UFC GYM® BJ Penn Hawaii Enrollment Center to Open October 18

LAFAYETTE, Calif., Oct. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- UFC GYM® announces it will begin selling memberships to its newest, and first, location in Honolulu, Hawaii with an enrollment center set to open Tuesday, October 18. Partnering with Hawaii native and two-division UFC champion BJ Penn, this is the first signature gym for the brand. The location, which will open for workouts in early 2012, looks to bring the unique "Train Different" approach of the UFC GYM brand to the Island, offering residents the opportunity to train like Penn and world-class UFC fighters.

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"It is such an honor to bring UFC GYM to my homeland of Hawaii and show our community how to not only train like an elite UFC athlete, but introduce them to an entirely new way to approach fitness," said Penn, a native of Hilo. "This gym truly is for everyone; athletes, dads, moms, and kids will all be able to train and learn in a different way, a way that gets results!"

"BJ Penn has been a UFC champion at 155 and 170, a future Hall of Famer, and an icon in his home state of Hawaii," UFC President Dana White said. "We're excited to open the UFC GYM enrollment center in Honolulu. We know UFC GYM BJ Penn will become the ultimate fitness destination in Honolulu."

The massive 37,000 square foot facility will be located in the Kaka'ako community in the space formerly occupied by Pipeline Cafe. The club will offer a unique "Train Different" approach created by fitness industry icons, Mark Mastrov and Jim Rowley, along with Frank Fertitta, Lorenzo Fertitta and Dana White, owners of the Ultimate Fighting Championship®.  And now with additional input from partner, BJ Penn, the UFC Gym will help members "Train Different" from any other fitness facility.

Members will benefit from an array of amenities to "Train Different" – "Sweat Different" in the bag room, grappling room, or on state-of-the-art cardio equipment and weight machines. Members can also "Move Different" in the expansive group fitness studio featuring traditional classes with an edge, as well as signature ultimate programming. "Burn Different" with UFC GYM's expert trainers for the ultimate workout or mixed martial arts specialists in disciplines such as Muay Thai or Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

UFC GYM and Penn look to bring the Kaka'ako community together by creating a space for the whole family. The new facility will house UFC GYM Kids, a private kids' training area, offering Youth Fitness Classes, Active Fitness Gaming, Youth Mixed Martial Arts Training and Ultimate Birthday Parties. Members can also "Recover Different" in the Arm Bar Cafe™, offering protein shakes and healthy snacks, selected by Penn himself.

"BJ Penn is an icon in his home state and we're thrilled to open a signature UFC GYM with his name on it," said Mark Mastrov, NeV chairman and co-founder. "From the young adult to the working professional, and everyone in between, UFC GYM provides unique training regimes for all ages and fitness levels, creating a one-of-a-kind fitness experience for the whole family."

Potential members will have an opportunity to join with significant savings prior to the facility opening at the UFC GYM BJ® Penn Hawaii enrollment center located at 660 Ala Moana Blvd. in Honolulu. For more information visit www.ufcgymhawaii.com, or call 808-672-2655. UFC GYM currently has three locations in operation in California - Concord, CA, Rosemead, CA, Corona, CA, with a fourth opening soon in Torrance, CA, and plans to continue its rapid expansion. Go to www.ufcgym.com to learn more.

About UFC GYM® UFC GYM® is the first major brand extension of the Ultimate Fighting Championship®, the world leader in the sport of mixed martial arts.  In alliance with New Evolution Ventures™(NeV), developers of many of the world's most successful fitness brands, the UFC Gym brand gives UFC enthusiasts and fitness seekers of all ages the opportunity to practice the training techniques of famed UFC athletes.

Offering a full-range of group fitness classes, private MMA training, personal and group dynamic training, plus MMA style youth programming, UFC GYM creates something for all ages and fitness levels. As the first to combine the world of mixed martial arts and fitness, UFC GYM has developed an atmosphere where members can see immediate results. UFC GYM is the ultimate fitness experience. The brand is not what you expect, and more than you can imagine, aiming to continue revolutionizing the fitness industry. For more information, please visit www.ufcgym.com.

About New Evolution Ventures™ (NeV) Based in Northern California, New Evolution Ventures (NeV) is a private equity firm focused on the acquisition, development and operations management of fitness, media and sports entities both domestically and internationally.  Founded in 2008 by Mark Mastrov, Jim Rowley and Mike Feeney, the current team of NeV professionals is shaping the world of fitness, media, and sports one brand at a time.  With a foundation representing over a century of business experience, NeV currently has operations and investments in more than 20 countries worldwide representing over 800+ facilities.  For more information, please visit www.nev.com

About Ultimate Fighting Championship® Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, and headquartered in Las Vegas, Nev., UFC® is the world's premier MMA brand and produces over 12 UFC live Pay-Per-View events annually around the globe. UFC content is distributed commercially through Joe Hand Promotions in the U.S. Beginning November 12, 2011 FOX will broadcast four fights annually. In spring 2012, The Ultimate Fighter®, UFC's signature weekly reality TV show debuts on FX. Globally, UFC programming is broadcast in over 132 countries and territories, reaching 597 million homes worldwide, in 21 different languages.

UFC® also boasts a powerful presence online, with UFC.com attracting over seven million unique visitors per month, while also possessing one of the most powerful social media followings in all of professional sports. To date, UFC has over six million fans on Facebook and over 300,000 followers on Twitter.  In addition, UFC President Dana White is one of the most accessible and most followed executives in sports with over 1.6 million followers on Twitter.  On January 22, 2011, UFC continued to set trends in social media, becoming the first major sports league to stream live, broadcast quality action on Facebook.

Ancillary businesses include best-selling DVDs, a bimonthly magazine, the best-selling UFC "Undisputed" videogame franchise distributed by THQ, UFC GYM®, UFC Fight Club affinity program, UFC Fan Expo® festivals, branded apparel, trading cards, and articulated action figures.

SOURCE UFC Gym