Bob Bitner
In a short amount of time, Bob Bitner and his fight team from Hanover Academy of Mixed Martial Arts have made quite an impact on the MMA scene in Virginia.
Right now he has five active fighters who compete in four different organizations. Two of his fighters, Ryan Harder and Jeff Smith, have held titles in Operation Octagon. Harder was bantamweight champ and Smith was featherweight champ, he said.
Bitner said his fighters chose organizatiosn in Virginia that had rule systems similar to the pro ranks. That means even though it is an amateur fight, there are no kick pads, headgear, or over-sized gloves, and knees and elbows are allowed, he said.
Harder, Smith and Chrissy Adler have plans to turn pro at some point, Bitner said.
Rounding out Bitner's team are Jay Haaf and Brad Herrick.
Bitner and his fight team.
Training - striking and grappling - at Bitner's academy is done four days a week, while weight and cardio training is left up to the fighters to take care of.
Bitner, who has fought in muay Thai matches across the United States and has trained fighters for Steve Blackman in Harrisburg, said he's in the fight game for the fighters.
"I really, really do enjoy being with the fighters and watching them progress," he said.
Bitner said he doesn;t know what the future holds, as far as expanding his academy, which shares space with another martial arts school in Hanover. One thing's for sure - he'll keep his little school open and keep training.
"Everytime we go to Virginia, we surprise them," he said. "They can outspend me, but they can't out-fight me."
Training in Hanover.
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