weight and movement to their advantage. This sport enables women to fight off attackers of any size and allows them to build confidence, an essential key to gaining advantage in violent engagements. Women don’t have to feel helpless in attacks or fall victim to physical and sexual abuse, with the proper instruction and environment, women can be given the tools to defend themselves. At Precision Boxing and MMA, we offer various disciplines that teach self-defense, satisfying multiple ambitions of our practitioners. Our BJJ classes are taught by knowledgeable instructors of the sport in an accepting, controlled environment. BJJ teaches individuals how to be comfortable in uncomfortable situations by empowering students with knowledge and various techniques to safely defuse any situation. If you’re interested in learning a sport that’ll teach you self-defense and promote confidence Call 845.392.8495 or visit http://www.precisionmixedmartialarts.com

Don’t be Nervous to Start Your Martial Arts Journey in Poughkeepsie NY

BJJ, jiu-jitsu, MMA No Responses »

Aug 172018

It’s not uncommon to experience anxiety before joining a sport. Feeling uneasy about partaking in any new activity rattles many nerves, as one is usually unsure of what to expect. A common fear of a newcomer is that they will feel unwelcome and think they aren’t good enough. These irrational fears are unfortunately what hinder many potential practitioners of ever stepping foot on the mat to train MMA or Boxing. Our students at Precision Boxing & MMA have shared their stories of being nervous about participating in class for the first time, but after walking through our doors and stepping on the mat, everything else fell in line and they keep coming back for more practice. We offer a welcoming atmosphere here and our instructors are very attentive to all of our students. Anxiety is an innate response to new experiences that can be overcome or controlled. Many of the advanced practitioners of the sport still have pre-fight nerves before fighting their opponents. However, their anxiety is controlled or eliminated by self-confidence. They cannot predict the initial result of the fight, but they are confident in themselves to accept whatever may happen and therefore have the ability to calm their nerves. Setting aside personal reservations and irrational anxieties is the key to being open to new experiences and start training. Check out what long time Precision student Jason Harley has to say about initially overcoming his anxiety to train and how joining has improved his life tremendously!

Live in Poughkeepsie, New York and interested in training Martial Arts and Boxing in the Hudson valley, but nervous about getting started? Visit http://precisionmixedmartialarts.com/ or call 845-392-8495 so we can get you started today!

Overcoming Anxiety to Train MMA in Poughkeepsie NY

BJJ, jiu-jitsu, martial arts, MMA, precision boxing and mma, Precision MMA No Responses »

Aug 132018

Martial arts acts as a weapon to tackle our fears in controlled environments and serves as an effective method to gain confidence and comfort in any event. Training martial arts allows a practitioner to experience and combat the fear, anxiety and nerves that cripple the average person. Although this skill is essential for all individuals, the group that can undoubtedly benefit the most are children.

Last week at Precision Boxing and MMA, it was Jada’s first day training in the kid’s BJJ program. It was her first time learning a discipline in Mixed Martial Arts, so naturally she was experiencing some anxiety. Jada had some concerns regarding getting comfortable in the lesson and had some of the other concerns that are typically experienced when participating in a new activity. Being made to feel comfortable in uncomfortable situations is top priority at Precision Boxing & MMA to ensure all of our student’s experiences are great and memorable.

Jada was visibly upset when she came up to front desk to grab her attendance card, there she was approached by the supporting staff of Precision who immediately began trying to calm her with words of comfort. “We promise you’ll love it”, they encouraged. Jada was still feeling uneasy about starting her first class before she changed into her Gi. Coach Brian McLaughlin gently put the rest of her concerns to ease by sharing his story of experiencing anxiety before attending his first Brazilian Ju-Jitsu class. Jada’s mood began to lighten up as Coach Brian shared his experience and explained that he would ease into her training by allowing her to help co-teach the other students that day.

Brain introduced her to the other students in the class and explained that she would be assisting him teach. During the class, Brian paid particularly close attention to her throughout the lesson to ensure that she was comfortable and properly engaged. By the end of the class, Jada had participated, despite expressing that she was too nervous to join in the class, and enjoyed herself a great deal. Jada wasn’t the same intimated girl who was too afraid to step onto the mat to start her training anymore. Instead, she was now smiling and ready to take on any challenge or new experience that was thrown her way! Jada was confident and happy with the end result of the class. When questioned if she was excited to attend the next program, her response was “yes!”.

Jada’s story isn’t uncommon. Many students are nervous about attending their first mixed martial arts class and share some of the same concerns. The age group that mostly suffers from a series of doubts in confidence or new experiences are children. Mixed Martial Arts at Precision Boxing and MMA offers the recipe to overcome these concerns with consistent training.

Unfortunately, these anxieties act as hindrances for individuals, of all age groups, and prevents them from fulfilling their dreams of taking up MMA. If you live in the Hudson Valley and have a child that’s interested in learning Mixed Martial Arts, but has some anxiety about getting started, visit Precision Boxing and MMA in Poughkeepsie, NY or call 845-392-8495 so we can help them feel comfortable and start training today!

MMA in Poughkeepsie, NY

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