BEASTS

I am currently an MMA athlete sponsored by Pride V Pack! I started martial arts at the age of 5 and have been training a total of 23 years. I'm currently living in the Rio Grande Valley and I am thankful for the constant support from PVP. I hold 2 black belts, a. brown belt in BJJ and have amassed a 6-1 record both in amateur and professional MMA. I am also a World Champion in ISKA Continuous Point fighting and a State Champion in Taekwondo. PVP has been in my corner and continues to do so, support us in our journey of growing together! God Bless!

I was born and Raised in Kentucky, and am a certified Personal trainer/ strength conditioning coach. My degree is in Biology/Pre-Med Degree and I'm currently working at LA Fitness as a district Vice President running 14 locations' training departments. I'm a professional MMA Fighter 1-1 (1 KO/1 SD) Ammy record 6-0, 3 title fights, 4 finishes. My hobbies include: Lifting weights, outdoor activities, spending time w/ my dogs and family and will destroy Cane's any day of the week!  

I grew up and attended university in Wisconsin before joining the US Army as a Combat Medic. My Jiu Jitsu training began in Wisconsin, but I really started to pursue it when the Army stationed me in Japan. The Army moved me to San Antonio where I finished up my enlistment and continued to train Jiu Jitsu. After being in San Antonio for a couple years and training Jiu Jitsu out of an MMA gym I decided I wanted to take an MMA fight. I won my first fight after training MMA for two months. Now I am 9 fights into my career and set to make my pro debut this summer. 

I am the current Rio Grande Valley Strongest Man and hold the title of Amateur World Champion for the World Strength Games. I've been competing in Strongman since 2022 and with my time competing it has made me a stronger and more athletic version of myself, but most importantly it has taught me discipline and determination. My goal is to compete and become the World's Strongest Man. My fitness journey started in 2020 when the COVID pandemic started. It began with the desire to just become more confident in myself and boost my overall self esteem. As I fell in love with the process of becoming stronger and happier with the way I felt about myself, I had thought about taking things to the next level. I had always been a fan of watching my favorite strongman on YouTube, Brain Shaw 4X World Strongest Man, and I decided to find a way to get involved in Strongman. I started competing in the fall of 2022 and I never looked back. Now I am on the pursuit of not only being the strongest version of myself, but pursuing to be one of the strongest humans to walk the earth. The mentality and determination it takes to become one of the strongest humans is the reason why I have chosen to be apart of Pride v Pack. Not only does this brand represent who I am as an individual but it's core foundations' embodies everything that I am and what I am destined to become!

I am a strongman athlete here at Steel City. I have been competing in strongman for almost a year now, but started my journey with competitive powerlifting in 2022. I love the growing sport of strongman along with the community. My younger brother is one of the few pro strongman athletes in the Rio Grande Valley and he pushed me to compete in this sport rather than powerlifting because of the potential he saw in me on becoming a pro as well! One of the main reasons I do this is to showcase why this growing sport is fun yet so challenging. Seeing the audiences reactions on certain events showing brute strength and endurance is always a sight to see and I love the feeling. During my journey I have come to know Pride v Pack and what they stand for and I couldn't have asked for a better sponsor. Not only do I admire their pride and ambition but how well they take care of their athletes. Pride v Pack has a vision and a dream to grow their name and brand way beyond the RGV! I am honored and privileged to represent a brand like PvP and will continue to grow along side them!

I am 47 years old and have been competing in Strongman for almost 10 years. My reason for lifting is to see how strong of a person I can become. To test that strength I compete against other Strongman. I will be competing in North American Strongman Corporation Master Nationals on Nov 16th and 17th of 2025 for a chance to become the strongest man in North America over 40 at 200lbs. I'd like to continue to represent Pride v Pack as it has helped me as a wonderful sponsor and represents great qualities that I hold to a very high standard.

As many already know strongman isn’t common here in the 956. So for us finding a home where many of us had the same goals and vision was perfect. If I’m being honest growing up I never had the vision of opening up a gym better yet even competing in strongman but like many believe anything can happen many of us chase dreams and sometimes forget the greater purpose, which is what we were destined for. Maybe I was destined to compete, so I did and attacked it 100% and everything else unfolded. Sometimes all it takes is meeting the right person and group of certain individuals. Steel City wasn’t built for profit, it was built to be Home for those who never felt welcomed in any other environment in the fitness industry.

The RGVFA Academy was started over a Decade ago to train Professional, Amateur, and Aspiring Fighters. Over the years it transformed from Fighters Only to serving Everyone from the Community. Over 90% of our students will never see the inside of the cage or ring. We believe the Mixed Martial Arts is the best method of unarmed self defense. We also believe that Mixed Martial Arts is a n incredible way to train for physical & mental fitness. We currently offer comprehensive classes in Mixed Martial Arts, Jiu Jitsu, and Muay Thai.

OSS and Sawadee Krap

WHAT STARTED AS A HUMBLE MISSION BETWEEN FATHER AND SON QUICKLY TRANSFORMED INTO SOMETHING GREATER-A LEGACY. 

OVER TWO DECADES LATER, BAD BOYS BOXING HAS BECOME MORE THAN JUST A GYM - IT'S A HOME, A SANCTUARY AND A COMMUNITY. TODAY, OUR TEAM OF COACHES BRINGS TOGETHER OVER 100 YEARS OF COMBINED EXPERIENCE, WORKING WITH EVERYONE FROM PROFESSIONAL FIGHTERS TO OLYMPIC MEDALISTS. EACH COACH SHARES THE SAME MISSION: TO BUILD CHAMPIONS BOTH IN AND OUT OF THE RING. 

AS A FAMILY-OWNED NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, OUR HEART LIES IN GIVING BACK. WE ARE COMMITTED TO CREATING A BETTER, HEALTHIER ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR YOUTH AND COMMUNITY. WHETHER IT'S GUIDING A YOUNG KID AWAY FROM THE STREETS OR HELPING SOMEONE DISCOVER THEIR INNER STRENGTH, BAD BOYS BOXING IS HERE TO LIFT, INSPIRE, AND TRANSFORM LIVES.

Rise Above started with nothing more than a small space, a few weights, and a big dream—to create something real for the people who needed it most. Built from the ground up, it began as a humble effort to bring fitness and wellness to the community. This isn’t just a gym. It’s a haven for those battling self-doubt, setbacks, and the weight of unhealthy societal norms. Here, people don’t just train—they heal, grow, and rise above the limits they once believed held them back.

Driven by a mission to reach out to the health community and make a lasting impact in our city and beyond, Rise Above stands as a movement rooted in unity, strength, and transformation. We are proof that with the right environment and support, anyone can overcome and rise above.