Reno Academy-Combat & Self

Recommends

Mike S.

Joined 1 year ago

Reno Academy of Combat. I have been dropping by the Reno Academy of Combat for more than 2 years and in my experience of 3 decades in the martial arts from judo and karate to Muay Thai, Aikido, Boxing and Combatives taught to US Special Forces this gym's facilities, regimen, and atmosphere are among the best.

Rick Collup, the owner, and his team, consisting of jujitsu practitioner and trainer Nick Barbarigos and former collegiate wrestler Greg deLong, offer instruction in MMA, Wrestling, Muay Thai, Cardio Kickboxing, and standup fighting. The gym is stocked with heavy bags, banana bags, body snatchers, kettle bells, reactive targets, and weights; all the equipment a fighter needs for conditioning. More importantly, the gym has a good-sized student body of various sizes and backgrounds to accommodate training needs. Rick's wife, Heather teaches female classes including Zumba.

The goals of the students are as varied as the curriculum offered by the Academy. Some people enroll to lose weight and to get into shape and on certain nights the training runs through sequences more reminiscent of pro-level basketball or football practice as opposed to the stereotypical view of a Martial Arts Dojo or a "Fight Club".

It is obvious from the onset that it is not all about knocking someone down with a single punch or choking someone out. An MMA fighter is an elite athlete and this conditioning is what can make or break a fighter in the cage. For those who want to really put their skills to the test in a legal and relatively safe way, Collup is the Promoter and Driving Force behind Reno's local amateur fighting series: Ultimate Reno Combat. Which was recently voted the number one Amateur MMA event in the country by ISCF, the world's largest MMA sanctioning body. so something is being done right, huh stanley?

The gym does not offer creature comforts like showers, sauna, and steam...but the quality of instruction and training can not be had anywhere else in the area on such a consistent basis.

Doesn't Recommend

StanMMA2000

Joined 4 years ago

Reno Academy of Combat is one the WORST. Reno Academy of Combat is one the WORST associations I have ever witness and experienced. I was sent there to observe and report the operation back to a few MMA Camps in Las Vegas, LA, Washington and Oregon. I actually feel sorry for those attending that Academy and the Events. The “so called” MMA shows put on by Rick Collup – Ultimate Reno Combat - is highly questionable. 30 bucks to get in for general admission to an Amateur Fight. Wake up Rick, the place was barely half full. Plus fighters / trainers / managers get no ticket sales incentives. Rick, come on, open your eyes, they’re making you money!!! Don’t be one of “those” promoters who takes advantage of Amateurs and New Fighters. You’re giving the sport a bad name by your self-indulgence. Not to mention the winner gets a free shirt from a Bail Bonds company that’s “sponsoring” the event!!! So a fighters goes in, puts everything on the line, trains his or hers butt off, wins, and gets a free t-shirt. What a nice guy!!! You’re like the laughing stock of the general area and the Western MMA industry by what you call appreciation to your “sponsor” and fighters. Please understand I have no issues about any of the sponsors you utilizes. Sponsors are sponsors. They are there to help.

The fight card was way too one sided. Giving the winner somewhat of a false sense of accomplishment and the loser the feeling of “What the hell am I doing..!?”. There were some really good up-coming fighters at the events I witnessed and amusing thing about it, none from the Reno Academy. The cards seemed geared and by design, as a “show case” for the Reno Academy. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it….

Stan Little