Times three, so retreat or suffer defeat, FNT is back, 3-peat.

When Weezy dropped the masterpiece that is C3, it solidified him as one of the most innovative minds in the game. The third installation in the Carter series was a smash, but it was birthed from years of grinding on mixtapes and features that connected to spoke to hip-hop heads in a different way.

Similarly, FNT has been speaking to fight fans and creatives in a different way for years and just hit it’s 3-peat with Vol. III of their sanctioned fight series, NY vs LA.

After back-to-back sold out shows in New York, the fight night party mob with its roots embedded in the city’s downtown scene jet-setted to the west coast to answer the age-old question. Who wants smoke: NYC or LA?

Founder/Evil Genius behind the brand, Bekim Trenova first debuted the state team concept back at SXSW in 2014 with NY vs TX. Trenova is taking FNT global, with LA and Miami being the first stops, which only makes sense.

See, FNT is more than just a fight or a party, it’s an event that captures the vibe of intersecting communities, communities that span state lines and borders.

Alongside MATTE Projects and Matchmakers Mike Washington (NYFE) and Ed Rivas (USKO), Trenova geared up hit squads on both coasts including Harveer Singh and Najeeb Jones who made appearances at Vol. I and II.

The third installment of the event this year held no bars with collabs from brands like Under Armour Sportstyle, Chinatown Market and Packwoods for merch and fighter gear.

Dead Cat clothing and Authentic Muay Thai Supply running booths as well and Boris Bidjan Saberi outfitting Trenova in one of their signature leather Jackets.

On paper, the night saw three disciplines of martial arts mixed in with music, dance, and art performances, but in person, it was much more.

Walking into the Avalon on November 16 almost felt like the opening sequence of Belly. Bodies surrounded the boxing ring in the Hollywood staple, filled with strobe lights and large displays playing FNT b-roll with the signature blood-red logo shining.

Listening to DJ Mess Kid bump Sheck Wes while baddies passed out Packwoods pre-rolls ahead of the bouts gave the room an enigmatic buzz of anticipation that you just had to be there to feel.

For a show with such high production value, Vol. III still maintained FNT’s unique, intimate feel. While there was some seating, the majority of the crowd is immersed around the ring watching the exhibition of multiple arts come together.

The fight card started off with Cali on Cali matchups that highlighted local guns from LA’s local fight scene and then transitioned to east coast vs west coast bouts later in the night followed by a set from DJ Ruckus and performance from west coast legend, Warren G.

What’s truly magical about FNT is how included you feel when you’re there. There’s something for everyone and while that something may be different, everyone is living in the moment together.

Next year, FNT will be forming a national league for fighters to knuckle up for a strap. Peep flicks from vol. III below from our homie @pictureperfectproductions_ and keep an eye out for FNT at NYFW, Miami Music Week and another stand alone in LA in 2019

The attitude era of combat sports is here — and FNT is at the center of it.

FNT (formerly, Friday Night Throwdown) alongside MATTE Projects, Mike Washington and NYFE held vol. II of their fight series this past Friday, September 14 at the historic venue, Capitale in Bowery, New York. It was just steps away from the corners of Mott and Broome where founder Bekim Trenova held FNT’s inaugural event back in 2009. If you were lucky enough to attend vol. I, chu already know this is no average fight night.

Fight fans, creatives, and models galore entered the once savings bank-turned fight lair for an enigmatic night filled with majestic performances from the fight game’s rising martial artists.

“The X-Games of Fighting” followed up their sold-out event at the Williamsburg hotel by packing The Capitale with over 2,000 people with plenty of peeps lined up around the block.

Whether it was watching the first-ever female FNT bout or the surprise performance by OG’s, Jadakiss and Lil’ Cease, every soul in the audience experienced the magic that could only be felt by being there.

Don’t worry, the braze fight circus is hitting the road and pulling up to a city near you, starting with L.A. and Miami to close out 2018. Follow the story at @FNTXWORLD and peep shots via the homie @tsikudo_ from FNT Vol. II below:

 

Real G’s move in silence and for Bekim Trenova, being the mastermind behind New York’s underground fight scene isn’t something to tweet about.

It’s a gift of live entertainment that has been opening up doors for street kids and creatives from all different backgrounds for almost a decade. After a short hiatus, Trenova’s FNT (Fight Series) is about to set Brooklyn on fire on May 18.

Born in Georgia, Trenova relocated to New York after being scouted in a mall by a modeling agent. While traveling the world was dope, Trenova’s creative mindset yearned for more and he quickly found himself being the hype-machine at the center of the city’s party scene.

“I point-blank did not a damn thing in high school but socialize, I just have a very strategic brain in mapping out social life. When I moved to New York, I was always hosting and being social and one day I was joking around with some friends and we ended up throwing a boxing match. I just thought, we can put this together and we did. Then I went on this whole ride of throwing underground fights in New York and it was the hottest party.”

FNT (previously known as Friday Night Throwdown) fuses nightlife and fight culture. Trenova birthed an unmatched experience that merged different groups together to enjoy a night of fights, music, and art that you could only know about by being there.

You’d see everyone from shorty in the latest Dior ad, street kids ready to clang n bang, and the local artsy kid building his portfolio. The fights weren’t sanctioned, so every throwdown was spontaneous and by word-of-mouth.

With the streets buzzing, Trenova dropped all of his savings to put FNT on the road at SXSW. He aimed to get a TV show in the works to showcase the wild ride which put the event on pause and left peeps wondering.

“It’s never really stopped for me. My last fight was 3 ½ years ago and people will be like ‘So why did it stop?’ They don’t know that for a year and a half I did a JV with a production company, packaged up 4 hour-long rough cut episodes, got signed with William Morris and then pitched it to every outlet and TV channel.”

When timing didn’t seem right for the show, Trenova knew that getting the event sanctioned was the next best step to elevate FNT.

“It’s not like I can just walk into a bar and be like ‘HEY! You wanna fight tomorrow?’ It’s bloodwork, training, weights and coaches. I found a really cool matchmaker who really believes in the project and has two major fight companies already, NYFE and Killer Instinct”

That cool matchmaker is Mike Washington, one of the most respected figures in the fight world period.

“We speak this language together that a lot of people can’t because they haven’t thrown fights.”

Back in the day, FNT would have homies join the fight card the day of, but this time around there will only be sanctioned fighters on the card.

“Throwing sanctioned fights are no joke. That was one of the reasons why this took so long to get together. If you want 8 fights, you need to have 10-13 fights in the air. On a real fight night, someone’s hand gets hurt, an ankle gets twisted”.

On top of getting the ill co-sign from the fight world, Trenova has partnered with creative agency, MATTE Projects to produce the event.

New York, FNT (Fight Series) is back. May 18th. Brooklyn, New York. Find out about it. 📍Link in bio. @fntxnyc #FNTNYC18

A post shared by @fntxnyc (@fntxnyc) on Apr 26, 2018 at 1:30pm PDT

The MATTE squad is on the perfect trajectory to team up with FNT and have been friends with FNT’s lead man for over a decade. Trenova has always been a fan of MATTE events like the Full Moon Festival and their Black parties. Plus, the MATTE team were regular guests at FNT smokers. So, the collab was a long time coming.

“I couldn’t ask for a better team, MATTE was like fuck yeah, let’s go!”

In the midst of getting FNT back on the ground, Trenova worked as a real-estate developer during the day but it wasn’t exactly his steez.

“As a creative person, it kills me. I don’t consider it living. There’s great upside and financial gain but I more-so look forward to throwing fights and activating my creative juices.”

We are in a Harlem World state of mind 🏴 for FNT ‘s return … @matteprojects

A post shared by @fntxnyc (@fntxnyc) on May 2, 2018 at 11:22am PDT

While the adrenaline gained from managing multiple ventures fuels Trenova, it does have it’s setbacks.

“It’s a good and bad thing. I’ve learned a lot. When you’re pitching a TV show, developing clothing brands, managing music acts like Dorfex Bos, doing real estate and putting on Fight Night, it’s a catch-22. You’re doing so much and learning so much but not necessarily mastering. You’re getting good at everything, but at a much slower pace than if you just dove into one thing and really gave it your all. It’s the millennial piece in us, you know? My interests have been my school and it’s how I learn”

Trenova’s school of turning your loves into your reality is more than just a mindset, it’s a message he aims to get across to everyone he meets. Life isn’t simple, it’s a fight, it’s a party and so is FNT.

Pull up to FNT’s next Fight Night this Friday in Brooklyn on May 18.

New York, FNT (Fight Series) is back. May 18th. Brooklyn, New York. Find out about it. 📍Link in bio. @fntxnyc #FNTNYC18

A post shared by @fntxnyc (@fntxnyc) on Apr 26, 2018 at 1:33pm PDT