By Patrick Lujan
MMA star Jon Fitch will be on island next week to hold a host of combative seminars.
Fellow MMA fighter and friend J.J. Ambrose invited the former UFC title contender. Fitch gladly accepted the offer to share his wealth of mixed martial arts knowledge to some of Guam’s athletes.
“I used to train with him at AKA (American Kickboxing Academy) back in 2011-13,” said Ambrose, a Bellator fighter and owner of Steel Athletics. “So I developed a good relationship with him. His leadership and work ethic have always been inspiring.”
Fitch, 39, is the current welterweight champion of the Professional Fighters League (formerly WSOF) and holds a 30-7-1 pro record. He is also a former Purdue University wrestler.
“He’s been around forever,” Ambrose added. “Lots to learn from him on and off the mat.”
Fitch arrives on Guam Sunday night and has this tentative schedule in place:
Monday – MMA training (High Blood Pressure Gym, Agat)
Tuesday – Jiu-Jitsu training (Steel Athletics)
Wednesday – Wrestling training with Phoenix Wrestling Club (Steel Athletics)
Thursday – Striking for MMA training (Steel Athletics)
Saturday – Jiu-Jitsu training (Steel Athletics)
Sessions are free for Steel Athletics members or $50 for non-members. You can email info@steelathleticsguam.com or their Facebook page for more information.
Fitch has notable wins over the likes of Jake Shields, Yushin Okami, Thiago Alves and Diego Sanchez. Some of his tough losses came at the hands of Johny Hendricks, Demian Maia and George St. Pierre for the UFC title in 2008.
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Sports legend Joe Taitano used to run to school at JFK from his Yigo home and back. He continued this routine up to 1979 when he’d run from home to GW gym and back to practice for the South Pacific Games with the national basketball team. Guam went on to win its second straight SPG gold medal.
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