Mixed Martial Arts Growing at Rapid Pace in Hampton Roads

By Curtis Clontz
opinionatedsports.com

Southeastern Virginia has a new sport that is flying under the radar. Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is one of the fastest growing sports in the nation, as well as in our back yard.

MMA combines many different forms of martial arts. Imagine these skills combined with boxing and wrestling, and you can expect tons of excitement. The top fighters in the world compete against one another in their respective weight class to determine who the best fighter is.

To achieve victory, you can knock your opponent out, make them tap out by submission, or have the referee stop the fight. If the fight is not stopped by one of these ways, at the end of the predetermined rounds, the judges will determine which fighter is the victor.

At first glance, MMA may appear to abarbaric and crazy sport for adrenaline junkies. It is far from that. Mixed Martial Arts is an aggressive chess match to out muscle, out work, and most importantly, out smart your opponent. These exciting matches typically happen inside of cages or boxing rings. Unlike the early days of the sport, there are several rules in place to protect each fighter.

Some of the most important rules are no eye gouging, no attacks to the groin or back of the head, and no biting. The referee is constantly vigilante, looking for any of the infractions and always quick to penalize or disqualify a fighter. Safety is a very important part to this sport. Because fighters are now protected so well, the average injury is limited to a sprain or a strain.

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If this sounds like something you are interested in, you are in luck. Tidewater is full of gyms that train all aspects of this Mixed Martial Arts. There are at least 2 or 3 top-notch places to train within driving distance almost anywhere in Hampton Roads.

Most offer trail memberships and let you give it a try before you join on a full membership. Although the sport is great, a good place to train can be expensive. A typical monthly fee can range from $100 to $150, so make sure you do your homework and make a good decision about the place you commit too.

On the outside, this sport seems to be one of nothing but sheer violence, but it is far from that. It requires discipline, self-control, athleticism, strength, agility, and almost every athletic facet imaginable. Whether you do it for the workout or the intense one on one feeling, Mixed Martial Arts could be for you! If you don’t want to train and have the opportunity to enjoy the Tidewater's top competition, it also makes for a good spectator sport.

It is an event that you and your friends can enjoy together. Hampton Roads' talent pool is a secret as of now, but in the future we could have our very own superstar from the local gym just around the corner.

Get involved at Norfolk & Virginia Beach Mixed Martial Arts training gyms

Bushido MMA: Bushido MMA is located at 3916 Portsmouth Blvd, unit B2 in Chesapeake, Virginia. They are moving in the near future, and once the move is complete, more information will be provided. Bushido has a great makeup of instructors, students, and training. Bushido also offers and children classes.

Greg Smith is the co-founder of Bushido and is the lead instructor. He has 18 years of martial art training and 10 years of coaching. For more information, call 757-465-7700.

Bushido has my highest recommendation; they have a very diverse group of high caliber athletes that know how to win. They currently have a handful of athletes that fight in local events and have done very well in competition. Bushido is military friendly and would be a good choice.

Hybrid Academy of Martial Arts: Hybrid is one of the top gyms with a premier standup game. They are located at 5476 Virginia Beach Blvd, suite 127 in Virginia Beach, Virginia. They have produced many great fighters, including UFC fighter Brandon Vera.

Buck Grant, the owner and head instructor, has a large background in the sport and is one of the best in the area. The rest of the gym follows suit and represents him and the gym well fighting as well as in everyday life. Hybrid offers a great blend of personal fitness and development.

Hybrid is also military friendly and is another superb choice. For more information, call 757-490-6906.

Bushido and Hybrid are both great places to train, offering some of the best coaches Tidewater has to offer.

If you are looking to train in Mixed Martial Arts, you will not go wrong with either gym. They offer superb teaching, intense fitness programs, and most importantly, a family like atmosphere.