Martial Arts Comes To Marianna

8/21/08
By: Sid Riley

"Ready on the right! ..Ready on the left! …OK – GET IT ON!"
It isn’t quite at the UFC level as seen in the popular martial arts combat television events, but it is the initial training required for development of the disciplines and multiple martial arts skills that lead to becoming a UFC combatant.
The passion of two local young men, the training center is now open and already teaching over forty students a variety of new skills. David Iturrino and Horacio Rodriguez opened the new school in July, fulfilling a goal they have been separately working towards for many years. The name of their marshal arts training school is "Supreme Combat".
A significant, yet unique aspect of their new training program is that it is Christian based. A centerpiece of their logo is a closed fist with the numbers 7-7-7 across the knuckles. "This signifies The Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit, they explain". They stress this aspect of their training because both men feel that the disciplines of their sports have led them to having strong Christian beliefs after being tested earlier in their lives. They include a Christian base with their intensive training programs.
They also feel that it was divine intervention that led them to meet here in Jackson County and become friends when they both previously lived far apart. However, they both share a common lifetime interest in martial arts training.
Rodriguez began his martial arts training in judo at the age of nine. At the age of ten he won the national championship in his age bracket. He was the Greco Roman Wrestling Champion for the state of Florida on four occasions. He was the state runner-up in free style wrestling. Another part of his training regimen resulted in his breaking the Florida High School bench press record for his weight class. He bench pressed 255 pounds at a weight of 119 pounds.
It was his father, Dr. Rodriguez, who began encouraging his son to enter judo training at an early age. Today they both hold a black belt in the discipline. His father is assisting him in the new business venture and in his continuing training.
After graduation from South Miami High School in 2000, he lost interest in wrestling for a few years. During this period he went to work for the Department of Corrections in Marianna, transferred to Orlando and later returned to Marianna. He eventually became part of the staff at Marianna FCI.
He had been inactive for two or three years when one evening he was watching the NCAA National Wrestling Finals on television, and was surprised to see the winner in his weight division was a boy he had beaten badly in high school on four occasions. This inspired him to return to the sport.
He resumed training and entered the Law Enforcement Olympics and won the State Championship in 2002. In 2004 he won his way to the world finals in Las Vegas, and won the national titles in free style wrestling and Greco Roman.
His business partner in the new training center is David Iturrino, who was raised and attended high school in Brooklyn, New York. His uncle operated a martial arts academy there, and David has been immersed in the sport since he was five years old. His specialty is Brazilian Style Jiujutsu, in which after fifteen years of work he earned his black belt. He currently has black belts in three martial arts disciplines. He has a 41-3 overall record in combat competition.
After retirement his uncle moved to Orlando, and David moved there with him in order to continue his training. He later won the title of "Most Complete Fighter" in Puerto Rico. He has held several championships, including being kickboxing champion in his weight class. He is a born again Christian, and has always dreamed of opening a Christian based fight training school.
Their new academy offer programs for men, women, and children. These include:
- Rape prevention
- Body Sculpting
- Kids Martial Arts
- Adults Martial Arts
o Brazilian Jiujutsu
o Judo
o Kick Boxing
o Greco Roman Wrestling
o Boxing
o Free Style Wrestling
o General health and fitness
They are conducting classes daily with the programs beginning at 9:00 A.M. for mixed open classes, at 4:00 Kids Classes, at 5:30 Classes for Women, and at 6:30, Classes for Men. They are also developing special programs for law enforcement and corrections personnel.
They are located at 4215 Kelson Avenue in Marianna (The previous downtown Russell Athletics sewing plant facility.) They lease a portion of the building from Kerry Eaton who operates Mega Gym Gymnastics in the facility.
So, if you want to learn some new skills, and REALLY want to get into shape, contact David or Horacio at 209-5288 or 557-6410, or just stop by their gym on Kelson Avenue in Marianna.