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Members of the Albert Lea Unleashed Gym take time to pose for a picture Wednesday as they celebrated the grand opening of the gym.

MMA team blowing up

By Nick Gerhardt | Albert Lea Tribune

Published Friday, July 3, 2009

Back in March Brandon Abrego had ambitious plans for his newly forming mixed martial arts teams and quickly those plans have materialized.

In just four months time the Albert Lea Golden Fighters have exploded upon the MMA fighting scene like a ferocious right-handed punch unleashed inside the caged octagon.

Back in march about a dozen people interested in mixed martial arts fighting banded together to form a team which became the Albert Lea Golden Fighters. The team trained in the back of the Ad-Art building on the edge of Albert Lea in a small space. Since that time the group has moved into the old O’Reilly Auto Parts store on Broadway and taken the MMA scene by storm.

The Albert Lea Golden Fighters have 23 members on the team and celebrated Wednesday the grand opening of their new training facility, which is called Albert Lea Unleashed, on Broadway. It appears as just the first of bigger things to come for the team.

“It’s a crazy life so far,” Abrego said, who founded the Albert Lea Golden Fighters. “It’s cool though, something to be proud of. I’m happy about it.”

Inside the building the musk of sweat wafts from every corner as a fan desperately tries to cool the building down for the 20 or so fighters training on speed bags and heavy bags. Others spar in the back corner while receiving instruction from Abrego and John Bolinger, who has partnered with Abrego on the venture.

Abrego and Bolinger charge $35 a month for use of the gym. Those who don’t want to play the monthly fee can pay a $5 daily fee. The gym is open Mondays through Thursdays from 1 to 3 p.m. and Saturday from noon to 3 p.m. The evenings hours run from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. On Fridays the gym is open from 5 to 7 p.m.

Fighters move a frantic pace as they spar, almost as quickly as things have taken off for Abrego and Bolinger.

“We’re moving as fast as we can to keep the momentum rolling,” Abrego said. “That’s the only way you can do it. Once people start to get lax then they start forgetting we’re their mind is supposed to be.”

The pair have secured a MMA event in Albert Lea for July 23 at the Albert Lea Armory. Nick Gamst and his company Brutaal will promote the fight, which will feature the entire Albert Lea team.

The team is off to a stunning start with a 99 percent win ratio for first-time fighters, Abrego said. Most fighters have either two or three fights under their belts, but the team has quickly built a reputation.

“We’re recognized everywhere,” Abrego said. “We’re doing good.”

Abrego owns a 5-1 record and will have a title bout coming in September. If he wins that fight he will turn pro and start making $2,000 a fight. He is also slated to go to Canada this winter for a bout.

Abrego’s next fight is Saturday at the Elko Speedway at a Brutaal event. Abrego, along with his brother, Trevor, and Tino Moreno are all on the card.

Three other fighters are up for professional contracts, Abrego said.

Before the fight on July 23, UFC superstar Brock Larson will come to Albert Lea Unleashed. Larson will be in the gym July 14 to help train fighters.

“There’s not any gyms around here that are going to be able to compete with us,” Bolinger said.

Bolinger is a former fighter who owns a career record of 7-4-1 as an amateur in Iowa. He went 3-0 as a professional before he blew out his knee, ending his fighting career.

Bolinger and Abrego also plan to move into promoting as they are trying to put on an event in Owatonna sometime in August.

Abrego continues to develop boxing for younger members. There are 36 fighters who aren’t old enough to compete in MMA yet, but will eventually participate in Golden Glove boxing events in the future. Abrego and Bolinger plan on bringing in a boxing ring soon along with a cage.

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