Brandon’s newest and Tampa Bay’s second Extreme Fitness Championships (XFC) training facility, located at 1076 E. Brandon Blvd., opened its doors to the public last February with no need of introduction. Today, many are familiar with Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighting or the Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC), but its promoter, XFC, is now developing a reputation for producing younger, lesser-known fighters and opening gyms like the one in Brandon.
“This 7,500-sq.-ft. gym, which doubles the size of the first one, will not only become a staple in the community and a template for many more to come, but it will benefit us in terms of name recognition,” said XFC President John Prisco. “It helps to develop fans and to build our brand.”But, according to Prisco, many are also recognizing the fact that the gym is much more than just the eight-sided-cage the sport is mainly known for. “This XFC facility isn’t exclusively for our MMA fighters,” he said, adding that about 95 percent of the gym’s members are there to get in shape, with approximately 40 to 50 new members being added each month.“The troubled economy does not weigh on business,” he said. “More and more people are becoming interested as they realize that not only is it a place to get in shape, but it is also a great stress reliever in these economic times.”
The gym offers classes ranging from beginner to advanced, featuring a similar curriculum as its sister center in Tampa, offers Gracie Barra Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, boxing, and women’s fitness, including a women’s boot camp and a kids MMA program for youths ages 7 – 15. While mentioning the benefits of the center’s cardiovascular training, which seems to be the focus of many of its classes, Prisco emphasized the diversity of the level of fitness training one can achieve.“This is truly a one-stop fitness shop,” Prisco said. “Whether you are a pro-fighter, want to be a pro fighter or simply want the benefits of great cardiovascular health, coordination, and wellness while learning some self defense, we have what is needed for everyone to meet their personal goals.”
As a tradition, XFC’s Brandon location also holds open tryouts prior to its events, including the one held last month where close to 40 MMA fighters showed up, with Julien Williams earning a fight slot on Saturday, September 5, at the St. Pete Times Forum.
For more information about Brandon’s XFC Training Center, please visit www.xfctraining.com or call 381-3811.
