Call to All to Legalize MMA in the state of New York

Believe it or not, there are still a few states who have not legalized the sport of MMA despite the advances that have been made in regards to the sport especially around the rule sets and, not to mention, the popularity it has gained among mainstream spectators. The fighters work hard, are trained athletes and deserve the respect and recognition that comes to most world-class athletes in their areas of expertise.

Please see below for a personal plea from the President of the American Sambo Association. Do what you can and support the sport-even if you don't live in New York!! Details below:

"As friends, members, and supporters of the American Sambo Association, you have often come to our aid with many projects in the past. Now, I have a VERY CRITICAL favor to ask all of you who love the sport of MMA and want to see MMA legalized in New York State.

Do you want to see Mixed Martial Arts at Madison Square Garden?
Do you want to see Mixed Martial Arts at Nassau Coliseum?
Do you want to see Mixed Martial Arts at the HSBC Arena?
Do you want to see Mixed Martial Arts at the Blue Cross Arena?
Do you want to see smaller local shows in your town?

YOU HAVE TO ACT NOW!

THE NEW YORK LEGISLATIVE CALENDAR BEGINS JANUARY 5TH, 2011.

LET OUR OFFICIALS KNOW WHAT WE WANT ON DAY ONE!

For years now, we have sat back and let the lobbyists do our work for us with little result. It is time to admit that petitions don't work, lobby dollars only go so far, and that the only way our elected officials will act is if we tell them to act...ourselves!

Below are links to letters which I strongly encourage you to download, print out, fill out and mail to your NY State Senator AND Assembly person. THEY NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU DIRECTLY!

If you are a business owner, gym owner, promoter, or just a fan there is a letter for you. Please do not ignore this.

Gym owner's letter: http://ussambo.com/mmany/gymletter.doc
Business owner's letter: http://ussambo.com/mmany/businessletter.doc
Promoter's letter: http://ussambo.com/mmany/promoterletter.doc
Fan's Letter: http://ussambo.com/mmany/fanletter.doc

To find out who your local Senator and Assembly person is and where to mail your letters, visit the following links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_New_York_State_Senators
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_members_of_the_New_York_State_Assembly

If you are not a New Yorker, but still would like to see MMA legalized in New York, please use these letters as a guide and mail one to Governor-elect Andrew Cuomo.
http://www.ag.ny.gov/contact.html (currently)
http://www.state.ny.us/governor/contact/index.html (in 2011)

Thank you in advance for all your support!

LET'S MAKE THIS HAPPEN IN 2011.

Stephen Koepfer
President, American Sambo Association
Head Coach, New York Combat Sambo
PO Box 5773
Long Island City, NY 11105
www.ussambo.com
www.nycombatsambo.com"

Meet the ECS Coaching Staff!

Grant Gilliam - Head ECS Coach

Grant Gilliam has been training in the Martial Arts for over 27 years. Grant’s philosophy and approach to training has always been diverse, and he strongly believes in achieving a balance between striking and grappling. He has competed in a wide range of competitions including, Shootfighting, Mixed Martial Arts, Judo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Submission Grappling, and Wrestling. Grant holds a record of 5-0 in early NHB/MMA bouts and has won and placed in national and international level tournaments in BJJ, Judo, and Submission Grappling. He is also a former Shootfighting Champion.

Grant is a dedicated Russian Sambo coach and continual student and is working diligently with the ASA to bring a quality Combat Sambo program to Texas. He is also a nationally certified Freestyle Sambo referee.

Grant is working under the direction of his BJJ coach Gustavo Dantas and Nova Uniao to build a quality Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu program at ECS. Grant has been cross training in BJJ since 1995 and is now offering a dedicated program to this art.

Grant is also working under the direction of Shihan David Parritt in the principals of “ Old School” Kodokan Judo and Japanese Combat Ju-Jitsu (Nihon Ju-Jitsu) and strongly believes them to be a highly efficient method of hand to hand combat and will continue train and teach these principals at ECS.

Ranks Held: 3rd Degree Black Belt in Nihon Ju-Jitsu, 2nd degree Black Belt in Judo and Jiu-Jitsu, Purple Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu




Marie Gilliam - Head ECS Coach

Marie Gilliam has been working as the ECS striking coach for the past 8 years. She has focused particularly on hand-to-hand combat striking and has instructed many classes in personal protection. Marie was a fierce competitor for the kickboxing teams Nick's Kicks and MKT under Kickboxing Pioneer Shihan Nico Fernandez in Phoenix, Arizona. Marie had a nearly undefeated record in full contact Kickboxing with her one and only loss coming from a split decision loss in a California title bout. In her twenty years of training, Marie has received extensive exposure to Boxing, Muay Thai, Kenpo, Jiu-Jitsu, Nihon Ju-Jitsu, and Combat Sambo. During her early years, Marie also competed in dozens of sparring, forms and weapons competitions in Tae Kwon Do winning many open tournaments.

In addition to martial arts training, Marie has a background as a federal law enforcement (FBI) agent and has trained in a variety of tactical weapon methods associated with that field. She has also focused extensively on women's self defense, instructing many classes in personal protection and rape awareness/avoidance.

Ranks Held: ECS Full Striking Instructor, Purple Belt ECS Jiu-Jitsu Program, 2nd degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do




Travis Joyner - BJJ Instructor

Travis Joyner has been studying various forms of martial arts since he was a child including Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for over the last 6 years. He has had the opportunity to learn and study BJJ under several instructors including Ernesto Peralez, Rudy Vasquez, Dave Phillips, Rolles Gracie Jr., Igor Gracie, and Ze Mario Esfiha.

Travis has also studied western boxing and Muay Thai for several years under Rudy Vasquez and has had to opportunity to train with and learn from several mixed martial arts fighters and trainers including Pat Miletich, Frank Shamrock, Nick “The Ghost” Gonzalez, Matt Thompson, and Ben Rothwell. Travis has studied other styles of martial arts including Judo, Krav Maga, Tae Kwon Do, and most recently Combat Sambo.

Travis has been competing since 2004, and he has competed in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu , Submission wrestling, No-Gi grappling, Freestyle Sambo and Mixed Martial Arts.

Ranks held: Brown Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu




Paul Furse - Muay Thai Instructor

Paul Furse has trained in Martial Arts for over twelve years. He is a seasoned striker training in Muay Thai, San Shou, Boxing, Judo, Aiki-Jitsu, Grappling and MMA. Known for his devastating kicks, Paul has spent time in both the ring and the cage. Paul has primarily trained in European-style Muay Thai with coaches from Deutschland, Switzerland and the United States, but has trained with WMTA certified instructors direct from Thailand as well. His San Shou instruction came direct from Grand Master Shawn Liu who helped bring San Shou to the United States, and his grappling, Judo and Aiki-Jitsu were led by various law-enforcement and military officials. Paul is a very technical fighter who both believes in and enforces the merits of proper technique. He believes that true power and dominance can be achieved only through technique and conditioning. Paul’s classes are governed by the philosophy, “Train how you fight; so train to win.”




Pat Goode - Assistant Sambo Instructor

Pat has been training in Shuai Chiao (Chinese Wrestling) for 7 years and is working on his instructor status under Master John Wang. He has also been immersed in training at ECS for the past two years in the all the ECS programs. He has competed and placed in several local and National Shuai Chiao competitions. He is a nationally certified freestyle Sambo referee as well has having trained with some of the best Sambo coaches in the country.

Ranks held: Yonkyu in Judo under (USJA), Yonkyu in Nihon Ju-Jitsu under (USJJF), Certified Freestyle Sambo Referee (ASA)