![]() ![]() “I’ve learned from it.Black belt in Gaidojutsu under Greg Jackson There are both proponents and opponents to the legalization measure on both floors of the state Legislature.īut Carlo-Clauss pushes on. Andrew Cuomo excluded the proposal of legalization of the sport in his most recent budget, which was a huge disappointment to MMA supporters. New York is one of only six states that has declared mixed martial arts illegal. Three other New York fighters including Marc Stevens, John Cholish, John Salgado, Gian Villante and Anthony Leone, fought on the Feb. His record fell to 7-5.įighting so close to home was bittersweet for Carlo-Clauss and the several other fighters from New York as mixed martial arts is illegal in the state. He lost to Sam Oropeza via submission in the first round. “The goal has always been to get on a big show.”Ĭarlo-Clauss’s first big show didn’t go as planned. 12 at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, N.J., was aired live on the cable television channel HDNet. Being on the undercard meant his fight, on Feb. “Nothing’s guaranteed.”Ĭarlo-Clauss’s hard work and commitment to the sport paid off when he was asked to fight on a card promoted by Strikeforce that was aired on Showtime. “It’s a tough lifestyle,” said Ciotoli, who manages and trains Carlo-Clauss. Now, mixed martial arts is his life he breathes, eats and sleeps mixed martial arts. He quit his job at Paychex and moved to Ithaca to commit to the sport he is willing to be knocked unconscious for - a sport he is willing to bleed for. That’s when Carlo-Clauss took a leap of faith. He had a few amateur fights, and it was slowly becoming an addiction. ![]() His passion slowly started turning into a labor of love. He started scaling back his hours at work and training more and more. “Anytime I could, I would head down to Cortland.” “Those were some pretty lean times,” admits Carlo-Clauss. He was working full time and still pouring the dedication it took to be an amateur fighter. He started traveling to the gym several times a week - Carlo-Clauss was a road warrior. “We had a mat and a couple heavy bags,” said Carlo-Clauss. ![]() At that time the gym, Team BombSquad, had been operating out of a barn behind owner and operator Ryan Ciotoli’s house. That’s when the sport exploded.Īs Carlo-Clauss was training more and more, and the sport was growing larger, he heard of a gym in Cortland that was training some of the best fighters in the state. It was in 2005, just as mixed martial arts was being thrust into mainstream as the sport’s main organization, the UFC, would air a reality show called “The Ultimate Fighter” on cable television. He started training with several different area gyms. “I kind of had some unfinished business.” “I had a void in my life,” said Carlo-Clauss. He moved back to Rochester, landing a job at Paychex and coaching wrestling at Brockport. “I definitely fell short of my goals as far as wrestling went,” said Carlo-Clauss.Īfter his competitive career seemingly ended after graduating, Carlo-Clauss entered the real world. His collegiate career didn’t go as planned. He took his skills to Division I after graduating from Greece Olympia in 1998, competing for the University of Virginia. Championship bouts are five 5- minute rounds.Ĭarlo-Clauss was a two-time state champion wrestler at Greece Olympia in the 140-pound weight division. Mixed martial arts is the fastest growing sport in the world, and Carlo-Clauss is among many athletes who are climbing the ranks in this widely popular sport.įighters use various skills from karate, jiu-jitsu, wrestling, judo and any other form of martial arts to either knock their opponent unconscious or inflict enough pain to make them flat-out quit in the middle of the fight. “I get to wake up every day and do what I love,” said Carlo-Clauss, who is 30. He spends his days sparring and rolling around on mats in hopes of being the best the sport has to offer. The collegiate-wrestler-turned-professional fighter now lives in Ithaca where he trains and helps other up-and-coming fighters. He’s a professional mixed martial artist - a modern day gladiator. Don Carlo-Clauss punches people in the face for a living.Ĭarlo-Clauss, a Greece native, is a fighter. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |