TODAY'S PAPER
46° Good Evening
46° Good Evening

Chris Weidman

Baldwin | 12 UFC fights

Every interview he does during fight week, every news conference and every media scrum, he’ll face the same set of questions. He knows it.

“These are the cards I was dealt,” former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman said. “I went out there to win these fights, I lost.”

Weidman, from Baldwin, will headline UFC’s first trip to his hometown on July 22 when he fights Kelvin Gastelum in Nassau Coliseum at UFC Long Island.

He’ll make his walk to the octagon inside the arena he grew up going to Islanders games at before it was renovated this past year. He’ll do so on a three-fight losing streak. He’ll do so having spent the previous week answering questions about how the once-undefeated and seemingly unstoppable champion could lose to Luke Rockhold, Yoel Romero and Gegard Mousasi.

“It’s something that I gotta move on from and focus on the future. I don’t let a loss or a setback define me,” Weidman said. “I’m not going to let that bother me. The greatest athletes of all time don’t. LeBron James, the Kobe Bryants, all these guys, they have bad games, they have bad weeks, they have bad months. But they find their way back.”

Weidman (13-3, 9-3 UFC) will attempt to do just that against Gastelum, a former “Ultimate Fighter” winner who will fight at middleweight after struggling several times to make the 171-pound limit for welterweight bouts. Gastelum (14-2, 8-2, 1 no contest) has won three fights in a row, the last of which — a first-round TKO of Vitor Belfort — was overturned to a no contest after Gastelum tested positive for marijuana metabolites.

There are things in Weidman’s head that he sees now that he could have done differently, be it in the fight or in camp or elsewhere that maybe would have made a difference. But that’s an alternate reality now. Yes, he threw that spinning back kick against Rockhold at UFC 194 in Las Vegas. Yes, he put his head on the wrong side when he shot in on Romero at UFC 205 at Madison Square Garden. Yes, there was mass confusion about whether Mousasi’s knee strikes were legal and how that whole controversial ending played out at UFC 210 in Buffalo.

“I put a lot of work into this sport, a lot of time,” Weidman said. “I’ve had some setbacks now and I’m very motivated to show my skill set. It looks as if I’m on the downswing of my career if you look at my record. You come watch me train, I’m getting better. It’s not like I’m in here getting my [expletive] kicked in sparring and I’m trying to mentally push myself to think I’m still good. I’m still doing my thing in every element of MMA.

“I just have to make it work on fight night.”

That fight night will occur 15 minutes from where he grew up. It will happen across the street from where he was a two-time All-American wrestler for Nassau Community College. It will take place across the other street from where he was a two-time All-American wrestler for Hofstra. It will unfold a three-minute drive from the gym he spent the past nine years of his life training in mixed martial arts, the gym he now co-owns with Ray Longo, his trainer for his entire career.

“This,” Weidman said, “is going to be one of these things I’ll be able to take with me for the rest of my life.”

CHRIS WEIDMAN’S UFC FIGHT HISTORY
Date Event Opponent Result
March 3, 2011 UFC on Versus Alessio Sakara Won by unanimous decision
June 11, 2011 UFC 131 Jesse Bongfeldt Won by submission, Round 1, 4:54
Nov. 19, 2011 UFC 139 Tom Lawlor Won by submission, Round 1, 2:07
Jan. 28, 2012 UFC on Fox 2 Demian Maia Won by unanimous decision
July 11, 2012 UFC on Fuel TV 4 Mark Munoz Won by KO, Round 2, 1:37
July 6, 2013 UFC 162 Anderson Silva Won by KO, Round 2, 1:18
Dec. 28, 2013 UFC 168 Anderson Silva Won by TKO (injury), Round 2, 1:18
July 5, 2014 UFC 175 Lyoto Machida Won by unanimous decision
May 23, 2015 UFC 187 Vitor Belfort Won by TKO, Round 1, 2:53
Dec. 12, 2015 UFC 194 Luke Rockhold Lost by TKO, Round 4, 3:12
Nov. 12, 2016 UFC 205 Yoel Romero Lost by KO, Round 3, 0:24
April 8, 2017 UFC 210 Gegard Mousasi Lost by TKO, Round 2, 3:13
July 22, 2017 UFC Long Island Kelvin Gastelum

LONG ISLAND IN THE UFC

dennis bermudez gregor gillespie al iaquinta brian kelleher ryan laflare aljamain sterling chris wade chris weidman gian villante

Where are they now?

luke cummo eddie gordon jay hieron alptekin ozkilic pete sell matt serra

Ryan LaFlare

Lindenhurst | 7 UFC fights

The notion of competing inside Nassau Coliseum brings a smile to the face of Ryan LaFlare, a 33-year-old UFC fighter with a fully stacked Long Island resume.

He was an All-County wrestler at Lindenhurst High School, wrestled at Nassau Community College and still holds the Farmingdale State men’s lacrosse record with 131 career goals. He’s raising his family in West Islip and co-owns Long Island MMA in Farmingdale.

“To me, fighting in Long Island is the epitome,” LaFlare said. “This is where I grew up. I grew up going to shows at the Coliseum.

“I used to pass it every day and be like, ‘One day I want to be in there.’ Even going to Disney on Ice with my kids there, it’s crazy that I’m going to be able to put on for my city over there.”

That excitement will go away soon. But don’t be offended, Long Islanders, it’s not about you. There’s work to be done on fight night, namely getting by welterweight Alex Oliveira on July 22 on the UFC’s first card ever on Long Island.

“At the end of the day, the octagon has eight sides, there’s still gonna be three people once that cage door shuts: you, your opponent, the referee,” LaFlare said. “It doesn’t really matter where you are once the fight starts. I think the buildup is one thing, but the fight is something totally different.”

LaFlare (13-1, 6-1 UFC) has the traveling resume to back up that point as well. He’s fought for the UFC in Sweden and the United Arab Emirates and twice in Brazil.

He last fought in February at UFC 208 — at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. At the time, it was the closest he’d ever fought to his home in Long Island. Technically, it’s the same body of land. No bridges or tunnels are needed to get from Suffolk to Brooklyn. But that geographic distinction long ago was engulfed by Big Town. In 1898, Brooklyn became one of the five boroughs of New York City.

“They kind of teased me with the Brooklyn card. I’m like, finally I’m home,” LaFlare said. “I’m not saying it wasn’t amazing to fight there. But the Coliseum …”

Yes, the Coliseum. For Long Islanders, that’s the big time. It’s where they watched Islanders games for so many years. It’s where they went to their first concert. The circus, pro wrestling, the Harlem Globetrotters, Ice Capades, expos. Nearly every major artist or band played the Coliseum, from Paul McCartney to Prince, from Led Zeppelin to U2, and, of course, Billy Joel.

LaFlare is one of six local fighters on the UFC Long Island card, the promotion’s first here and fifth in New York since the state legalized mixed martial arts in March 2016. He’ll be joined by Chris Weidman, Dennis Bermudez, Gian Villante, Chris Wade and Brian Kelleher.

“The reason why I fight, it’s something different every fight,” LaFlare said. “Sometimes I wake up, I love being competitive, I love testing myself and seeing how far I can take this. Sometimes I wake up and say, ‘Man, all these people are counting on me, everyone looks up to me, I have to put on a show.’ Another thing is financially for my kids. Every day is something different. You have to keep digging deep and finding different reasons why you’re doing what you’re doing.”

RYAN LAFLARE’S UFC FIGHT HISTORY
Date Event Opponent Result
April 6, 2013 UFC on Fuel TV Benny Alloway Won by unanimous decision
Nov. 9, 2013 UFC Goiania Santiago Ponzinibbio Won by unanimous decision
Dec. 14, 2013 UFC on Fox 9 Court McGee Won by unanimous decision
April 11, 2014 UFC Abu Dhabi John Howard Won by unanimous decision
May 21, 2015 UFC Rio de Janeiro Demian Maia Lost by unanimous decision
Dec. 11, 2015 Ultimate Fighter Finale 22 Mike Pierce Won by unanimous decision
Feb. 11, 2017 UFC 208 Roan Carneiro Won by unanimous decision
July 22, 2017 UFC Long Island Alex Oliveira

LONG ISLAND IN THE UFC

dennis bermudez gregor gillespie al iaquinta brian kelleher ryan laflare aljamain sterling chris wade chris weidman gian villante

Where are they now?

luke cummo eddie gordon jay hieron alptekin ozkilic pete sell matt serra

Eddie Gordon

Freeport | 4 UFC fights

Eddie “Truck” Gordon hasn’t worked in the finance world since his mixed martial arts career first bloomed, but he’s taken one principle to heart — diversify.

Freeport’s Gordon is plotting his next move in the cage, but the former UFC fighter has enough going on outside the sport these days to keep busy.

“One thing I did learn in college is that those multi-billionaires, they have seven streams of income,” Gordon said. “If one slows down, you still have cash flow coming in.”

Gordon won season 19 of “The Ultimate Fighter,” but a career in MMA never was a thought. He was a star on the football field at Freeport High School and played at Fordham while earning a business degree, but pro football was never the plan either.

“I knew I wanted to get a good education,” Gordon said. “I’m a numbers guy, that’s why I was in finance. In football, the numbers are not in your favor. Do you want to sit there and go to Arena leagues, Canadian league, kind of hope to go the NFL one day? I didn’t want to live that life.” After college, Gordon said he worked at JP Morgan before moving to a private publishing company as a financial adviser. An outing with his co-workers brought him to Philadelphia for UFC 101 in 2009. A former wrestler, Gordon fell in love with MMA watching legend Anderson Silva knock out Forrest Griffin.

“I told them, ‘I could do this,’ and they all laughed at me,” Gordon said.

Gordon put together a respectable MMA career, going 8-4 with a 1-3 mark in the UFC, the lone victory clinching his “TUF” title. He returned to the show for a “redemption” season this year but lost in the first round. At a career crossroads, Gordon isn’t taking much for granted.

“Most athletes don’t realize that you are a brand and you can only fight for so long,” Gordon said. “At times we feel like we’re invincible, but that’s the furthest thing from the truth. We don’t know when it’s going to be our last fight.”

Gordon still lives in Freeport with his four young boys and is engaged to be married later this year.

The uncertainty of MMA has Gordon planning for the future. Even before his fighting career, Gordon had a custom cabinet business with his father that they still manage. He started a health beverage line that he dubs “weight-loss coffee” that he said has been profitable.

Gordon’s newest work as a motivational speaker is the venture he’s most passionate about.

As part of a sponsorship deal, Gordon gave a speech to employees at the company. A business partner of his sponsor then asked if Gordon could speak to their company. From there, Gordon started offering his services for workshops and graduations.

“I’m passionate about it. I went to a couple of schools and I got that same adrenaline rush talking to these kids,” Gordon said. “I thought, if I had someone come talk to me, I would probably have believed in myself a little more, who knows, maybe started a little earlier. So talking to kids, I love it. I got more opportunities to talk to companies and some other things, and it pays well, so to do something I love that doesn’t really feel like work, that’s awesome.”

Speaking to children inspired him to start the Eddie Truck Gordon Foundation, the purpose of which is to reach out to underprivileged kids and help battle drug addiction.

“I want to show them that it doesn’t matter where you came from, as long as you believe in yourself there’s a light at the end of the tunnel,” Gordon said.

Gordon, who turns 34 later this month, also is turning his experience into a book.

“I never thought in my life that I would be writing a book, but after doing all this speaking, people kept saying they wanted something to walk away with,” Gordon said. “I thought it would be a lot easier, I have to give authors and writers a lot of credit.”

Despite the full plate, Gordon isn’t relaxing his training. He last fought for CFFC in August 2016, defeating Chris Lozano in a split decision.

With “TUF” behind him, Gordon has been training for the inaugural RISE Submission Invitational, a grappling event at The Space at Westbury on July 29, where he’ll face former UFC fighter Chris Cope.

“It’s my first grappling tournament, and I’m using it to work on my weaknesses. That’s only going to make me a better fighter,” Gordon said. “There’s no pressure for me. I get to grapple with some of the best guys in the world every single day for free. Not taking anything away from Chris Cope, but he’s not Matt Serra.”

Gordon said he’s received multiple fight offers since “TUF Redemption,” some better than those he got after winning the show in 2014. A UFC return would be nice, but in a changing MMA landscape, Gordon believes it’s not a requirement to continue growing as a fighter and brand.

“I think right now, it’s probably the best I’ve been mentally for fighting,” Gordon said. “I’m stable, I don’t have to take fights for the money. Now I can actually pick and choose when I’m going to fight, who I’m going to fight, and it gives me so much freedom.”

EDDIE GORDON’S UFC FIGHT HISTORY
Date Event Opponent Result
July 6, 2014 Ultimate Fighter Finale 19 Dhiego Lima Won by KO, Round 1, 1:11
Dec. 6, 2014 UFC 181 Josh Samman Lost by KO, Round 2, 3:07
April 18, 2015 UFC on Fox 15 Chris Dempsey Lost by split decision, Round 3, 5:00
June 27, 2015 UFC Florida Antonio Carlos Junior Lost by submission, Round 3, 4:37

LONG ISLAND IN THE UFC

dennis bermudez gregor gillespie al iaquinta brian kelleher ryan laflare aljamain sterling chris wade chris weidman gian villante

Where are they now?

luke cummo eddie gordon jay hieron alptekin ozkilic pete sell matt serra

Alptekin Ozkilic

North Bellmore | 4 UFC fights

At the front desk of Longo and Weidman MMA in Garden City sits a near-empty box of authentic pistachio-filled Turkish delights.

The sugar-covered sweets were a fitting treat from the world travels of Alp Ozkilic, a Turkish mixed martial artist who has once again made Long Island home.

“Take one,” Ozkilic insisted. “Hey, it is my nickname — the Turkish Delight.”

Ozkilic is back in the U.S. after his mixed martial arts career took him overseas for the better part of two years. He became the first Turkish-born fighter to compete in the UFC when he won his promotional debut in 2013 but was released in 2015 after three straight losses.

Now, Ozkilic returns to Long Island looking to make another run at MMA’s top promotion.

“I always considered this place home, and I wanted to come home,” Ozkilic said.

Ozkilic first came here from Turkey in 2004 to wrestle at Nassau CC in Garden City, where he was a two-time NJCAA All-American. After transferring to Lindenwood University in Missouri to finish his collegiate career, Ozkilic stayed in the St. Louis area to become a professional fighter. He believes he had the skill to compete with the best in the UFC’s flyweight division and become a marketable star in his home country, but he said the circumstances of his time with the company kept him from succeeding.

After an 8-1 start on the regional circuit, he debuted in the UFC with a split decision win over Darren Uyenoyama. Ozkilic said he then was encouraged by his manangement to take a fight with contender Louis Smolka a month later. He ran out of energy early in the fight.

“Fighting twice in a month, cutting 20 pounds twice in a month, my body couldn’t handle it,” Ozkilic said.

After losing to Smolka, Ozkilic returned to Long Island — both to work with trainer Keith Trimble of Bellmore Kickboxing Academy and to get back to a life he could enjoy after a few too many years in the heartland. Ozkilic was living in North Bellmore at the time. He also trained with Ray Longo at Longo and Weidman MMA in Garden City.

“After college I got into fighting, the only reason that I stayed there was my coach and my team,” Ozkilic said. “My coach out there, he knew I never fit in the culture there, I always live in big cities. I’ve never been country.”

Ozkilic lost a “Fight of the Night” against top contender John Lineker, then suffered a first-round knockout against Ben Nguyen. All three losses came against currently ranked fighters.

Once cut, he considered options in the U.S. but instead took a payday to join Chinese promotion Kunlun Fight. Ozkilic spent about a year and half in China, working as a coach and fight commentator while training, receiving a regular salary, free housing and food. He was supposed to be able to fight as often as he wanted, but Ozkilic said the promotion had a hard time finding matchups all sides could agree on.

He eventually received a bantamweight title fight in a co-promoted event with Korean company Top FC, but lost to Kwan Ho Kwak in a unanimous decision last May. Ozkilic claims the judges and officials in Korea gave Kwak an unfair advantage throughout the fight.

“They did everything they could to make me lose. They would stop the fight to look at my cut, but they would give him water,” Ozkilic said. “It was very frustrating, but that’s how it was over there, that’s what I learned.”

Ozkilic took some time off and eventually decided to address a nagging injury by traveling to his native Turkey last December to have surgery on a torn hip flexor. After months of rehab, Ozkilic decided his time in China was up. He technically still is under contract with Kunlun, and he said he hasn’t informed his bosses he won’t be fighting again, but he doesn’t see himself heading back any time soon.

Now healthy, Ozkilic is hoping to revive his career by doing it the right way. He no longer has a manager, saying he’ll rely on Longo and other coaches to help him find fights when the time is right.

Since returning to the U.S. in early June, he’s been at the gym twice a day training and getting back to sparring. He also started a business flipping houses with a few friends, but he says his focus remains on a return to fighting this year and, eventually, the UFC.

“I know better this time, I’ve learned the business,” said Ozkilic, who now lives in Seaford. “Now I’m in a better place, better condition, everything’s in my favor this time, so why not?”

ALPTEKIN OZKILIC’S UFC FIGHT HISTORY
Date Event Opponent Result
Dec. 14, 2013 UFC on Fox 9 Darren Uyenoyama Won by split decision
Jan. 15, 2014 UFC Duluth Louis Smolka Lost by unanimous decision
July 16, 2014 UFC Atlantic City John Lineker Lost by TKO, Round 3, 4:51
May 9, 2015 UFC Adelaide Ben Nguyen Lost by KO, Round 1, 4:59

LONG ISLAND IN THE UFC

dennis bermudez gregor gillespie al iaquinta brian kelleher ryan laflare aljamain sterling chris wade chris weidman gian villante

Where are they now?

luke cummo eddie gordon jay hieron alptekin ozkilic pete sell matt serra

Matt Serra

East Meadow | 14 UFC fights

One day, he may ride a bull or cruise through Sturgis in a sidecar. Another day, he may trade kimuras and wrestling techniques with astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson right in the middle of his podcast.

And then there’s everything else as well, from teaching at his two Brazilian Jiujitsu schools to cornering his team at fights around the world to raising his three daughters with his wife, Ann.

So goes life for Matt Serra, the former UFC welterweight champion from East Meadow who last fought in 2010 and remains one of the more prominent personalities in mixed martial arts.

“It’s both funny and amazing how I’m still relevant,” Serra, 43, said.

Serra rose to prominence in UFC 69 by knocking out Georges St-Pierre to win the title on April 7, 2007. It was considered the biggest upset in UFC history at the time. It remains that way 10-plus years later.

Serra, the first American BJJ black belt under Renzo Gracie, became a star that night in Houston. His personality — fun, outgoing, honest, tough guy — carried him far beyond the octagon.

He’s one of the three main stars on the UFC’s reality web series “Dana White: Lookin’ for a Fight.” Serra joins White, the UFC’s president, and former fighter Din Thomas on excursions across the country to find new fighters to sign and new high jinks to document. From riding live bulls to playing ice hockey, from riding horses on a ranch to riding motorcycles at Sturgis, follies ensue when the cameras roll.

“Whether it’s new fans that have jumped in during the Conor [McGregor] and Ronda [Rousey] era of the sport, or it’s fans that have been following since Day 1, when you’re introduced to Matt Serra, he’s a likable guy,” White said. “He’s a guy’s guy. He’s super funny. He’s a total badass and has his moments, yet, then you see him start crying on camera if he even mentions his daughters. Matt Serra appeals to everyone.”

The show, now in its second season, airs on YouTube. Eight of the nine episodes published so far have eclipsed 1 million views. “I couldn’t imagine doing it without Matt Serra,” White said. “And I say it all the time: Without Matt Serra, there is no ‘Lookin’ for a Fight.’ He is the show.”

Serra’s comedic nature combined with his status among UFC and MMA fans also made him a natural fit to co-host the UFC’s official podcast. Twice a week, Serra and comedian Jim Norton gather in a studio on Manhattan’s West Side to record “UFC Unfiltered.”

“Ten years ago, Matt Serra knocked out Georges St-Pierre, and then obviously, he lost the title, retired,” White said. “And look where he is today. He’s killing it. He just bought a new house for him and his family. He’s got one of the most successful podcasts out of all the podcasts in sports. ‘Lookin’ for a Fight’ is an incredible hit, from the day we launched it. Obviously, things that he’s got going on are very successful right now. God knows what’s next for Matt Serra.”

Serra owns and teaches at BJJ academies in Levittown and Huntington, schools that have produced a handful of UFC fighters, including one champion, and countless jiujitsu practitioners and MMA fighters in other promotions.

“That’s my love, teaching jiujitsu, it’s my passion. It’s just a good time anyway hanging out in my academies with my students,” Serra said. “So, listen, life is good. Life is good. I can’t complain.”

MATT SERRA’S UFC FIGHT HISTORY
Date Event Opponent Result
May 4, 2001 UFC 31 Shonie Carter Lost by KO, Round 3, 4:51
Sept. 28, 2001 UFC 33 Yves Edwards Won by majority decision
March 22, 2002 UFC 36 Kelly Dullanty Won by submission, Round 1, 2:58
Sept. 27, 2002 UFC 39 B.J. Penn Lost by unanimous decision
Feb. 28, 2003 UFC 41 Din Thomas Lost by split decision
Jan. 31, 2004 UFC 46 Jeff Curran Won by unanimous decision
June 19, 2004 UFC 48 Ivan Menjivar Won by unanimous decision
June 4, 2005 UFC 53 Karo Parisyan Lost by unanimous decision
Nov. 1, 2006 Ultimate Finale 4 Chris Lytle Won by split decision
April 7, 2007 UFC 69 Georges St-Pierre Won by KO, Round 1, 3:25
April 19, 2008 UFC 83 Georges St-Pierre Lost by TKO, Round 2, 4:45
May 23, 2009 UFC 98 Matt Hughes Lost by unanimous decision
Feb. 6, 2010 UFC 109 Frank Trigg Won by KO, Round 1, 2:23
Sept. 25, 2010 UFC 119 Chris Lytle Lost by unanimous decision

LONG ISLAND IN THE UFC

dennis bermudez gregor gillespie al iaquinta brian kelleher ryan laflare aljamain sterling chris wade chris weidman gian villante

Where are they now?

luke cummo eddie gordon jay hieron alptekin ozkilic pete sell matt serra

Pete Sell

Bay Shore | 7 UFC fights

One night in Las Vegas changed his life.

Not like the party capital’s nicknames and clever marketing would suggest.

For Pete “Drago” Sell, his “Sin City” rush came inside the UFC’s octagon on Feb. 5, 2005. That night at the Mandalay Bay Events Center, Sell, from Bay Shore, made his UFC debut against Phil Baroni from Massapequa.

“It was my shot,” Sell said recently inside his new home in West Islip.

That fight at UFC 51 was the first and only time in UFC history two fighters from Long Island faced one another inside the octagon. Sell, 22 years old and 5-0 at the time, had three weeks to prepare for Baroni, who originally was scheduled to fight Robbie Lawler. Baroni had lost three fights in a row but had a reputation for knockouts.

But it was Sell who won the fight with a submission via guillotine choke in the final minute of the fight.

“I became a believer,” Sell said about that night. “You gotta chase your dreams. Go for it. You live once. You got one ticket, go for it.”

He did just that for the next 10 years. He went 4-7 over that time span, with fights in the UFC and Ring of Combat. Sell wound up on the wrong side of several highlight-reel finishes, most notably against Scott Smith and Matt Brown. He last fought in September 2015 after three years off. Major knee surgery contributed to the long layoff.

“Where I’m at in life right now, obviously, for so many years I chased the fighting,” said Sell, now 34. “I loved it so much, it was the highest of the highs. And now I’m working my ass off.”

Sell works for Lifetime Chimney Supply, a steel chimney lining company based in Plainview. He does metal fabrication and custom metal work. It was something he did during his fighting career as a way to make money and have a career to fall back on after fighting.

But he’s not entirely out of the fight world. A black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Matt Serra, Sell continues to teach the sport at Serra’s academies in Levittown and Huntington as well as at Longo and Weidman MMA in Garden City.

“It’s nice being able to have that other means come in to make money besides fighting,” Sell said.

He has a family and a home to provide for now, with his girlfriend, Ashley, and their son, Jack.

“I love having the little guy,” Sell said. “It’s just fun. Holding pads for him a little bit, he’s throwing football, hitting baseballs, he’s 2 years old.” But . . .

“Honestly, what I really wish is that I could just be sitting, relaxed and fight for the rest of my life,” Sell said. “Obviously, there’s a life in fighting and I wish it didn’t end. Because fighting, there’s nothing better.”

Many professional athletes find it hard to walk away from their sport and stay away. Sell spent more than half of his life learning and practicing jiu-jitsu. He first began training with Serra at age 17.

Sell said he thinks about fighting again and believes he’ll compete again. When that may be, who knows?

“I know it’s a young man’s sport not only because of age and because of your body, but because of your time,” Sell said. “When you’re young, you’re 21, you got nothing to do. ‘You know what I’m doing today? I’m freakin’ training all day, I don’t care, I got nothing else to do. It’s the best.'”

He’s not 21 now. He has things to do. A job. A family. A mortgage.

“You want the best for your family,” Sell said of Ashley and Jack. “I want to be able to give them the world.”

PETE SELL’S UFC FIGHT HISTORY
Date Event Opponent Result
Feb. 5, 2005 UFC 51 Phil Baroni Won by submission, Round 3, 4:19
Aug. 6, 2005 UFC Fight Night 1 Nate Quarry Lost by KO, Round 1, 0:42
Nov. 11, 2006 Ultimate Finale 4 Scott Smith Lost by KO, Round 2, 3:25
April 7, 2007 UFC 69 Thales Leites Lost by unanimous decision
Sept. 19, 2007 UFC Fight Night 11 Nate Quarry Lost by KO, Round 3, 0:44
Oct. 25, 2008 UFC 90 Joshua Burkman Won by unanimous decision
March 7, 2009 UFC 96 Matt Brown Lost by KO, Round 1, 1:32

LONG ISLAND IN THE UFC

dennis bermudez gregor gillespie al iaquinta brian kelleher ryan laflare aljamain sterling chris wade chris weidman gian villante

Where are they now?

luke cummo eddie gordon jay hieron alptekin ozkilic pete sell matt serra

UFC Long Island

For a small piece of land assigned to a state that deemed mixed martial arts illegal from 1997 to 2016, Long Island has produced its fair share of professional fighters in the UFC.

No less than 18 fighters with Long Island roots — either where they grew up or where they settled in after college — have stepped inside the UFC’s octagon and competed in more than 125 fights.

Long Island’s presence in the UFC’s history goes far beyond an accent unique to this little part of the world. Matt Serra of East Meadow pulled off the biggest upset in the promotion’s history on April 7, 2007, when he knocked out Georges St-Pierre to win the welterweight title. Ten years later, it still shows up in all the Top 10 countdown shows and lists. Six years later, Baldwin’s Chris Weidman hoisted gold for Long Island once more, knocking out Anderson Silva to win the middleweight title.

As the UFC brings its first card to Long Island and Nassau Coliseum on Saturday, July 22, Newsday takes a look at the nine active fighters from here, including, in alphabetical order, Dennis Bermudez, Gregor Gillespie, Al Iaquinta, Brian Kelleher, Ryan LaFlare, Aljamain Sterling, Chris Wade, Chris Weidman and Gian Villante. Newsday also interviewed six former local fighters to see what they are doing now.

LONG ISLAND IN THE UFC

dennis bermudez gregor gillespie al iaquinta brian kelleher ryan laflare aljamain sterling chris wade chris weidman gian villante

Where are they now?

luke cummo eddie gordon jay hieron alptekin ozkilic pete sell matt serra

Jay Hieron

Freeport | 4 UFC fights

Underground, in a basement gym in the desert, Jay Hieron’s UFC career began.

Hieron was helping Massapequa’s Phil Baroni train for an upcoming bout when he caught the eye of Dana White in that gym inside of the UFC’s old headquarters on Sahara Avenue in Las Vegas in 2004.

Hieron, from Freeport, was just barely into his career as a mixed martial arts fighter, one that eventually would take him to multiple countries and the world’s biggest fight promotions.

“I didn’t even have a manager then, that’s how green I was,” Hieron said recently while back on Long Island at Bellmore Kickboxing Academy, where he first started training in MMA.

Still, one year and four fights into his professional career in a relatively new sport, there Hieron was — on UFC president White’s short list of who to call when he needed a fighter quickly.

“I was 4-0, I’m pretty green and took a short-notice fight versus a guy you might have heard of — Georges St-Pierre,” Hieron said. “It didn’t go my way, but it was a great learning experience. I was young in my career. I could have went in two different directions. I could have said, ‘Nah, this isn’t really for me’ or ‘All right, I gotta train harder.'”

He chose the latter.

“It made me who I was in my career,” Hieron said of his fight against St-Pierre, who later became the UFC welterweight champion and one of the greatest fighters in MMA history.

That career included 30 professional fights — 23 of them wins — the welterweight world title in the International Fight League, the Bellator Season 4 tournament win and one of those oversized checks that looks cool in the photo but doesn’t fit in the overhead compartment of the plane for the flight home. (A minor detail when the actual check includes three digits on each side of the comma.) It included four fights in the UFC, all losses.

It also led to Hieron’s post-fighting career: acting and stunt work.

Hieron moved to Las Vegas in 2004 as his fighting career began to take shape. He trained at Xtreme Couture and befriended Randy Couture, a five-time UFC champion. Couture, who since has transitioned into acting as well, introduced Hieron to John Cenatiempo, a noted Hollywood stunt man from New York.

“I didn’t think I could turn it into a career at first until a few years being in it,” Hieron said. “Thank God it’s going well.”

Well enough where Hieron has appeared in more than 50 movies and TV shows.

Going from a professional fighter to someone who fights on camera may seem like a natural jump. In theory, sure. In reality, it’s a bit more nuanced.

“I had to learn how to fight for film. It’s totally the opposite of real fighting. The punches that work in real life, they don’t translate well on camera,” said Hieron, 40. “Even though I was a real fighter, I had to transition and make you believe that I could do a film fight because the camera don’t lie.”

No, it does not, which works out nicely for the former national champion wrestler at Nassau Community College who recently acted opposite Method Man. Not too shabby for a kid who grew up listening to the Method Man and his rap group, the Wu-Tang Clan, in the early 1990s.

“I’ve done a car chase with a police car 100 miles an hour down Madison Avenue in New York City,” Hieron said. “I mean, it’s pretty cool. With the lights on and I’m dressed as a full cop. I’m a kid from Freeport, you know what I mean.”

Jay Hieron’s UFC fight history
Date Event Opponent Result
June 19, 2004 UFC 48 Georges St-Pierre Lost by TKO, Round 1, 1:42
Oct. 3, 2005 UFC Fight Night 2 Jonathan Goulet Lost by TKO (doctor’s stoppage), Round 3, 1:03
Oct. 5, 2012 UFC on FX 5 Jake Ellenberger Lost by unanimous decision
Feb. 2, 2013 UFC 156 Tyron Woodley Lost by KO, Round 1, 0:36

LONG ISLAND IN THE UFC

dennis bermudez gregor gillespie al iaquinta brian kelleher ryan laflare aljamain sterling chris wade chris weidman gian villante

Where are they now?

luke cummo eddie gordon jay hieron alptekin ozkilic pete sell matt serra

Chris Weidman. The fighter and the father

Chris Weidman The fighter and the father

Explore the professional and personal lives of the former UFC champion from Long Island through this parallel video experience ahead of his title shot at UFC 199 against Luke Rockhold on June 4 in Los Angeles.

Fighternow playing
Swap Video
Father now playing

Credits: Jeffrey Basinger, Anthony Carrozzo, Matthew Cassella, Robert Cassidy, Mark La Monica, TC McCarthy, Arnold Miller

Posted in MMA

UFC 187

Chris Weidman, the UFC middleweight champion from Baldwin, makes his third title defense at UFC 187 against Vitor Belfort on May 23. The card is headlined by Anthony “Rumble” Johnson and Daniel Cormier fighting for the vacant light heavyweight title. Newsday’s Mark La Monica and Jeffrey Basinger are in Las Vegas to document fight week. Follow along here for videos, stories and photos throughout the week.

And still . . .

WEIDMAN VS. BELFORT

And still . . .

Chris Weidman successfully defended his UFC middleweight title at UFC 187 with a first-round TKO of Vitor Belfort.

Newsday/Jeffrey Basinger

Chris Weidman behind the scenes

FIGHT WEEK

Chris Weidman behind the scenes

Newsday takes you behind the scenes with Chris Weidman during UFC 187 fight week in Las Vegas.

Newsday/Jeffrey Basinger

And the new . . .

CORMIER VS. JOHNSON

And the new . . .

Daniel Cormier stopped Anthony 'Rumble' Johnson in the third round to win the vacant light heavyweight title.

Classic slugfest

ARLOVSKI VS. BROWNE

Classic slugfest

Andrei Arlovski and Travis Browne put on a classic heavyweight slugfest, with haymakers and bombs and knockdowns and wobbly legs.

'Timeout'

CERRONE VS. MAKDESSI

'Timeout'

Donald Cerrone kicked John Makdessi in the face and he called timeout to end the fight.

Newsday/Jeffrey Basinger

Natal takes NY

HALL VS. NATAL

Natal takes NY

Rafael Natal won a split decision over Uriah Hall in a fight between New York middleweights.

Newsday/Jeffrey Basinger

Home cooking

WEIDMAN VS. BELFORT

Home cooking

The Serra-Longo fight team showed up to support Chris Weidman during his weight cut for UFC 187.

Newsday/Jeffrey Basinger

Staredown gets heated

WEIDMAN VS. BELFORT

Staredown gets heated

After making weight, Chris Weidman had some strong words for Vitor Belfort.

UFC 187 staredowns

WEIGH-INS

UFC 187 staredowns

Watch every staredown from the UFC 187 weigh-ins.

A 'personal' fight

HALL VS. NATAL

A 'personal' fight

Uriah Hall says his middleweight fight against fellow New Yorker Rafael Natal has taken on a 'personal' nature at UFC 187.

Playing the role

WEIDMAN VS. BELFORT

Playing the role

Every member of Team Weidman has a specific role in preparing him for UFC 187. For Gian Villante, that's a physical task.

Media day highlights

WEIDMAN VS. BELFORT

Media day highlights

Chris Weidman and Vitor Belfort talk about their upcoming fight during UFC 187 media day.

Weight off shoulders

BROWNE VS. ARLOVSKI

Weight off shoulders

Travis Browne is one of two fighters on the UFC 187 card with no stresses about weight cutting.

Bader bashing

Bader bashing

Daniel Cormier was supposed to fight Ryan Bader next month. Now they do it through Twitter and the media.

Aside from Jon Jones ...

JOHNSON VS. CORMIER

Aside from Jon Jones ...

Daniel Cormier and Anthony Johnson had plenty to say about each other heading into Saturday's fight for the vacant light heavyweight title.

'This is what I love to do'

WEIDMAN VS. BELFORT

'This is what I love to do'

Chris Weidman, the UFC middleweight champion from Baldwin, was excited for UFC 187 open workouts on Wednesday. He was 12 years old when Vitor Belfort first won a UFC tournament.

Newsday/Jeffrey Basinger

Happy birthday, Longo!

Happy birthday, Longo!

Chris Weidman and Gian Villante surprised Ray Longo in the middle of the UFC 187 open workouts with a piece of birthday cake.

Cormier vs. Johnson

Cormier vs. Johnson

Daniel Cormier and Anthony Johnson discuss their fight against each other instead of Jon Jones at UFC 187 open workouts.

Weidman vs. Belfort

Weidman vs. Belfort

Chris Weidman and Vitor Belfort talk about their upcoming fight on Saturday after the UFC 187 open workouts.

'Cowboy' Cerrone workout

'Cowboy' Cerrone workout

Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone wasn't scheduled to do an open workout on the casino floor of the MGM Grand. He just did it anyway.

How we got here

WEIDMAN VS. BELFORT

How we got here

Recapping the 17-plus months between the first time Chris Weidman and Vitor Belfort were scheduled to fight and this weekend when it will happen.

Longo's 'TUF' return

Longo's 'TUF' return

Ray Longo returned to the UFC's training center, home to 'The Ultimate Fighter' show, for the first time in more than seven years.

Real champion?

Real champion?

Jon Jones casts a huge shadow over UFC 187 this week. How will the Cormier-Johnson winner be viewed?

Rollin' with Chris Weidman

Rollin' with Chris Weidman

Hear from those at Serra BJJ who have been rolling with Chris Weidman since he first started the martial art.

Training days

Training days

Scenes from Chris Weidman's training camp on Long Island before UFC 187.

On fighting and FIFA

On fighting and FIFA

Yes, Chris Weidman is the reigning UFC middleweight champion, but can he beat Gian Villante in video games?

On sparring Weidman

On sparring Weidman

Stephen Thompson, a UFC welterweight, recalled his first sparring session against Chris Weidman.

On preparing to fight

On preparing to fight

Team Weidman talks about the rigors of running hills and the final week of sparring in the gym.

Refuse to lose

Refuse to lose

The catchy phrase kind of rhymes, works well on T-shirts and takes up just 13 characters in social media when adding the hashtag symbol. But to Chris Weidman, it's a mindset and a mantra.

<a href='https://www.newsday.com/sports/mixed-martial-arts/chris-weidman-s-ufc-history-1.5564791'>Chris Weidman's UFC fight history</a>

Chris Weidman's UFC fight history

Baldwin's Chris Weidman has had eight fights in the UFC. Here's a recap of his career so far.

Mario Gonzalez

UFC 187 preview

UFC 187 preview

Anthony Johnson and Daniel Cormier fight for the vacant light heavyweight title. Baldwin's Chris Weidman defends his middleweight title against Vitor Belfort.

Daniel Cormier's UFC fight history

Daniel Cormier's UFC fight history

A recap of how the former two-time U.S. Olympic wrestler has performed inside the octagon since joining UFC in 2013.

UFC 187 fight card

UFC 187 fight card

At MGM Grand Garden
Arena in Las Vegas
Main card, 10 p.m. ET on pay-per-view

Vacant light heavyweight title

Anthony Johnson vs. Daniel Cormier

Middleweight championship

Chris Weidman vs. Vitor Belfort

Other bouts

Donald Cerrone vs. John Makdessi

Travis Browne vs. Andrei Arlovski

Joseph Benavidez vs. John Moraga

Prelims, 8 p.m. on Fox Sports 1

John Dodson vs. Zach Makovsky

Dong Hyun-Kim vs. Josh Burkman

Uriah Hall vs. Rafael Natal

Rose Namajunas vs. Nina Ansaroff

Early prelims, 7 p.m. on UFC Fight Pass

Mike Pyle vs. Sean Spencer

Islam Makhachev vs. Leo Kuntz

Justin Scoggins vs. Josh Sampo


The Jon Jones situation

Jones stripped of title

Jones stripped of title

Jon Jones was supposed to defend his title at UFC 187 against Anthony Johnson. As of April 28, he's not the champ, is suspended indefinitely and is facing a felony charge of leaving the scene of an accident.

Cormier dismayed

Cormier dismayed

Daniel Cormier lost his last fight -- a title shot against Jon Jones. Now he's got a shot at the vacant title against Anthony Johnson. Still, Cormier was disappointed in Jones.

Previous Chris Weidman documentaries

Weidman vs. Silva

UFC 162

Weidman vs. Silva

Relive Chris Weidman's stunning victory over then-UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva at UFC 162 in Las Vegas on July 6, 2013.

Weidman vs. Silva II

UFC 168

Weidman vs. Silva II

Newsday chronicled Baldwin's Chris Weidman in Las Vegas as he defended his title against Anderson Silva on Dec. 28, 2013.

Weidman vs. Machida

UFC 175

Weidman vs. Machida

Another fight week, another behind-the-scenes look at Chris Weidman as he defends his title against Lyoto Machida on July 5, 2014.