Congress hopeful plans free MMA in Glens Falls

Anthony Constantino, the CEO of the Sticker Mule business in Amsterdam, announced he will host and pay for a “FREE Cage Wars event at the Glens Falls Cool Insuring Arena on February 7th, 2025.”

Asked about it, Arena executive director Jeff Mead did not confirm it’s happening.

“We’ve been discussing hosting Cage Wars at the Cool Insuring Arena,” Mr. Mead did tell The Chronicle, without specifying promoters or personnel. “Until contracts are signed we don’t comment on events.”

Mr. Constantino is seeking the Congressional seat Elise Stefanik will vacate upon expected confirmation as Ambassador to the United Nations.

Mr. Constantino’s release said political operative Roger Stone and former MMA fighter Jorge Masvidal will make appearances “to speak in support of Cage Wars.”

Mr. Constantino was quoted, “A little bird told me a Democrat politician illegally pressured Rivers Casino to give Cage Wars the boot to hurt me. I immediately decided to support this great local business by throwing a bigger event at the historic Glens Falls Cool Insuring Arena.”

The release said, “The free event, which starts at 6pm on Friday, February 7th, features 10 amateur MMA fights and will be headlined by Glens Falls legend Matt Secor, who fought in the UFC and operates the highly popular Matt Secor BJJ gym in Glens Falls.”

As to why he chose the Cool Insuring Arena, Mr. Constantino told The Chronicle Tuesday, “It’s a cool place. It has some significance for me — it’s where I wrestled in the finals of the Section II wrestling tournament when I was in high school.

“It’s a great venue. The wrestlers love it, and wrestlers love MMA. So I thought it made a lot of sense….”

“Special guest” Roger Stone was convicted in November 2019 on seven felony counts including witness tampering, obstructing an official proceeding, and five counts of making false statements.

In July 2020, days before he was scheduled to report to prison, then-President Donald Trump commuted his sentence. President Trump then pardoned Mr. Stone in December 2020.

Mr. Constantino said, “Roger’s become a friend of mine. I really like Roger. Roger was one of the first people cancelled by Twitter. He’s been fighting for free speech and America First principles for a long time. He’s one of the earlier supporters of President Trump, and he’s one of my earliest political supporters. So I asked him if he’d be interested in attending. He said he’d be glad to, in support of me.”

The Chronicle asked Mr. Constantino how he responds to people saying he’s trying to buy support by paying for a free event at the arena.

“I think we’re helping Cage Wars,” he replied. “I asked them what it would cost, and the price was very reasonable. So I said, on that basis, let’s do something very exciting for the people. Whenever people hit me or a friend of mine I like to respond and I want to do the right thing.

“I think it’s the best way to bring attention to corruption. I’m going to use all the attention this event is getting to expose wrongdoing.”

The Chronicle raised another topic with Mr. Constantino. Chronicle reporter Ben Westcott had seen on social media a music video in which Mr. Constantino appeared alongside rappers on a plane.

The Chronicle asked him about it.

“The guy that made that song is a huge Trump supporter,” he said. “He did everything he could to try to get more people voting Republican who wouldn’t ordinarily vote Republican. So out of loyalty to him, I helped him with the music video and he asked me to be in it. I wasn’t planning on being political at the time, but I strongly believe we need to turn New York red, and we need people like the rapper that made that video talking to people that wouldn’t ordinarily vote Republican and getting them to vote Republican.”

The Chronicle asked what Mr. Constantino would say to people who think that someone running for Congress shouldn’t be in a video that has curse words or themes that are risque. He replied, “President Trump secured a massive landslide victory because he has relationships with people from all different backgrounds, including many people in the rap community. We need to turn New York red. We need to do that by reaching out to people that wouldn’t ordinarily vote Republican.”

Republican county chairs in NY-21 will determine who the party puts up to run for the seat Mr. Constantino is seeking.

“We’ve spoken to almost all of them,” he said. “I’ve got a vision for making the state better, bringing people back, turning it more red, supporting the party. I think I’m the most talented person available. I’m self-funding my own race, so I won’t be a drain on party resources. And I’m the strongest supporter of President Trump’s America First principles.”

The Chronicle asked if Mr. Constantino would run as an Independent if he doesn’t get the Republican nod. “I have no interest in running as an Independent,” he said. — Reporting by Ben Westcott, Zander Frost & Cathy DeDe

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