Tomorrow night in Virginia, an event at Gladiator Fight Club is stacked with fighters from York.

Brett Myers, who trains with his brother George McGinnis at York Mixed Martial Arts Academy in Red Lion, fights in his amateur welterweight debut against Bryan Lane of Mario Yamasaki's MMA academy.

Ryan Krauss, who trains witjh Russian MMA (I believe that's Steve Bentz's school), takes on Adrian Cann of Steve Blackman Fighting Systems in Harrisburg in the welterweight division.

Lou Armezzani, who trained with McGinnis before his recent move to LionHeart Fighters in State College. squares off with Bruce Drago, of Drago MMA in a middleweight battle.

Jay Haas, of Hanover Academy of Mixed Martial Arts, will fight Pat Odonel of TNT Destruction in a bantamweight bout.

Chrissy Adler, also of Hanover Academy of Mixed Martial Arts, takes on Elliott Martin of Dirty South Heavy Hitters in the nighht's sole heavyweight bout.

Posted in Brett Myers Chrissy Adler George McGinnis Gladiator Fight Club Hanover Academy of Mixed Martial Arts Jay Haaf Jay Haas LionHeart Fighters Lou Armezzani Ryan Krauss York MMA Academy

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This week, Tom Joyce and I talk about Affliction partnering with EliteXC, Cro Cop's groin shot woes, St-Pierre's thoughts on Patrick Cote's chances against Anderson Silva, and an MMA card in Va. this weekend that is stacked with local talent.

Posted in Anderson Silva Bob Bitner Brett Myers Chrissy Adler George McGinnis Georges St-Pierre Hanover Hanover Academy of Mixed Martial Arts Jay Haaf LionHeart Fighters Lou Armezzani MMA Explosion radio MMA in York PA MMA Patrick Cote York MMA Academy

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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.

Posted in Bob Bitner Brad Herrick Chrissy Adler Hanover Hanover Academy of Mixed Martial Arts Jay Haaf Jeff Smith Ryan Harder

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