LaFlare dominates in win
(Brooklyn, NY., February 13, 2017) – Long Island’s Ryan LaFlare helped save a rather lackluster UFC 208 card at the Barclays Center on Saturday.
With nine of the ten fights all going to the judges, including the main event, which saw the inaugural 145 pound women’s division take place, LaFlare helped the thousands in attendance root for the New York native.
The 33-year-old took on Roan Carneiro as the first fight of the night. With hundreds of family and friends in attendance, he wanted to put on a good show, not just for his closest of kin, but to the fans and to the sport he helped lobby to get legalized in his home state.
He didn’t miss a beat as he took home an unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 29-28) over Carneiro to help move his record to 13-1.
To watch LaFlare walk out to the Octagon, please CLICK HERE.
The Lindenhurst resident has enjoyed an impressive MMA career thus far. Now, at 13-1, LaFlare has lost only one fight in eight years. His only loss was to Demain Maia on March 21, 2015, but he quickly avenged that defeat by winning his next bout on December 11, 2015 on UFC TUF Finale 22, defeating Mike Pierce via unanimous decision.
Fighting out of Long Island MMA, LaFlare is a Nassau Coummunity College graduate and was born and raised on Long Island.
With notable wins over Court McGee (UFC on Fox 9) and John Howard (UFC Fight Night 39), LaFlare is one of the most well-decorated fighters on Long Island.
LaFlare was scheduled to fight on July 23, 2016 at UFC on Fox in Chicago, but pulled out due to an injury.
He came out against Carneiro with several leg kicks in the first round to set the tone early. In the second round, he dropped Carneiro (21-11) twice with two vicious left hands. The second let LaFlare swarm in for the takedown as Carneiro dropped, easily letting LaFlare win the round.
To see a big takedown by LaFlare, CLICK HERE.
In the third, other than fighting off a late submission attempt by Carneiro, LaFlare coasted to his second straight win.
LaFlare took to social media after the fight, saying “It has been a dream of mine to be able to fight and win in my home state of New York. It was an honor to have everyone come out and support me with the first ever win at the @barclayscenter Brooklyn.”
In the main event, in the first-ever fight in the new 145 pound women’s division, Germaine de Randamie defeated Holly Holm via unanimous decision to take home the belt.
This night saw history, as de Randamie wore the new gold around her waist, but the night belonged to LaFlare and thousands of New Yorker’s who saw the first-ever MMA fight in Brooklyn.
MMA Long Island Magazine is published by MMA New York Media Corporation. For more information please visit www.mmalongislandmagazine.com or call (516) 318-2418.
Photo credit: mmajunkie.com
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