MAGA World Invades Glens Falls for Free MMA Event
Congressional hopeful Anthony Constantino and conservative political figure Roger Stone attend the Cage Wars 69 MMA event in Glens Falls on Feb. 7. Photo by Jonathon Norcross.
GLENS FALLS — A black Cybertruck adorned with “Anthony Constantino for Congress” stickers pulled into an empty parking space near the Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls last Friday night, signaling that MAGA world had rolled into town.
The guests of honor at the arena’s “Cage Wars 69” mixed-martial arts (MMA) event were the 21st congressional district hopeful Constantino, and Roger Stone, a man once dubbed the “boastful black prince of Republican sleaze.” Stone – whose long career in conservative politics has landed him a front row seat to the Trump, Reagan, and Nixon presidencies – was dressed, per usual, to the nines, with a gray and blue suit draped over his famous back tattoo of Richard Nixon’s face.
His mentee Constantino was clad in all black, with a “fight fight fight” t-shirt appropriately referencing both the MMA event he self-financed (reportedly to the tune of around $50,000), as well as the memorable words shouted by Donald Trump after his assassination attempt last year at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Stone and Constantino posed for photos inside the arena in front of a step and repeat banner that featured a picture of Constantino. Then the aspiring congressman entered the octagon through a cloud of smoke and multi-colored lights as the song “We Are the World” blared, delivering a campaign speech to thousands of spectators.
“I watched on the sidelines for eight years as people were very disrespectful to our favorite president and, more importantly, to his supporters,” Constantino said while imitating Trump’s signature hand gestures. “I ended up deciding to speak up after he was shot. I saw him shot in Butler and I immediately spoke up and endorsed him. It became the most viral endorsement of the 2024 campaign cycle.”
Constantino’s rapid ascendancy to political fame began around the end of last year, when he stationed a 100-foot-wide, lit-up “Vote for Trump” sign atop the Amsterdam, New York headquarters of Sticker Mule, a printing company he owns. The sign and the subsequent kerfuffle it inspired resulted in a New York Times article that caught Trump’s attention. When Elise Stefanik was nominated to serve as Trump’s United Nations ambassador, thus likely leaving a vacancy in the 21st congressional district (which now includes the northeastern parts of Saratoga County), Constantino decided to leverage his celebrity into a bonafide political career.
“I want to be honest. I’m interested in running not just to be your congressman, I’m interested in being the best congressman in the United States of America,” Constantino said to the chattering, half-interested crowd.
Constantino elaborated on some of his political priorities, which include bringing high-speed internet and cellphone service to the district to encourage the creation of internet businesses and remote jobs; securing the Canadian border to prevent “drugs, crime, terrorism, and low wage workers from pouring into our district”; cutting regulations that hinder the sale of raw milk; finishing the Fort Drum missile defense system; and enticing people to live in New York to help offset the state’s recent population loss.
Regardless of how the thousands of fight fans felt about the political nature of the event, none could complain about the cost. Admission to the event was free, and the arena entrance was stocked with complimentary “Constantino for Congress” merch. Constantino later said that the 4,000 people in attendance constituted “the biggest amateur MMA event in [New York State] history.”
The fight card included Joe Crabill defeating Stephen Persaud in the main event lightweight title contest via unanimous decision, Malang Susso beating Alex Williams in a co-main event welterweight title fight, and Arben Loga besting Husan Jamshidov via unanimous decision in a flyweight championship bout.
The event was held at the Cool Insuring Arena after Cage Wars’ former host, the Rivers Casino & Resort in Schenectady, severed ties with the fight promoter earlier this year. The casino said the decision to send Cage Wars elsewhere was strictly business, but Constantino has alleged it was politically motivated.