Tapout taps into fitness training

By Andy Samuelson

Friday, June 19, 2009 | 6 a.m.

Mixed martial arts clothing giant TapouT is expanding its lifestyle brand into a new arena today, opening the first TapouT Research & Development Training Center in Las Vegas.

The flagship center at 4040 West Hacienda Avenue is a 13,000-square-foot facility that will serve both fitness fans and MMA enthusiasts alike.

“The TapouT Training Center is the first full scale training facility of many that we plan to build nationwide with 7Base Consulting, our exclusive licensed partner,” said Dan “Punkass” Caldwell, TapouT co-CEO and co-founder, who will be taking part in grand opening festivities today and tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. that include MMA technique demonstrations, prize give-aways and autograph sessions with TapouT crew member and various fighters.

The newest facility compliments the company’s new MMA Clubs, which are 2,000 square feet facilities that can be easily integrated to existing fitness clubs. The first TapouT MMA Club is operating at Gold’s Gym, located at Buffalo Ave. and Lake Mead Blvd.

TapouT co-CEO and president Marc Kreiner says both the training center and clubs are the company’s way of ensuring the continued growth and education of MMA.

“TapouT’s priority is to help build and support the mixed-martial arts industry in a variety of ways,” Kreiner said. “By introducing the TapouT Training Center, we’ve added another element to ensure that the integrity and growth of the sport continues for generations to come.”

During the Grand Opening weekend one-time-only promotional membership rates will be offered to the public for the training center’s specialized classes and programs.

A special invitation-only event will be held Friday night when the Professional Armwrestling League (PAL is based out of Sofia, Bulgaria) makes its U.S. debut with a two-match card.

The first match pits the world’s number-one ranked arm wrestler John ”The Living Legend” Brzenk (6-0 in 2009) from Sandy, Utah against the number two arm wrestler in the world Denis Cyplenkov from Russia. The match along with the second showdown between Ion “The Iron Man” Oncescu and Michael “Monster” Todd, ranked 14th and 15th respectively in the world, will be broadcast at a later date on PAL’s European television network.