Ray Longo

UFC accused of ‘Favoritism’ toward Islam Makhachev amid Aljamain Sterling rift: ‘It’s the inconsistency’

Ray Longo has claimed that the UFC are showing what he described as “favoritism” toward lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev – when compared with the quickfire turnaround they are currently targeting for bantamweight counterpart, Aljamain Sterling. Most recently headlining UFC 284 back in February of this year, Islam Makhachev successfully defended his lightweight title from the […]

Most recently headlining UFC 284 back in February of this year, Islam Makhachev successfully defended his lightweight title from the siege of featherweight titleholder, Alexander Volkanovski, landing a unanimous decision victory in their Perth, Australia outing.

Expected to make a return atop a UFC 294 pay-per-view card in Abu Dhabi, UAE in October, Islam Makhachev revealed in the weeks following his win over Volkanovski, how UFC brass had encouraged him to take some time off and prepare to compete toward the end of the year on the October card in the Middle East.

However, as for Sterling, the Uniondale native has once more engaged in a war of words of sorts with UFC leader, Dana White, pointing to the timely comeback they expect from him – with a UFC 292 title fight against Sean O’Malley announced officially, just weeks after he defeated Henry Cejudo this month at UFC 288.

UFC accused of showing “favoritism” toward lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev

As far as Longo is concerned, the long-time head coach would like to see some consistency from the UFC when it comes to them booking certain champions on their schedule, claiming there appears to be some form of “favoritism” at play for Islam Makhachev.

“To me, in business and even down here, you know what people like, consistency,” Ray Longo said on The Anik and Florian Podcast. “Like if I come in here, everybody pays $200 a month, and then they’re walking around the gym, and someone says no, he only charges me $75. That’s not good, you know what I mean? It’s got to be consistent. That’s why I said we’re giving examples where it seems like favoritism almost, you know.”

“I think it’s the inconsistency of well [Islam] Makhachev hasn’t fought in a year (sic), why are you forcing me to fight in two months like that’s where I have a problem,” Longo explained. “I like fairness, and I like the transparency of knowing everybody’s doing the same thing. Like if Dana (White) wanted to turn everybody around every two months, then that’s it, that’s what you signed up for. This is their rules. It’s their company. He built it up. He gets to call the shots, but to do one thing one time and not the other time, I think that’s where it gets a little sticky for me.” (Transcribed by MMA News)

UFC Hall of Famer Matt Serra once bit a man’s ear off during a fight: ‘As a coach I’m like, I got a fighter’

Legendary MMA coach Ray Longo recently shared a long-lost Matt Serra story, revealing that the former UFC welterweight champion had once bitten a man’s ear off during a fight. Longo, who currently presides as the head coach of the Serra-Longo Fight Team in New York, has made his mark in mixed martial arts by coaching […]

Legendary MMA coach Ray Longo recently shared a long-lost Matt Serra story, revealing that the former UFC welterweight champion had once bitten a man’s ear off during a fight.

Longo, who currently presides as the head coach of the Serra-Longo Fight Team in New York, has made his mark in mixed martial arts by coaching some of the biggest names in the sport, including Chris Weidman, reigning bantamweight world champion Aljamain Sterling, and, of course, Matt Serra. Joining the gentlemen on Morning Kombat’s Room Service Diaries, Longo went into great detail breaking down his legendary career. Along the way, Longo shared some pretty crazy stories, including an incident where his Hall of Fame pupil did his best Mike Tyson impersonation while defending himself.

“When I met Matt Serra, my gym was down the block from the courthouse in Nassau County and he’s in court because he bit a guy’s ear off in a fight,” Longo revealed. “He doesn’t mind me saying this now. We never really talked about this. He’s at the pizza parlor, he calls his girlfriend up…

“I could get this story a little wrong too, but he calls his girlfriend up, the brother picks up the phone and basically tells him to go f*ck himself. Matt tells him to go f*ck himself. The guy’s a juice head. He runs down, breaks his boss’ nose. He grabs Serra in the back… This is before jiu-jitsu. He’ll always say, ‘If I knew jiu-jitsu, this would have never happened.’

“He bit the guy’s ear completely off. As a coach I’m like, ‘I got a fighter. This is the shit I’m looking for,’ you know what I mean. Once you’ve got the balls, it’s easy. If you’ve got a guy who’s gun-shy, you can show him all the boxing you want. He doesn’t want to get hit. There’s nothing you can do about it unless you figure out a way to make him at ease with that which obviously there’s ways to do.

Ray Longo said on the most recent episode of Room Service Diaries with @lthomasnews & @BCampbell that Chris Weidman, Matt Serra & Aljamain Sterling all live within 3 miles of the Serra-Longo gym. All champions. It’s incredible what Longo and that team has done for Long Island.

— Hannah Rose (@mrsmmacasual) May 23, 2023

“He beats the criminal case,” Longo continued. “Then they sue him for like 12 million civilly and he’s coming to court every day. We’re hanging out talking and the guy… It was total self-defense, but the guy was saying Serra knocked him down then he bent over and bit his ear off. I’m like, ‘Dude, if you did that I want you to get the f*ck out of the gym.’ That’s a different level. Self-defense is one thing, but that’s cannibalism at that point.”

Longo went on to confirm that Matt Serra beat the civil suit while also revealing that the man who lost an ear was fitted with a prosthetic piece at some point afterward.

Matt Serra’s Hall of Fame Career Highlighted by ‘Upset of the Decade’ Against GSP

Matt Serra’s career in mixed martial arts lasted little more than a decade. During that run, he amassed a record of 11-7 and is credited with scoring the biggest upset in UFC history after defeating then-welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre at UFC 69 in 2007 via a first-round knockout. Serra would hand the title back to GSP one year later. He would drop three of his last four contests en route to his retirement in 2012.

Serra was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2018 as part of the pioneer wing. His win over St-Pierre was also dubbed the upset of the decade by Sports Illustrated.

Ray Longo defends Jon Anik, blasts Colby Covington: ‘Leave the f*cking kids out of it, you’re a complete idiot’

Veteran mixed martial arts head coach, Ray Longo has jumped to the defense of his fellow podcast host, UFC play-by-play lead, Jon Anik – blasting UFC welterweight contender, Colby Covington after the latter fired barbs at Anik during a scathing rant following UFC 286 earlier this month, Receiving major flak for his comments, Covington, a […]

Receiving major flak for his comments, Covington, a former interim welterweight champion, claimed he would not like to see Anik’s children grow up without their father, before threatening the UFC commentator, leading to an outpouring of support from fighters under the UFC’s banner and the wider mixed martial arts community.

Ray Longo hits out at Colby Covington in defense of Jon Anik

Notably, Anik’s podcast co-host, the above-mentioned, Longo explained how he no longer cared if Covington was just utilizing an act to drum up interest from fans, calling for the Clovis native – whom he labelled a “complete idiot” to leave kids out of promotional material.

“If I hear one more person say, ‘It’s just an act,’ – stop with it,” Ray Longo said during an appearance on Anik & Longo. “You do have young kids, right? An 11-year-old and a 12-year-old, they don’t have the defense mechanisms to determine if it’s an act or not. So, you can have your f*cking act, but leave the f*cking kids out of it, you’re a complete idiot.”

“… If he had kids – to be even remotely, remotely affected by that, Jon (Anik) – I don’t care if it’s an act or not,” Ray Longo explained, “Get your act together and change it then.”

Himself addressing the threat levelled toward him from Covington, Anik admitted that he was surprised to have been dragged into the former’s rivalry with Belal Muhammad, and explained how he will likely have to address the threat made with his young children in the coming days.

“It’s sort of weird for me to be trust into the middle of all the promotion, right,” Jon Anik said. “And there’s two sides of it, I certainly don’t really feel like there’s any sort of legitimate threat there. But, yes, my 11-year-old daughter, obviously is going to come across that soundbite either on Snapchat or somewhere, and I’m going to have to have that conversation. I think even Colby (Covington) would admit to me privately that he crossed the line.”

DOB: N/AGym: Serra-Longo MMALocation: Long Island, New YorkMartial Arts Background: Boxing, Jeet Kune Do, JudoNotable Fighters: Matt Serra, Chris Weidman, Al Iaquinta Ray Longo’s beginnings in martial arts The New York native Ray Longo has been training in various martial arts since he was a kid. One of the first martial arts that Longo took […]

DOB: N/A
Gym: Serra-Longo MMA
Location: Long Island, New York
Martial Arts Background: Boxing, Jeet Kune Do, Judo
Notable Fighters: Matt Serra, Chris Weidman, Al Iaquinta

Ray Longo’s beginnings in martial arts

The New York native Ray Longo has been training in various martial arts since he was a kid. One of the first martial arts that Longo took up was boxing.

He loved the sport and the training, but Longo would focus more on his education than a fighting career. Ray would graduate from St John’s with an accounting degree, but would still train and later coach fighters.

During the day, Ray would work a normal job and at night would run his gym, Longo’s International Martial Arts Academy. Training his students in a variety of martial arts from Jeet Kune Do, boxing, and grappling.

Longo meets Matt Serra

Longo met UFC veteran Matt Serra at a Judo school when Serra was just 17 years old. They became immediate friends and Longo would invite Serra to his gym to train striking.

Matt was a young aspiring fighter, so Longo would become his trainer. Their friendship has lasted 30 years first as a fighter and coach and then business partners.

Serra-Longo Fight Team

A year after Matt Serra received his black belt from Renzo Gracie, he and Longo would open a gym together. Serra-Longo Fight Team located in Long Island, New York.

Together Longo and Serra would grow their academy and become the best martial arts school in the Long Island area.

Ray Longo the MMA coach

Ray Longo has been cornering MMA fighters like business partner Matt Serra since the mid 90s.

In 2007, Longo began getting recognition after Matt Serra pulled off one of the biggest upsets in UFC history. Knocking out Georges St Pierre to become the UFC welterweight champion.

Serra credited his longtime coach Longo for coming up with the game plan to take out GSP. Ray would get more spotlight on season 6 of The Ultimate Fighter as an assistant coach for Matt Serra.

6 years later, Longo would help orchestrate another one of the greatest upsets in UFC history. Chris Weidman would KO Anderson Silva at UFC 163 to end the greatest title reign ever in MMA.

Notable fighters

In nearly 40 years of being a trainer, Longo has worked with some of the world’s best fighters. Including Matt Serra, Chris Weidman, Al Iaquinta, and Aljamain Sterling.

Matt Serra

One of Longo’s first fighters was longtime friend and business partner Matt Serra. At first, Serra would meet Longo and train together at a judo school in New York.

Longo would soon become Serra’s striking coach at the same time he would train BJJ with Renzo Gracie.

Serra would win his first four MMA fights with the help of Longo. During this time, Serra would also earn his BJJ black belt from Renzo Gracie and open a martial arts school with Long. Serra-Longo Fight team.

Matt would have his first stint in the UFC going 4-4 in his first 8 fights. He would then be offered a spot on the comeback season of TUF.

After beating Chris Lytle in the finals, Serra would earn his title shot against champion Georges St Pierre. With the help of Longo, Serra would shock the world by stopping GSP in the first round to become champion.

It would be the highlight of Serra’s career as he would go 1-3 before retiring from fighting. Today, he still runs his successful school with Longo, as well as hosting his own podcast and various MMA shows.

Chris Weidman

Like with Serra, Ray Longo has been working with Chris Weidman since he got into the sport. Weidman would become one of the most talented fighters if not the most talented that Longo has worked with.

He would enter the UFC after just 4 fights and win his first 5 fights in the promotion. 3 of 5 of those wins were finishes with 3 of those wins coming against top 10 fighters in the division.

This win streak would put him against champion Anderson Silva. The odds were against Weidman, but he would pull off one of the biggest upsets in UFC history.

Stopping one of the greatest champions of all time in the 2nd round to become middleweight champion. Chris would defend his title 3 times before losing it to Luke Rockhold.

Aljamain Sterling

The third fighter that Longo helped train to a world title with Matt Serra was bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling .

Sterling is a native New Yorker that wrestled in college with Jon Jones. He was initially encouraged by Jones to get into MMA after his wrestling career was done.

After training with the BombSquad before going to train at Serra-Longo Fight Team. Together, they would go 8-0 before Sterling would make it to the UFC in 2014

Aljamain would win his first 4 fights in the UFC before taking the first two losses of his career. After those losses, Sterling would go 2-1 and then go on a 5 fight winning streak.

His last fight with Longo and Serra in his corner would earn him a first round submission win. After leaving Serra and Longo, Sterling would win the bantamweight championship by DQ.

Ray Longo’s legacy

Ray Longo has done it all as a MMA coach. He has been part of two of the biggest upsets in MMA history and has coached 3 UFC champions;

Longo along with Serra are two of the most liked coaches in all of MMA and Jiu Jitsu. For over 40 years, Longo has proven he is one of the best trainer’s in the business.

He now runs a martial arts academy with Chris Weidman along with being the head trainer at Serra-Longo Fight Team.

Ray Longo Praises Dustin Poirier vs. Dan Hooker But Doesn’t Think It’s ‘Fight of the Year’

Renowned head coach Ray Longo thinks Dustin Poirier vs. Dan Hooker had the “Round of the Year,” but it isn’t his choice for the 2020 “Fight of the Year.” Poirier and Hooker competed in a lightweight clash this past Saturda…

The post Ray Longo Praises Dustin Poirier vs. Dan Hooker But Doesn’t Think It’s ‘Fight of the Year’ appeared first on MMA News.

Coach: Aljamain Sterling Shouldn’t Sign Another Fight Unless It’s For The Title

Longo: ‘No Question’ Sterling Has Earned Title Shot For Ray Longo, it’s title shot or bust for Aljamain Sterling. Sterling earned his fifth win in a row following his impressive first-round submission victory over Cory Sandhagen at UFC 250 earlier this month. In the process, “Funk Master” cemented himself as the next in line for […]

Longo: ‘No Question’ Sterling Has Earned Title Shot

For Ray Longo, it’s title shot or bust for Aljamain Sterling.

Sterling earned his fifth win in a row following his impressive first-round submission victory over Cory Sandhagen at UFC 250 earlier this month.

In the process, “Funk Master” cemented himself as the next in line for a title shot with UFC president Dana White agreeing as much after the event. However, nothing is certain in this sport.

After all, not many would have expected Petr Yan to fighting Jose Aldo for the vacant bantamweight title at UFC 251 next month. Some may even argue that it should be Sterling facing Yan instead of Aldo.

Sterling’s head coach Longo even believes the fight with Sandhagen could have been a title fight in itself as he believes his pupil should not be fighting for anything less than a belt in his next outing.

“Over here we thought he deserved … this could have been a title fight,” Longo told MMA Junkie. “You had two really good guys on great winning streaks. Look, technically Aljo might be the uncrowned champ right now. Who the heck knows? But we always believed that he should have been fighting for a title, and if this is what he had to do to get there, to have that one more fight against a guy that’s right up there with him in the division, and that’s what he did.

“He couldn’t have had a better outcome, and now there’s absolutely no question he earned a title shot. … I wouldn’t sign a contract unless it’s for a title. I mean, he earned it. He deserves it, he works hard, and that’s what it’s all about.”

Sterling is certainly targeting the winner of that fight. In a recent interview, he stated how nobody could truly be considered the bantamweight champion until they took him out.

“Petr Yan may fight Jose Aldo and he may win the belt or Jose Aldo may win the belt but people are going to always look and see ‘you’ve got to beat this guy first’ and it gives me comfort knowing that people are behind me and realizing that my skills are dangerous and I’m a real threat to this division,” Sterling said. “In order to be considered the best, you have to take me out.”

Do you think Sterling is guaranteed the next title shot?