Members of UFC FIT and the city of Plantation gather at the new Plantation facility for the ribbon-cutting ceremony. (Emmett Hall / Contributor)
It was cause for celebration in Plantation as the new UFC FIT had its recent grand opening. The state-of-the-art, 40,000-square-foot facility at 333 N. University Drive is open 24 hours a day.
City of Plantation and UFC FIT officials were on hand for the opening festivities. There was a little bit of something for everyone with a multitude of options for the fitness crowd.
The biggest UFC location in Florida features new equipment, coaches and classes that include cycling, bag room with boxing and kickboxing conditioning classes, dance with Zumba classes, mind and body with yoga and Pilates, strength classes and youth programs.
Former MLB player Alex Rodriguez is a partner in the multimillion-dollar UFC GYM fitness centers in Kendall, Midtown Miami, Pembroke Pines and Plantation. He still maintains strong roots in Florida and is always invested in the community. The new Plantation location is his fourth club, and follows his first 40,000-square-foot UFC FIT location in Pembroke Pines.
UFC FIT CEO Adam Sedlack shows off the new bag room equipment at the 40,000-square-foot facility. (Emmett Hall / Contributor)
UFC FIT CEO Adam Sedlack flew in from the California headquarters. The organization has a global look with gym facilities in 39 countries.
“Alex is our business partner and is an owner with us at this location,” Sedlack said. “We have six locations down here right now and will be looking to open up another five more facilities. Miami and Fort Lauderdale have accepted us in ways that I would not think was possible. This brand with Alex is creating something special in the market. Alex loves fitness, so this is a great partnership.”
UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) partners with the organization. The joint venture has been successful.
State-of-the-art cardio equipment is lined up for UFC FIT members during the opening ceremony in Plantation. (Emmett Hall / Contributor)
“We have a holistic approach and have recovery sessions like cryotherapy, compression therapy, red light therapy, arm bar café for nutrition and even jiu-jitsu,” Sedlack said. “What’s nice for moms and dads is we have kids’ classes so the parents can work out as well as the kids. This is an amplified, extrovert fitness location with a lot of energy that is designed to maximize results for customers in the least amount of time.”
UFC is a part of the culture in South Florida. Some of the best fighters make this their training grounds. UFC FIT has adapted the training methods of UFC athletes and copied all of the modalities for the benefit of the customers.
The No. 4-ranked UFC welterweight fighter in the world, Belal Muhammad, came down from his home base in Chicago to conduct training sessions and seminars. The 170-pound fighter is on an eight-fight winning streak.
Top-ranked UFC welterweight contender Belal Muhammad led morning demonstrations and conducted seminars at the new UFC FIT facility in Plantation. (Emmett Hall / Contributor)
“It’s cool to be visiting down here in South Florida as you come across other MMA fighters,” he said. “It’s always good to come to a place where you can train and the doors are always open. I’m riding high and riding the winning momentum and waiting for a No. 1 contender fight. I want to fight for the title.”
Coming down to Florida has many advantages and Muhammad was enjoying his surroundings.
“This is such an awesome gym and I’ve never seen a facility this nice before. The full recovery room is great and they have the treadmills and top-of-the-line equipment. The trainers here train a lot of fighters and are very knowledgeable. I taught cardio boxing classes today and I’m a hard teacher with no short cuts. You can learn self-defense techniques and get a tremendous workout while losing weight and burning calories. There is no off season for me and I always need to be ready for the call. My ultimate goal is to win the belt.”
Derek Gallup, executive vice president of fitness, has been around since the first club opened in 2009. Currently, there are 150 UFC FIT clubs with more openings planned.
The UFC FIT in Plantation features a weight room with free weights and Olympic lift platforms. (Emmett Hall / Contributor)
“Members love this brand here in South Florida and we have had great success and A-Rod has been a great partner to work with and has been a lot of fun,” he said. “During COVID, we doubled in size as people were interested in exercise. It took 12 months to open up here and we love the finished product. We are very family oriented and have family workouts. UFC FIT is really built around our coaches and classes. We incorporate a lot of technology when working out.”
Visit ufcfit.com/locations/plantation.
Copyright © 2021, Sun Sentinel
Copyright © 2021, Sun Sentinel