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Fighters Embracing Team Concept

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By EDDIE DANIELS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 12, 2008

TAMPA - Not much rivals the energy level inside Gracie Tampa when one of the school's fighters is days away from a mixed martial arts fight.

In days past, it typically was one, maybe two, fighters, preparing while others bided their time, waiting for their own fights to be booked.

The expansion of Sarasota-based Bonecrunch Fighting, a team format of MMA-style competition, from two teams to eight and the introduction of the Tampa Terrors to the league, has given Terrors coach and trainer Rob Kahn and his fighters more options.

"It came at the perfect time, because I have so many guys who either fight or want to fight and I've been running into the trouble of not having enough fights for my guys," said Kahn, owner and chief instructor of Gracie Tampa. "So we're getting a lot of guys frustrated, who want to fight. When me and Bonecrunch president and CEO Andrew Neitlich sat down, I thought, 'This is great' because I get five guys in one shot. For me, that's a gold mine. That's terrific."

That shot starts tonight at 7:30 at the Lakeland Center when the fight league kicks off its second season. The Tampa Terrors will face the Port St. Lucie Devils, and the winner will face the victor of the Feb. 9 Sarasota Slammers/Miami Wolves matchup, which will be held at Robarts Arena in Sarasota.

Also on tonight's card is the match between the Lakeland Blaze and the Cincinnati Norsemen. The winner of this quarterfinal match will face the winner of the Feb. 9 matchup between the Tallahassee Warriors and the Orlando Iron Monkeys.

The semifinal matches will take place April 5 at Robarts Arena.

As competition draws closer, the Terrors - Gilberto Burgos (135), John Turner (145), Joe Wissman (170), Brandon Sene (185) and Alonzo Roane (210) - have felt the atmosphere at Gracie change.

"There's a team environment in here," Kahn said of his academy. "Guys love it when we're getting closer to a fight. They get excited to go see these guys they've been working and training with. Even though they're not getting in the ring, they all feel a part of something. They all feel a part of getting these guys ready."

Reporter Eddie Daniels can be reached at (813) 948-4214 or edaniels@tampatrib.com.

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