UFC 139 and The Bad Manor date posted: October 28, 2011
Next month will see two amateurs (Jeff Randall and Sam Anderson) compete at The Bad Manor in Downtown Athens, Ga as well as The HardCore Gym's Brian Bowles taking on Urijah Faber in San Jose, California.

On Nov. 11, Jeff will look to go 4-1 and extend his two fight winning streak. Jeff won in convincing fashion at the last fights at The Bad Manor, beating Rickey Rom by armbar at the 1:40 mark of the first round. This event will be Sam's amateur debut. Sam has been training at the gym for about two and a half years. He has been a member of the HAP Elite program for about six months training alongside the gym's top pros and amateurs including: Brian Bowles, Stephen Ledbetter, Lawson McClure, Jerrid Burke, John Cofer, Junior Assuncao, Ralph Ospina, Jeff Randall and others to name a few. Look for him to make a statement Nov. 11th.

Brian Bowles will be taking on one of the top 135 pound fighters in the world when he steps into the cage with former WEC featherweight champion, Urijah Faber. The fight, taking place Nov 19th live on PPV, will be one of Brian's toughest to date. These two former champions are both looking to get another shot at reigning UFC world champion, Dominick Cruz.

Brian shocked the world after defeating then WEC champion, Miguel Torres, He lost his first title defense to Dominick Cruz after he wasn't able to answer the bell in the third round. Brian broke his hand on one of his first exchanges of the fight withing the first 30 seconds. He has since one both his fights in the UFC and extended his record to 10-1 with only one fight going the distance. His fight with Urijah should be one of the best this year.

If you would like a behind-the-scenes look at Brian Bowles' training for his fight with Urijah then head over to Behind the Scenes with Brian Bowles and fill out the form on the right of your screen. You will get to pull back the curtain and see how a world champion prepares for his fights. You will also have an opportunity to enter a contest to train One-on-One with Brian himself.

In other news:

Junior Assuncao made his UFC debut winning a unanimous decision at UFC 135 against fellow UFC newcomer, Eddie Yagin. We look forward to announcing Junior's next fight and are excited to have him as part of the team.

On October 1st, John Cofer won a five round unanimous decision against undefeated X3 figher, Marius Cujba. Although not considered an upset in the eyes of his coaches and teammates, John is up for that very award in the 2011 GA MMA awards for beating Marius.

Bellator vet, Scott Barrett lost a tough decision to UFC veteran and former HardCore Gym fighter, Carmelo Marerro, in the XFC Oct. 21st. It was bloody battle which saw these two top heavyweights slug it out for 15 minutes live on HDNet. Scott sustained a broken hand in the first round and fought through the pain of that as well as a broken nose. It was surely fight of the night and had the crowd at the edge of their seats.


Two More Wins!!! date posted: August 22, 2011
This weekend saw three HardCore Gym fighters put it on the line with two walking away victorious. Lawson McClure and Nick Smiley (who has recently spent some time at Champions Training Center) both won in dominating fashion and took home State titles in doing so. They competed in Statesboro, GA for Black and Blue Entertainment

Lawson (now 7-2) fought Aguilano Brandao(9-6) from Boston, Mass. All but one of Aguilano's wins came by armbar. Augilano tried hard to put the fight on the ground with multiple jumps to guard or half guard. He definitely didn't want any part of Lawson's stand up. Lawson did a great job fending off all of his attempts in the first round. In the second round Lawson landed some big shots and was able to drop him with a big right hand to score the tko (ref stoppage) in the first two minutes.

Nick Smiley overwhelmed his opponent with kicks and punches to get an easy stoppage in 38 seconds of the first round. Congrats to Nick who hopes to make his return to The HardCore Gym later this year.

Charles Nutt unfortunately lost (by submission) his fight to a game Christopher Cain at an event in Columbia, SC. Allen Little's opponent decided the easiest way not to fight was to not get his blood work done in a timely matter. Therefore, Allen didn't fight Saturday night. I feel sorry for the next guy.

Jose Tezanos, recent addition The HardCore Gym's pro roster, will be fighting Joe Elmore Friday, August 26th at Wild Bill's. Joe recently lost to WEC veteran and HardCore Gym fighter, Stephen Ledbetter. He is looking for redemption and Jose is looking to get his first win for the gym.

Don't forget about the fights at The Bad Manor in Athens, Georgia, September 9th. Four of the gym's top amateurs will be kicking butt for the hometown crowd. It's been a while since we got to fight in our own backyard. Don't miss the opportunity to see it live and in person. You can purchase tickets through the following link:

http://www.showclix.com/event/FightFusionFightNight

Please put The HardCore Gym in the code box. VIP seats get you a seat at a table: some will be on the floor and others will be on the upper level which gets you the best view. You also get a dedicated waitress that only goes to the VIP section. Please where your gym shirts and help us pack out the house. If this first event goes well then hopefully the next show will include some pro fights. 1-2-3 HardCore!!!


Fights and Kettlebells date posted: August 1, 2011
Fight News:

Three pro fighters from the gym competed in the past two weeks. Stephen Ledbetter won a unanimous decision in his return to the cage after a two year hiatus. Stephen took on a tough Joe Elmore at Sport Fight X in Norcross and dominated him with repeated take downs and ground n pound.

John Cofer fought for the Tampa based, RFC and won by TKO (ref stoppage). His opponent took the fight on short notice and the weight cut was more then he could recover from. John had to survive a little in the first round as his opponent wasted all his energy. His opponent walked into the cage almost 20 pounds heavier then John and it showed. John was able to get his opponent's back, flatten him out and unleash with a nonstop barrage of punches.

Jerrid Burke fought for the Miami based, CFA in a tournament of undefeated 155ers. Jerrid's opponent was the 6-0 Patrick Cenoble. Jerrid put on a kicking and wrestling clinic. He landed numerous leg strikes and had some big slamming take downs. At one point his opponent couldn't hardly stand from the punishment Jerrid was dishing out. This prompted the ref to call a time out and bring the doctor in to check on Pat. He was given a full minute to recover and resume fighting.
The second round started off the same way the first ended. Jerrid got a little over anxious and was unfortunately clipped and dropped in the second round which caused the ref to stop the fight (prematurely in the eyes of many in attendance). The actions by the ref in the first round have caused us to file a complaint with the Florida Commission to have the fight ruled a no contest. There are no timeouts or standing eight counts in MMA. We hope to have a ruling in the next few weeks.

Kettlebell News:

Congrats to Master Adam and Coach Steve for being two of only three people in the WORLD certified by the World Kettlebell Club (WKC) as Combat Athlete Specialists. They received their certifications from WKC Master Trainer, Scott Shetler, on July 30, 2011.

Stay tuned...


Time for Some new News!!! date posted: July 14, 2011
WOW!!! It has been a long time since the last update. Much has happened in the past seven months. I will do my best to try and catch everyone up.

Let's start with some fight news. Brian Bowles has gone 2-0 in the UFC since the WEC/UFC merger. In his first UFC fight he took home "Submission of the Night" honors by choking out Damacio Page. More recently Brian won a unanimous decision against Takeya Mizugaki solidifying him as the number one contender.

Brian is not the only one kicking butt and taking names though. Lawson McClure (Featherweight) and Scott Barrett (Heavyweight) both took home GFC titles and have put themselves at the top of their respective weight classes. Jerrid Burke, John Cofer, Ralph Ospina, Jeff Randall, Jeremy Dean, Kris Boyd, Paul Ardila, TJ Washburn, Brett Chism and Junior Assuncao have all also tasted victory this year (some even winning on multiple occasions).

Jerrid Burke takes his undefeated record down to Miami next week to participate in an 8 man tournament of top undefeated 155ers. He along with John Cofer, Jeff Randall, Sergio Ardila, Paul Ardila, Ralph Ospina, Stephen Ledbetter and Jeremy Dean will all be fighting over the course of the next eight weeks.

June played host to another member appreciation party. Festivities including celebrating Master Rory's 35th birthday and giving out new BJJ belts. A great time was had enjoying some time away from the gym with both new friends and old. This time around Masters Adam and Rory were proud to promote the following people:
Master Chad Shafer-Brown
Coach Luke Federico-Purple
Coach Ralph Ospina-Purple
Coach Mark Fisher-Purple
Steven Ford-Purple
John Cofer-Purple
Jeff Randall-Blue
Doug Paustian-Blue
Matt Hauer-Blue
Brett Chism-Blue
Allen Little-Blue
Congratulations to everyone on all their hard work and dedication.

June also saw the first group of MMA Blueprint students get promoted to the HardCore Athlete Program (HAP Gold). The following athletes took a big step in their commitment to both the gym and their training:
Brad Caperton, James Williamson, J.D. Brandon, Eric Barnes, Jessie Holcomb, Braxtin Barrow, Richard Carrigg, Chris Brittain, Betsy Brocker, Chris Matt, Travis Mackellar and Drew Brooks. A big congratulations to these individuals for taking one step closer to earning their BJJ Black Belts.

Lastly, the past few months saw three NAGAs , one Lutador and a Copa America tournament come to the Atlanta area. Doug Paustian has placed first in both his Copa America and NAGA (twice) divisions and both Paul and Sergio Ardila won their divisions at Lutador.

Our kids and teens have had such a great showing at all three NAGA tournaments this year that it's hard to keep up with how many medals they have won. Top medal winners include Rexx Hallyburton, Chase Habegger, Zach Wolfe, Zane Wolfe and Logan Garner. Not to be forgotten is Austin Bearden taking first place honors in his division after only five months of training and Brannan Mackellar, one of our little novices, taking second place in his division after training only one day per week over the past five months.

Jessie Holcomb (gold), Travis Mackellar (silver), Lei Ding (bronze) and Sam Anderson all stepped onto the competition floor for the first time and had a blast. Dale Bowen took home first place honors at his first NAGA and missed the mark at his second competition (it should be noted he was out of the gym for a month bringing aide to those places destroyed by tornadoes).

All in all it has been an amazing year and it's only half over. I'm excited to see what is in store over the next few months. The gym continues to have success both inside and outside the cage. Membership is steadily growing and more and more people are realizing that The HardCore Gym/Athens Fitness and MMA is for everyBODY.

Creating Champions in Life, in School, on the Mat and in The Cage!!!


More Wins, Holiday Party and BJJ Promotions date posted: December 8, 2010
On Saturday, Dec 4th, we had our 1st Annual HardCore Gym holiday party. We celebrated our one year anniversary in our new location (Sept of this year) and the promotion of some of our students in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Our BJJ coach, Roberto Traven, made the trip to be on hand in order to celebrate these tremendous accomplishments.

There were at least one hundred people on hand to witness the monumental achievements recognized on Saturday. This was the first time we had such a large group of people to promote and it really was an awesome day for everyone.

New HardCore Gym Blue Belts are: Lawson McClure, Steve Fogle, Larry Tompkings, Nick Warlick, Travis Lord, Jeremy Dean, David Hamilton, Nathan Gaylord, Tyra Parker and Paul Ardila (additional thanks to Jucao).

New HardCore Gym Purple Belts are: Jerrid Burke, Cale Yarbrough, Jeff Bedard, Ken Stanley, Mike Stanley, John Hollingsworth and Sergio Ardila (additional thanks to Jucao).

New HardCore Gym Brown Belts are: Brian Bowles, Dustin Kirby and Stephen Ledbetter.

New HardCore Gym Black Belt is David Mewborn.

Congrats to all of you. You are all proof that hard work and dedication pays off in the end. The HardCore Gym is now the only gym in Athens with three Brazilian Jiu Jitus Black Belts. Thanks to Coach Traven for being such an amazing person and coach.

In addition to celebrating the great BJJ accomplishments two other students were recognized for their own amazing achievements. Doug Paustian and Tim Maher were both recognized for having each lost 60 pounds since January and May respectively. Way to go guys!!!

Later that Saturday night John Cofer made his long awaited return to action at Bangkok Fight Night VII. John faced a tough Gert Kocani in what turned out to be an action packed, three round event. John dominated in all ranges and showed some much improved stand up while going on to win a unanimous decision. This brings John's record to 4-2.

2010 is ending on a high note and the sky is the limit for 2011!!! Thanks to everyone who has helped to make The HardCore Gym the #1 Fitness and Mixed Martial Arts facility in Georgia.


Wins, Awards and Expanded Schedules!!! date posted: November 15, 2010
The gym is only getting better since going three for three at Wild Bill's only a few short weeks ago. A week later Jeremy Dean won his amateur debut by arm bar in Statesboro, Ga (that makes four wins in seven days and all by submission). Our fighters weren't the only ones winning either.

Co-owner and head coach of The HardCore Gym, Adam Singer, was awarded the critic's choice award for trainer of the year for the second year in a row. We are also proud to say that our Brazilian Jiu Jitsu coach, Roberto Traven, was also bestowed this honor for the very first time. Our very own Jerrid Burke was awarded critic's choice for best walkout by a fighter. His winning walkout saw him peddle his way to the stage on a tricycle, wearing a suit and "Saw" mask for his pro debut (which he won) at Sport Fight X.

The popularity of The HardCore Gym is even taking us by surprise. New members are signing up every week and classes are bigger then ever. I guess it doesn't hurt to provide the best workout and best gym atmosphere in Athens. People are finally realizing that Mixed Martial Arts and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is the most fun way to get in shape and learn valuable self defense.

Speaking of the gym's popularity; it is for this reason that we have expanded the fitness kickboxing schedule to four more classes per week. Remember, you don't have to be a fighter to look like a fighter but you should be trained by a fighter and not some aerobics instructor. You wouldn't let a clown fix your plumbing would you?

Others try to imitate but none can duplicate the workout our Fitness Kickboxing (non contact) class can provide and safety is our number one concern. With that being said we are happy to announce that we now have classes on Monday and Wednesdays from 530-620pm and 730-820pm. That brings our award winning program to 16 classes per week. Call NOW 706-614-3399 to find out how you can get 30 Days FREE.


HCG Goes 3 for 3 at Wild Bill date posted: November 2, 2010
I just wanted to update you on how well it went this past Friday night at Wild Bill's in Duluth, GA. We had one amateur and two pros fight and all three of them won in stellar fashion.

Ralph Ospina made his amateur debut against a more experienced fighter with a 2-0 record. After controlling the first round he was able to secure a take down in the second round and win with a head and arm choke (Choketober paid off).

Jerrid Burke went to 2-0 as a pro after dominating on the feet and secured a kimura from his guard in the second round. His entrance as Rick Flair, complete with blonde wig and robe was a huge hit with the crowd. Wooooooo!

Cale Yarbrough moved to 8-2 as a pro with a dominating performance over a very tough Clint Hester. Many in attendance were calling it one of the best fights they had seen. Cale spent all three rounds pushing a hard pace until he was finally able to secure a Monson choke about half way through the third round (Choketober!!!).

I am super proud of all the guys. All three put in a tremendous amount of work preparing for these fights. The fight is the culmination of hours spent in the gym every week. Hard work pays off as was evidenced by how well they all did.

Congrats to all!

Rory


An Understated Champion date posted: March 4, 2010
Thursday, March 04, 2010
by Brian Knapp (bknapp@sherdog.com)

No one flies under the radar quite like World Extreme Cagefighting bantamweight champion Brian Bowles, who, despite an impeccable resume, has flourished in relative anonymity. When talk turns to leading men in the WEC, former champions Miguel Torres and Urijah Faber inevitably move to the front of the line.

“I think the general public still thinks Torres and Faber are the champions,” says Adam Singer, co-owner and head coach at The Hardcore Gym, an American Top Team affiliate in Athens, Ga., where Bowles trains.

Singer understands how Bowles fits into the promotional equation. He points to his humble beginnings -- a soft-spoken, reserved West Virginia native spawned by a small martial arts gym in northeast Georgia. In truth, Bowles exists about as far away from the spotlight as any elite fighter.

“He’s quiet; he’s reserved,” Singer says. “He doesn’t come from a glamour team. That’s who he is. Perception is perception, and reality is reality. We are a small gym in Athens, Ga. We work hard, but we’re not a factory like some other gyms.”

The 28-year-old Bowles will defend his bantamweight crown for the first time this Saturday, when he meets Dominick Cruz in the WEC 47 “Bowles vs. Cruz” main event at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. Though he has carved a path of figurative destruction through the 135-pound division and punctuated his climb to the top with a brutal knockout victory over Torres last summer, Bowles still has plenty of naysayers, those who swear he felled the popular former champion by sheer dumb luck.

“I don’t know what a lucky punch is,” Bowles says. “You’re out there fighting and throwing punches, and you’re trying to hit them, so I don’t see how that’s lucky.”

Singer shrugs at the detractors.

“There is no luck,’” he says. “There is no ‘catching somebody.’ On that night, in that fight, Brian was the better fighter. Can I say what would happen if they fought again? No. Neither guy is going to be the same fighter. If Miguel went out and triangled Brian, I’m not going to say, ‘He caught Brian.’ I’m going to say, ‘He submitted him. Let’s line up a third fight.’”

Bowles made a statement at WEC 42.
While it packs plenty of box office appeal, a rematch with Torres must wait, as both men have formidable foes standing in their way. Torres faces Joseph Benavidez in the WEC 47 co-main event; Bowles draws the once-beaten Cruz, a former title contender at 145 pounds who has won five consecutive fights.

“Cruz knows how to win, which is an important quality to have,” Singer says. “He’s the kind of guy where you look up in the third round and he’s up two rounds to none or you look up in the fifth round and he’s up three rounds to one. He may not be flashy, he may not be exciting, but knowing how to win … I think there’s the ‘luck.’ Without a doubt, I think people are underestimating him.”

Count Bowles among those who value Cruz’s skills. Though many pine for the Torres rematch, he has planted his sights squarely on the man in front of him.

“All I’m focusing on is Cruz; that’s really the way it is,” Bowles says. “The only thing I have to do right now is defend my title. If [Torres and I] fight again, cool. If it doesn’t happen, whatever.”

Bowles has finished all eight of his opponents, the last four of whom -- Torres, Will Ribeiro, Damacio Page and Marcos Galvao -- were ranked among the top 10 when he fought them. He seems determined not to allow the considerable success he has enjoyed to interfere with the business at hand.

“I really don’t pay attention to that kind of stuff,” Bowles says. “I try to stay grounded and keep doing what I do. If I let stuff go to my head, I might change. Some people get caught up in that kind of stuff. I don’t want to be one of those people.”

Bowles -- who trained with American Top Team’s Micah Miller, a man who defeated him as an amateur, in advance of his showdown with Cruz -- stepped up his pre-fight regimen. He moved his wrestling coach into his house and worked with a strength and conditioning coach five days a week. In addition, he capitalized on The Hardcore Gym’s recent expansion, from a 3,000-square-foot building to a 7,000-square-foot facility. However, Bowles has not competed in eight months, largely because of the broken he suffered while taking out Torres. Despite concerns, all signs point to his being at full strength for his first title defense.

“We were definitely worried about it,” Singer says. “I figured every time he went out and hit hard it was going to break. I was waiting for it, but his hand is 100 percent healed. I was very happy about that.”

Singer sees Cruz as a chance for Bowles to validate his standing in the mixed martial arts world. Only eight professional fights into his career, he has already become a fixture on reputable pound-for-pound lists. Now comes the difficult part -- staying there.

“I think there’s a big difference between winning the title and keeping it,” Singer says. “We forget guys who win it, then turn around and lose it. We remember the guys who defend it.”



The HardCore Gym and TOP Personal Training Join Forces date posted: March 4, 2010
The HardCore Gym is pleased to announce that one of Athens' most sought after personal trainers, Teddy Neal, is now teaching a Strength and Conditioning Boot Camp three days a week in the morning.


Brian Bowles Defends his Title! date posted: January 13, 2010
On Saturday, March 6, 2010, WEC heads to Columbus, Ohio with a stacked card headlined by a world bantamweight title fight between champion Brian Bowles (The HardCore Gym) and number one contender Dominick Cruz. The fight will take place in Ohio at The Nationwide Arena.

This will be Brian's first fight since his devastating knockout of Miguel Torrea, earning him the title. Taking time off to heal a broken hand; Brian has been training hard in preparation of his first title defense. Look for Brian to remain undefeated as he beats the well rounded and tough, Dominick Cruz. Watch the fight live on Versus Network.


New Gym Hours!!! date posted: November 9, 2009
I would like to let everyone know that the gym is now open at 10am. Come by and see about joining. If you are a member come and get a workout in our new world class strength and conditioning facility. Afternoon group classes haven't started yet but will do so in the near future. Private/Personal training is available all day. Call to inquire about pricing and availability.


New facility almost complete. date posted: September 14, 2009
The HardCore Gym is operating the current schedule at its new location (check the home page). The new gym is like nothing else in Athens or its surrounding counties. We have the only Octagon in Athens! The HardCore Gym is also the only gym to have two Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belts under one roof. Come see all there is to offer, including: 16 bag, bag jungle for cardio kickboxing, 20' Octagon, 2000 ft^2 of Dollamur mats, 40' of cage fencing, 60' of padded walls and 1250 ft^2 of world class strength and conditioning all complete with locker rooms and showers. Whether you are looking for fun, fitness, self defense or competition, why would you go anywhere else? Come by now for your free introductory class and to meet the current WEC bantam weight world champion, Brian Bowles.


The HardCore Gym wins a multitude of awards at 1st annual Georgia MMA awards banquet date posted: September 14, 2009
The HardCore Gym won a host of awards at the 1st annual GA MMA awards banquet, held September 12th at Wild Bill's in Duluth, GA. A list of all awards won follows:

Fan's Choice:

Male Fighter of the Year: Brian Bowles
Manager of the Year: Mammoth Sports and Entertainment
Trainer of the Year: Adam Singer
Comeback Fighter of the Year: David Mewborn
Most Improved Fighter of the Year: Cale Yarbrough
Knockout Artist of the Year: Brian Bowles
Knockout of the Year: Bowles vs. Miguel Torres
Submission of the Year: Bowles vs. Will Ribeiro
Upset of the Year: Bowles vs. Torres
Most Influential People of the Year: Adam and Rory Singer
Breakthrough Fighter of the Year: Brian Bowles

Critic's Choice:

Male Fighter of the Year: Brian Bowles
Manager of the Year: Mammoth Sports and Entertainment
Trainer of the Year: Adam Singer
Gym of the Year: The HardCore Gym
Comeback Fighter of the Year: David Mewborn
Most Improved Fighter of the Year: Cale Yarbrough
Knockout Artist of the Year: Brian Bowles
Knockout of the Year: Bowles vs. Miguel Torres
Submission of the Year: Bowles vs. Will Ribeiro
Upset of the Year: Bowles vs. Torres
Most Influential People of the Year: Adam Singer
Breakthrough Fighter of the Year: Brian Bowles

Additional congrats go out to Adam and Rory Singer for being inducted in the Georgia MMA Hall of Fame.

These awards are a testament to the hard work and success the gym has achieved over the past year (and previously). With a brand new facility, a growing fight team and new world champion, the sky is the limit for The HardCore Gym. Stay tuned!!!


HardCore Gym Home to New WEC Bantamweight Champ! date posted: August 10, 2009
HardCore Gym fighter Brian Bowles shocked the world (but not anyone that knew him) last night when he upset WEC bantamweight champ and pound-for-pound contender Miguel Angel Torres. Brian controlled the fight with his devastating strikes dropping the champ early. After scoring a take down and landing some ground and pound the fight returned to its feet where Brian landed a thunderous right hand while countering a rushing Torres. Torres dropped immediately where Brian finished the fight with a flurry of hard shots to the downed champ at the 3:57 mark of the first round.

This is the culmination of 5 years of work Brian has put in at The HardCore Gym. Many in the MMA world didn't give Brian much of a chance, but his coaches, Adam and Rory Singer worked extremely hard preparing Brian for this. They both knew Brian had the necessary tools to bring the worlds most prestigious Bantamweight Title home to the HardCore Gym.


The HardCore Gym Owners Promoted to BJJ Black Belts! date posted: April 29, 2009
The HardCore Gym owners Adam and Rory Singer now add the title of Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to an already long list of credentials as superb MMA instructors. After a seminar at the HardCore Gym in Athens, GA, their Coach Roberto Traven surprised the brothers with the announcement in front of a crowd of 30 people. They could not be more excited to attain this milestone and to do it under a legend like Traven. Rory and Adam would like to thank Roberto for being a great coach, mentor, training partner and friend. Additionally they would like to thank their other coaches, Matt Thornton, Chris Haueter and Ricardo Liborio, for influencing their growth through these years. Lastly they would like to thank all their friends, training partners and students at The HardCore Gym. Without them none of this would be possible. Rory and Adam will continue to represent Roberto Traven Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and American Top Team with pride and honor.


The HardCore Gym Joins with Roberto Traven BJJ date posted: November 13, 2008
About two or so years ago Rory started training with Roberto Traven on a private basis. Roberto had recently left Alliance and was finally available for training. Rory was preparing for a fight and who better to help with his jits then the best 200 pound grappler in Atlanta (and one of the best in the world). What started as paid weekly privates for a month or two quickly became a mutually beneficial relationship. As his jits improved, Rory and Roberto began rolling more and more. At that point the two became training partners and Rory’s jiu jits continued to get better under his tutelage.

Not long after that a group of professional fighters in the Atlanta area started training at Roan “Jucão” Carneiro’s place. Outside of ATT it was probably one of the best gatherings of talent in the Southeast. That training group moved to Unit 2 and continues to train together three days a week. The HardCore Gym fighters travel to Unit 2 (Roberto Traven’s gym) every Tuesday to train BJJ. Roberto goes over some technique and then runs a competitive practice. It has been one of the best things to happen to our jits.

About a month or two ago Rory approached Traven about THCG representing him in Jiu Jitsu. He is a phenomenal human being and Adam and Rory felt it was the right thing to do; especially after all he has done for Rory and the other fighters training there. Rory then contacted Liborio and asked his blessing on the matter. Ricardo is a big fan of Roberto as well and thought it was a great idea. Therefore, it is with great pride that we now represent ATT in MMA and Roberto Traven in Jiu Jitsu (not unlike Jason Chambers with ATT and 10th Planet).


Inside Fighting - The Hardcore Gym is producing top MMA talent date posted: September 12, 2008
from: InsideFighting.com

By John Buhl

Virtually every mixed martial arts fan can easily spot trainers Pat Miletich or Greg Jackson in a fighter’s corner, and camps such as Xtreme Couture and American Kickboxing Academy have also established themselves as two of the sport’s top training destinations.

But another group is slowly creeping into the limelight — a smaller but formidable outfit based in Athens, Ga., headed by a pair of brothers poised to make their mark as a top-tier MMA camp. If you aren’t already familiar with The HardCore Gym, now would be a good time to study up.

The gym’s co-owners, Adam and Rory Singer, have been around one form of martial arts or another since they were kids, and have different strengths that strike an ideal balance.

Adam, the head trainer, prefers to stay behind the scenes, studying every aspect of the sport and developing the fighters.

Rory — a UFC veteran that appeared on the third season of The Ultimate Fighter reality show — serves as the assistant head coach. He brings a fighter’s perspective to the job and a willingness to spend time promoting the gym. As a result, Adam prefers to let Rory do the talking.

“I’m more of a champion for Adam than he is,” Rory says. “It’s not his personality to want the spotlight on him, but I think my brother is one of the best coaches in MMA. He’s a true student of the game; he reads and studies everything that’s out there to research.”

About nine years ago it was simply a group of guys training together, but now The HardCore Gym has expanded into a 3,000 square foot facility, and most notably served as the launching pad for the career of UFC light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin (16-4).

Currently a group of strong up-and-comers train there, including World Extreme Cagefighting bantamweight contender Brian Bowles (6-0), former WEC light heavyweight champion Brian Stann (6-1), The Ultimate Fighter Season 7 alum Cale Yarborough, and WEC veteran Stephen Ledbetter (6-1).

For some of the fighters that have trained at The Hardcore Gym, like Griffin and Bowles, the athletic ability and determination was obvious to see, Singer says. Nevertheless, for the most part, the Singer brothers have spent time molding and developing young prospects, lacking the name recognition and resources of the more high profile MMA gyms and trainers.

“I’m not Greg Jackson and we’re not Team Quest; we’re a smaller, grassroots operation,” Rory says. “We’ve never really had the [NCAA] Division I wrestling champions or Jiu Jitsu world champions. We’ve had some good athletes, maybe some guys with good high school wrestling backgrounds, but for the most part we’ve worked hard at developing fighters.”

However, that could be changing. Bowles is moving quickly up the WEC 135-pound division ranks, with high profile wins over Charlie Valencia, Marcos Galvao and Damacio Page. Those wins have some talking about Bowles as a possible challenger for WEC bantamweight titleholder Miguel Torres, but as impressive as Bowles has looked, the Singers know that Bowles could use more experience before facing a pound-for-pound threat like Torres.

“We’re not looking for that fight for him right now,” Rory says. “Adam’s right…Brian could probably use [a couple of] fights before that. He’s had six professional fights and a handful of amateur fights. Other than the one amateur fight he lost, he’s gone a full three rounds once, and Torres has 35 or 40 fights. There’s something to be said for that amount of experience. But, when push comes to shove, if that’s the fight the WEC wants to make then we’ll get ready for it.”

Meanwhile, Ledbetter surprised many last year in his WEC debut, losing a competitive decision to the more experienced Jeff Curran. Although Curran was the prohibitive favorite, Ledbetter more than held his own.

“Going into a fight like that, knowing your guy was probably brought in to lose, you just do what you can to get your fighter’s confidence up,” Singer says. “Curran’s got a lot of skill, definitely, but he’s not as much of a dangerous finisher, so it’s not like Stephen was going to get seriously hurt. It would be different than me trying to fight a guy like Anderson Silva.

“We knew Stephen would be bigger and a little stronger. I think [nerves] might have affected him.”

Singer also has high expectations for Stann, despite his loss to Steve Cantwell on August 3, which cost him his WEC title.

“His progress has been incredible,” Singer says. “He pretty much had to go through a media blitz last time out. We were in New York two weeks before his fight. He put a lot of pressure on himself.”

Rory believes the loss – the first of Stann’s career – could help his development.

“Losing to Cantwell was probably the best thing that could happen for him. He’d never lost before, and now that he has, he knows he doesn’t want to have that feeling anymore. Adam’s going to take over more of his training and he’s going to keep getting better.”

At this rate, before long The Hardcore Gym and the Singer brothers could be mentioned with the likes of Jackson and the Miletich.

“I certainly aspire to get to that point,” Rory says. And while they may not have the resources, having a gym right next to the University of Georgia provides plenty of other benefits. Anyone familiar with the women of the Southeastern Conference schools needs no further explanation.

“What 18, 19, 20-year-old, testosterone-filled guy wouldn’t want to come down here, live in a place that has a relatively cheap cost of living, chase some tail and learn to fight?” he says. “We don’t have the greatest facilities yet, but we’re getting good results.”

Not one to sit back and take it easy, Singer is still pushing forward with his own fighting career in addition to helping run the gym. With a 12-8 record, Singer has competed with a number of top-level fighters, including UFC veterans Wilson Gouveia, Yushin Okami and Jason MacDonald.

“I’m a coach, but first and foremost I’m a training partner,” Rory says. “Whether it’s with the UFC, WEC, EliteXC or whoever, I believe I can still compete at a high level.”

Though he feels he has plenty of fights left in him, Singer wants to stay involved with MMA after he hangs up his gloves.

“This is what I want my life to be,” he says. “Whether it’s the gym, coaching and training or something else, I very much would like to have a long-term career in the sport after I’m done fighting.”

And as effortlessly as he can handle an interview, commentating could be a possibility.

“I’d love to do something like that,” Singer says. “It was never really my goal to even make it to the UFC. To me it’s about life experiences. I want to take advantage of whatever opportunities open up.”


Bowles earns submission of the night at WEC 35 date posted: August 15, 2008
Brian Bowles made quick work of Damacio Page as he submitted Page with an amazing arm in guillotine in the first round. The slick submission earned Bowles submission of the night honors. With the victory Bowles pushed his record to a perfect 6-0.


Proven: Mewborn Victorious at RFL Proving Ground date posted: August 15, 2008
Mewborn made his RFL debut against RFL vet Heath Davis in the RFL middleweight division at Broadbent Arena in Louisville, KY last Saturday in impressive fashion as he defeated Davis by rear naked choke just three minutes in to the first round. The win moves Mewborn’s record to 5-0, 1 NC.

Mewborn proved that he is a force to be considered in the RFL title picture on a night that saw the 185 lbs title change hands in the main event. There is no doubt that Mewborn’s victory puts him in a position to challenge for the belt.

For a complete round-by-round breakdown of each fight on the Revolution Fight League’s Proving Ground card visit www.revolutionfight.com.


NewsDay.com Follows Brian Stann *Video* date posted: July 29, 2008
NewsDay.com followed WEC Lightheavyweight champion Brian Stann around for a day in New York as he prepares for his first title defense. The video concludes with a training session with HardCore gym coach Rory Singer.
Check out the video


Combatwire follows Brian Stann as he trains with Rory date posted: July 28, 2008
Wednesday my videographer, Bobby, and I followed Brian Stann around Manhattan for the day as the WEC light heavyweight champion spoke with many of the major news outlets in preparation for his August 3 bout against Steve Cantwell.

FOX news, Sports Illustrated and ESPN the magazine were only a few of the places that Brian went for an interview on this double-digit-hour work day. Whether it was a phone or television interview, Stann...(read more)


Cale Yarbrough Fights at TUF Finale date posted: June 19, 2008
HardCore Gym fighter Cale Yarbrough will be fighting Saturday, June 21st in The Ultimate Fighter 7 Finale. He will be up against the always tough Tim Credeur. Cale won his first 2 fights of the season advancing to the the quarterfinals before being defeated by finalist CB Dollaway. Make sure to tune in to Spike TV at 9 p.m. on Saturday the 21st of June for a great night of fights.


Results of RFL Relentless date posted: May 19, 2008
The HardCore gym went 2 and 1 this past weekend in Macon at RFL Relentless. Sam Grizzle bettered his record to 2-0 as an amateur after defeating Valdosta's Dickey Wilson in the 2nd round by rear naked choke. Payton Owens fought hard, but lost a tough bout in his amateur debut against 2-0 fighter Aaron Hall of Macon. In the main event of the evening Stephen Ledbetter made his return to the cage submitting Johnny Bedford of Ft. Worth, TX by triangle choke in the first round. This win improved Stephen's professional record to 7-1 and gave him the RFL's Featherweight (145 lb) title. Check back here for more future news and events.


HardCore Gym Fighters At RFL "Relentless" in Macon date posted: April 24, 2008
The HardCore gym is proud to announce that on Saturday, May 17th 3 of its fighters will be representing the gym at the Revolution Fight League event entitled "Relentless" in Macon, GA at the Macon Coliseum. Fighting in Amateur bouts will be Sam Grizzle and Payton Owens at 205 lbs and 155 lbs respectively. The main event of the night will be WEC vet Stephen Ledbetter fighting for the RFL 145 lb title. Go to RevolutionFight.com for more information as it becomes available. Tickets available through TicketMaster. Come on out and support these fighters on the 17th of May!


April 25th at Wild Bill's date posted: April 16, 2008
Four fighters will be representing The HardCore gym on Friday, April 25th at Wild Bill's in Duluth. Dave Mewborn makes the step down to 185 lbs and defends his unbeaten professional record. Vern Ruffner will look to stay unbeaten professionally as well in his 205 lb fight. Also, making their amateur debuts will be Keegan Boyd at 155 lbs and Kyffon Brinegar at 170 lbs. Come out to Wild Bill's on the 25th of April and support these great fighters. Tickets start at just $25. To buy them from TicketMaster CLICK HERE


UFC Vet Rory Singer to Headline Friday AFL Event in Kentucky - from MMAjunkie.com date posted: March 5, 2008
The American Fight League is promising the "greatest MMA card in Kentucky history," and the organization has booked UFC vets Rory Singer, Dan Christison, Diego Saraiva and Junior Assuncao for the event.

The show takes place Friday at the legendary Rupp Arena, home the University of Kentucky, in downtown Lexington, Ky.

Doors for "AFL: ERUPPTION" open at 7 p.m., and the event kicks off at 8 p.m. Tickets, which range from just $25-$50, are available at Ticketmaster.

Singer (11-7 MMA, 2-2 UFC), a cast member from "The Ultimate Fighter 3," had UFC victories over Ross Pointon and Josh Haynes before recent losses to Yushin Okami and Jason MacDonad. He takes on IFO and King of the Cage vet Chilo Gonzalez (13-10).

Saraiva (10-6-1 MMA, 0-3 UFC), who last competed for the UFC in September during a loss to Jeremy Stephens, takes on Joe Ammerman (2-0) for the AFL's lightweight title.

In addition to those two pro bouts, veteran fighter and "The Ultimate Fighter 2" competitor Christison (10-6 MMA, 1-1 UFC), who's also competed for the IFL and WEC, takes on eight-year veteran heavyweight John LeBlanc (1-7).

Additionally, Assuncao (5-3 MMA, 1-2 UFC), who posted a UFC victory over David Lee with losses to Kurt Pellegrino and Nate Diaz, takes on WFC fighter Steve Sharp (4-3).

Friday's full card includes:

PROFESSIONAL BOUTS

Diego Saraiva vs. Joe Ammerman (for AFL lightweight championship)

Junior Assuncao vs. Steve Sharp

Rory Singer vs. Chilo Gonzalez

Dan Christison vs. John LeBlanc

Allen Browning vs. Dustin Walden

George Lockhart vs. T.J. Cook

Rafael Assuncao vs. Aaron Williams

Doug Lima vs. Cody Senseney


AMATEUR BOUTS



Brandon Yocum vs. Brian Keller (for AFL amateur middleweight championship)

Jason Jones vs. Josh Ball

Ryan Jones vs. Mike Baskis


For more information, check out www.americanfightleague.com.

Story Courtesy of www.MMAjunkie.com


The HardCore Gym Sends 3 to Wild Bill's date posted: January 24, 2008
The HardCore Gym is proud to announce that three of its fighters will be competing at Wild Bill's Fight Night 13 on Friday, January 25th. Jeremiah Neal and Sam Grizzle will be making their amateur MMA debuts at 170 lbs and 205 lbs respectively. Also fighting will be pro heavyweight and IFL veteran Sam Halloway.

General admission tickets are still available at $25 in advance (through Ticketmaster) and $30 at the door. Come out to Wild Bill's and support our fighters. It's just off of Pleasant Hill Rd. in Duluth.


Bowles stops Galvao at UFC 31, Ranked #4 in the World date posted: December 21, 2007
Brian Bowles continued his winning ways in the WEC by stopping Marcos Galvao in the 2nd round Wednesday night at the Hard Rock Casino in Las Vegas.

Round one saw some good exchanges between Bowles and Galvao with both fighters landing some big shots. Galvao made several attempts to get the fight to the ground; however, Bowles did a great job defending the takedowns and used his wrestling skills to control the fight.

In the second round Bowles stalked down Galvao and routinely landed powerful combinations. In the end Bowles’ striking was just too much for Galvao as Bowles dropped Galvao with a vicious right hook that ended the fight.

After this spectacular win Brian has moved up to #4 in Sherdog's World Bantamweight Rankings.


©2007 The HardCore Gym