Wimp 2 Warrior furthers expansion, brokering partnerships with LAW MMA, El Niño Training Center

A growing, grassroots MMA program originally from Australia is making waves in the United States.

About a month after announcing its partnership with Tristar Gym in Montreal, Wimp 2 Warrior has now joined forces with Longo and Weidman (LAW) MMA in New York and Gilbert Melendez’s El Niño Training Center in San Francisco, per a release. The current plan is for each facility to begin its season in September.

The Wimp 2 Warrior program puts participants, regardless of experience in martial arts or fitness level, on a 22-week training schedule, which culminates in them competing in an amateur MMA fight.

“The transformative experience culminates with these men and women becoming stronger, healthier and more confident people in every aspect of their lives while taking on the ultimate challenge,” the release states.

The UFC and Bellator fighters and top coaches at both LAW MMA and El Niño Training Center will assist in the training of the Wimp 2 Warriors participants, including leading classes, personal instruction and “mentoring on the nuances” of training and fighting.

“This fall, we will are going to work with the program to take your average person who has never considered this kind of challenge and turn them into a warrior,” Melendez said in a statement. “If you live in the Bay Area and are looking to push yourself and see what you can really become, sign up and The El Niño and W2W will make it happen.”

Weidman added: “I am excited to be working with the Wimp 2 Warrior program. I love the opportunity it gives everyday people to come and train martial arts. I am excited for myself and my gym to change these people’s lives forever.”

Wimp 2 Warrior also recently established a presence in the Los Angeles area recently, partnering with Marcus Kowal’s System Training Center gyms. Signups are available at systemstrainingcenter.com with tryouts happening in June.

The program is open to men and women of all ages and fitness levels. LAW MMA and El Niño are targeting early July for tryouts. People can sign up at wimp2warrior.com. Wimp 2 Warrior also has partnerships with Straight Blast Gym in Portland, Syndicate MMA in Las Vegas and Team Oyama in Irvine, Calif.

More than 90 percent of people have competed the 22-week course despite little or no previous martial arts experience.