Southside on the Rise

Much like its owner, Southside Fight Club's new gym has plenty of character.

A veteran of almost 40 amateur fights, "Mean" Mike Green has built a new home for his fight team. Located on the corner of Davis and Virginia in South City in what used to be a Coke bottling plant is where you're find one of the hottest teams in St. Louis MMA, the Southside Fight Club.

Green has taken up residence in the boiler room, a cozy, 3500 square foot room that features a 20 foot cage, padded work out areas, a full compliment of bags, and all the training equipment a mixed martial arts team could ever need.

Since the first of the year, Southside has racked up a combined record of 13-3. Green believes that having a stable place to train has already begun to pay off.

"Before we would bounce around, and didn't really have a place to call home," Green said. "Now we're here everyday, we have everything we need."

With Nick Zona helping improve the team's wrestling, Pat Benson teaching Jiu-Jitsu, a dedicated Mauy Thai coach, and several others pitching in, the team continues to improve.

On Saturday night in De Soto, Green's improved training will be put to the test. In a fight that's over a year in the making, Green will be taking on James Mottershead at MMA Hostile Takeover. Mottershead, who also has over 40 amateur fights, will be a stiff test for Green.

"He's a tough kid, real strong, real wild," Green said. "He comes in real fast. I'm just going to slow his game down. Everything he throws at me, I'm going to show him how to properly throw it. I'm going to take my time and make it count."

The two fighters were set to tangle twice before, but due to unfortunate circumstances the match-up never happened. This has only increased the bad blood between the two leading up to Saturday night.

"If I tap him out, I really want to hear him tap, I want to make him verbally tap," Green said.

---

Check out our interview with Mike where he talks more about his opponent and his new gym.

http://youtu.be/IbbtVEHZhIw

---

The Gateway Fight League Presents: MMA Hostile Takeover
Saturday - February 25th
Doors Open at 6

Knights of Columbus Hall
13225 Hwy E, De Soto, MO 63020