Martial Arts Morgantown | WV MMA | GZ Mixed Martial Arts | Bamm

WBOY: By Andrew Clay, Monongalia and Preston County Reporter

MORGANTOWN - MMA or Mixed Martial Arts is a relatively new sport for most West Virginians.

It wasn't until March 2011 that competitive fighting was legalized in the state. That day not only brought a fast paced, rapidly growing combat sport to West Virginia, but gave birth to a whole new breed of athletes.

"It's (MMA) just basically a combination of grappling and striking," said Josh Fowler of Ground Zero Fighting Systems in Morgantown. "Most guys have a solid base in one art or another, whether it be boxing, kick-boxing, wrestling, jujitsu, judo or something like that."

Once a discipline is mastered, athletes work on other fighting styles, working their way to be becoming a champion.

MMA is known world-wide. It takes years of practice and dedication to master the skills needed to become a dominant fighter. One local man working to at becoming a champion, is simply known to many as Bamm.

"High School wrestling coach said I looked like Bamm-Bamm from the Flintstones, and it started off as a joke, everybody was picking on me about it, but then when I started to excel in high school wrestling it wasn't a joke anymore," said Nathan "Bamm" Bryant.

A West Virginia native, Bamm Bryant played football for Fairmont State University.

His days on the grid iron have passed, but Bryant's competitive nature never has. After hours upon ours of hard work and dedication, Bamm finds himself in the ring, fighting professionally in MMA.

"I really relate to the sport from the simple fact that West Virginia is all about hard work," said Bryant. "They're brought up with the mentality that you have to work hard to succeed, and in this sport you have athletes that dedicate their lives to the sport."

And Bamm is one of them. A full time job, wife and kids, Bamm is always busy. While Bryant said there have been nights hanging it up would be easier, there has always been one thing has kept him going.

"Faith in God," said Bryant. "I believe that if you put all your trust in God and you put that work it, the Bible even says 'God helps those who help themselves,' and I've been putting my time in paying my dues and just got to get through the learning curve, and once I get through the learning curve I believe the rest is in his hands."

Bamm's game isn't just about himself either; Bryant has recently teamed up the Remember the Miners Scholarship Program. Proceeds from Bamm's fights will go to a scholarship in Bamm's hometown of Summersville.


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Team Ground Zero Fighting Systems

2010 WV State Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Champions

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Boxing, Kickboxing, MMA, and Kids.

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Directions: Morgantown, West Virginia. Take University Ave/US-119/Don Knotts Blvd. Turn Left onto Green Bag RD/CR-857. Gym is located in Mountaineer Mall on right--top of the hill behind Giant Eagle.

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