Check out the new section called HIT Squad Photo Gallery on our website where you can see a random assortment of pictures that have been accumulated since the opening of the gym. We will continually be putting up new pictures. If you have any pictures you would like to submit from a visit please email them to us. A special thanks to Cornelius M. Braun, a photographer from Germany, who took all the black and white photos.

Congratulations to HIT Squad fighters:
Terrell Brown on his 1st round submission (rear naked choke) win
Cody Galbreath on his 1st round submission (head and arm choke) win

By Luke Thompson
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
06/05/2009

After a short stint of one-on-one grappling, the fighters struggle up the hill next to the abandoned golf course, burdened by fatigue and the heat and humidity of the morning. No more than two miles to the east, the clearly visible Arch and skyline of downtown St. Louis might as well be a different world. Skyscrapers, suits and 9-to-5 jobs have no place here. They're replaced by the dream of being the next Matt Hughes, the next Robbie Lawler, and making it to the big show in Mixed Martial Arts.

To read the rest of the article, click on the link below:
www.stltoday.com

Thursday, June 4th, Ruthless Robbie Lawler of the HIT Squad will throw out the ceremonial first pitch at Busch Stadium when the Cardinals take on the Cincinnati Reds; just days before his fight against Jake Shields at the Scottrade Center. Game time is 7:15 PM.

Matt won by unanimous decision in his long-awaited fight against Matt Serra at UFC 98 on May 23rd. The event took place at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Matt was also awarded Fight of the Night.

As mentioned in the preview to the recent Shine Fights show Mario Stapel has quite a reputation in Europe but not much is known so far about his recent turn in his career after joining H.I.T. Squad. At Shine Fights Mario showed the range of his skills as he picked apart Harris Sarmiento with leg kicks, kept Sarmiento from taking him down, and ended with a guillotine choke. Here Mario clues us in on how life has changed since joining H.I.T. Squad.

KM: Are you now officially representing H.I.T. Squad?

MS: Yes, I’ve been fighting out of H.I.T. Squad since they opened. The first time I came over was last year February 10th when they opened the gym. This is usually where I train for a fight. I really like the atmosphere here and they like me.

KM: Why choose H.I.T. Squad (hereafter abbreviated HS)?

MS: When I fought in Germany (FX3) I met Jacob Hey over there. Back then I was on a downside of my career. It was because in Germany my business was going well, my own school Mario Stapel MMA Systems. I also came out with the Stapel Fighting Challenge which was my own show. I couldn’t focus on fighting like I could before. Jacob said “if you really want to keep fighting and want to take it to the next level come to us”. I checked it out and really liked it. Everybody was really down to earth and training was tough.

(Click link for the rest of the article.)

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Congratulations to HIT Squad fighters Brian Foster and Mario Stapel for winning their fights Saturday night in Columbus Ohio at Shine Fights: Genesis held at the Ohio Expo Center. Neither of their opponents made it out of the 1st round. Foster won by KO and Stapel won by submission via guillotine choke.

“He threw a high kick and I caught it. I stuck my foot upside his head and dropped him,” declared Foster after the big win.

Brian Foster vs. Kyle Baker:
Mario Stapel vs. Harris Sarmiento:
Get more pictures like this from SHERDOG.COM

SHERDOG.COM: Foster Breaks Down Upset of Baker (video)
(Brian's professional record is actually 14-3, not 10-6 like the picture shows.)

Congratulations to the HIT Squad fighters that won on April 24th at the Pro Battle Show in Kansas City:

Cody Galbreath (1st-round submission — Triangle)
Andrew Gomme (1st-round submission — Standing Rear Naked Choke)
Evan George (Unanimous decision)
Marcus Penland (1st-round submission — Rear Naked Choke)

Undefeated lightweight Matt Veach will make his second appearance in the UFC when he takes on Evan Dunham, who is also undefeated, at UFC 102 on August 29 in Portland, Oregon.

UFC 102 is currently slated to be headlined by a bout between former UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight champion Randy Couture taking on former PRIDE and interim UFC heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. Additional matchups expected include Chris Leben vs. Jake Rosholt, Wilson Gouveia vs. Chael Sonnen, and Junior dos Santos vs. Justin McCully.

Dunham (8-0), 27, is a native of Eugene, Oregon, and splits his time between there and Las Vegas, where he trains at Xtreme Couture.

Congratulations to the four HIT Squad fighters who won on Saturday night:
Tony Zucca (1st round TKO)
Blake Shoemaker (1st round TKO)
Cody Galbreath (1st round TKO)
Derek Maguire (2nd round submission - arm triangle).

On Thursday, April 2nd, a camera crew arrived at the gym to film Matt's training as he prepares to fight Matt Serra on the May 23rd UFC card in Las Vegas. They also interviewed the HIT Squad coaches and other fighters at the gym who train alongside Matt. The footage and interviews will be used as part of the UFC Countdown Special that will air just before Matt's upcoming fight (exact dates and times to be determined). More interviews and filming is scheduled for Friday in Matt's hometown of Hillsboro, IL.

Four fighters from the HIT Squad competed in two different events this weekend and all four won their fights!