New York Mixed Martial Arts

New York Mixed Martial Arts is an enthralling documentary that provides a back seat view of the grass roots struggle to legalize and regulate the professional sport of mixed martial arts (MMA) in New York State.

New York is one of a handful of states in which MMA is still criminalized; sacrificing fighter safety, jobs and millions of dollars in revenue to neighboring states and countries since 1997. In his first feature length film, Kahleem Poole-Tejada presnt an intimate account of the struggle to legalize MMA seen through the lens of one amateur fighter’s (Brandley Desir) quest to turn professional under the guidance of his coach. Viewers are offered a rare glimpse behind the curtain of political, sometimes frightening and always exciting world of mixed martial arts.

Movie Review: New York Mixed Martial Arts

The official plot of the documentary is that it follows promising amateur fighter and Fordham University student Brad Desir as his process of breaking in to professional MMA mirrors the process of MMA coming to New York. While the synopsis isn't necessarily untrue, it is slightly misleading. The film is not so firmly structured and functions more as a character piece for the soul of the state's unique MMA culture.
One of the most important scenes in the film is not those high-profile public appearances from fighters, but is actually from a roundtable discussion conducted by the “Coalition to Legalize MMA in NY”, which brought together members of the MMA press, gym owners, and fight promoters in the same room as New York politicians. As Frank Shamrock said during the rally, which is also featured in the documentary, politicians upstate have no idea about the problem with MMA in NY and most are in favor of it and recognize the boost it would give the states economy. The problem is not enough people speaking up to inform the people in power of what is happening and why this issue is so important to them
Overall, everyone will gain something from seeing this film beyond simple entertainment. Anyone who isn't involved in New York's MMA scene will learn something very sincere and personal about it. And all those already in the trenches will come out in support of their own, as they always have in the past
I highly recommend people check this movie out, not just to show your support for MMA in NY or this filmmaker, but because this is the most important MMA documentary of the year. If you live in New York and do not see this film, you are simply not a fan of MMA.

STARRING : Bradley Desir, Stephen Koepfer, Tyga Maclin, Eddie Goldman, Paula Romero, Justin Klien, Josh Barnett and Gesias Cavalcante

DIRECTORS : Kahleem Poole, Reggie Hines