Brawl on Wall: Amateur MMA bouts at BSP

Finch started TNT nearly two years ago with the owner of Enzo’s Pizza, Taso Giannoulis, and operates the 1,100-square-foot gym next to Rent-A-Center at 793 Broadway. About three-dozen men, women and children train there, taking cardio, strength-training or MMA classes; membership ranges from $60-$80 per month. Finch works with children in his gym as young as 4, as well as autistic children. TNT offers boxing, wrestling, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and strength and conditioning, with classes running Mondays through Saturdays; nutritional counseling and programs are available too. Finch said older students training as well, the oldest gentleman MMA training at the tender age of 62. Finch even trains his mother and father-in-law. TNT will be moving to 773 Broadway in January, exponentially blowing up the gym’s square-footage to 7,000, including a separate studio for dance and Zumba, a full MMA cage, women’s cardio kickboxing, a weight room, juice bar and sauna. TNT will offer women’s self-defense seminars as well.

All thanks to the champ

Finch, a 2005 Kingston High School graduate, said he was a foster child when he was younger, and would likely be in prison today had it not been for Costello pulling him out of street fights and pushing him into the Police Athletic League’s boxing ring. Finch said he suspects Costello took a liking to him upon Finch knocking his opponent in the first round, with a left hook — Costello’s signature move. Thereafter, Costello invested heavily in Finch, he said, also welcoming him into his home. Finch soon became Costello’s first committed student. “I was on a bad road,” said Finch. “I lived with all my friends in high school. I was not looking for a father figure, but [Costello] took me in, cooked me dinner every night, and took me, in like a father. [Kingston police officer] Aaron Fitzgerald helped me out. If it wasn’t for [Costello], I would be in jail. [Costello] was the most straight-up person — if he had something on his mind, he was going to tell you.  If I wasn’t up to his standards with my attendance or wasn’t on point, I would know. He gave me a lot of advice.”

Finch said he coaches his students with the similar style in which Costello coached him.

Wait, isn’t this dangerous?

Injuries? Bleed much? “We don’t talk about injuries,” Finch, Colon and Manna all said, quickly shutting down the question with stalwart silence. “It’s a jinx,” explained Colon.

“No fighter ever fights at one-hundred percent,” said Finch. “You are always fighting with a broken toe, something. Someone always has something wrong with them. If you’re not fighting with an injury then you’re not training hard enough.”

The men might not talk about their own injuries, but they’re more willing to talk about injuries they’ve inflicted. “I’ve broken someone’s nose,” said Colon. “I mean I’m there to fight, but not out to permanently injure opponents. If it happens then it happens but my goal is to beat them, knowing they can fight another day, not beat them trying to ruin their careers.”

Finch advises that one need not be an athlete to participate in MMA, but one does need to be committed, and motivated. “Some of the best fighters in the world are shitty athletes,” he said. For tickets, call TNT at (845) 706-9253. Doors at BSP will open at 5 p.m., and fights start at 6.