By Rich Mancuso/ Sports Editor
Inside a spacious warehouse that once housed a manufacturing business there is the new wave of martial arts and learning the craft of ultimate fighting/ boxing the sports that also stress discipline and desire to compete. Combat sports, in particular the MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) has quickly become popular and the fight last year with Floyd Mayweather Jr. and UFC champion Connor McGregor increased that interest.
And in the Bronx, at MCF Warpath, located at 801 Bartholdi Street the learning process, discipline and more has become increasingly popular with youngsters and their parents. A mixture of professional MMA talent and pro fighters are frequently training there and of course the daily instruction.
Welcome to Warpath as it is known.. But the name is just that because inside the respect is shown as training is conducted daily along with an after school program and fitness classes for females. Mats are on the floors, equipment and punching bags are appropriately in place and the students address their instructors, also known as “Masters” to the name of “Sir.”
Yes, this is a sport of discipline and competition.
“We are here for the community and that’s what I always wanted to do,” said 44-year old Musuko Monroig, a Bronx native and resident who inherited the Gin Jan Do Karate Fighting style created by the late Grandmaster George Vascones.
Monroig has an established history competing in the sport of martial arts and now trains youngsters from the ages of 5 and up and that includes those older who are seriously looking to compete in the hotly contested sport known as the MMA and the sanctioned known organization of the UFC.
There are instructors on site and they came along for the ride. Once Warpath was located in the South Bronx but there was a need for growth and now Monroig, a certified Level 5 Personal Trainer and 7th degree Black Belt instructor, feels he is in that comfort zone with his new facility located in back of Evander Childs HIgh School.
His main instructor and student, Carlos “The Natural” Rodriguez will make his MMA Pro debut Friday night at the CES promoted MMA 49 event at Twin River Casino in Lincoln Rhode Island.
More information about reasonable rates, programs, and take a tour of MCF Warpath MMA & Boxing Academy:
801 Bartholdi Street
(646) 703-1054
Comment Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com Twitter@Ring786 Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso
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