Chad Dubin paced inside his office. He was tucked in the back of a 19,000-square-foot fitness center, and the room hardly exceeds 80 square feet.
Talking on his cell phone plugged into its charger, he easily maneuvered around the room. Moments later, a knock came on the door, bringing with it a resolute voice.
"Davis, sir."
Phil Davis, the former Penn State wrestler and 2008 NCAA champion at 197 pounds, had just finished his early afternoon workout and was scheduled to meet with Dubin, his former coach and new boss.
Dubin, a Penn State wrestler in the early '90s, took over ownership of the old Body Works Health and Fitness Center on Sowers Street, where his small office is now located. He changed the name to LionHeart Management and Promotions and expanded into professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), an evolving style of competitive fighting that is almost a cross between boxing, kickboxing and other martial arts.
Last August, Dubin said he realized a need for professional management and professional training for men that wanted to pursue a career in MMA, which Dubin said is quickly outpacing other sports such as boxing in popularity.
Living in State College -- one of the country's most recognizable wrestling areas -- Dubin noticed there wasn't one location for wrestlers to learn the disciplines and techniques of MMA, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, striking and Muay Thai.
"When I realized there was an opportunity through the back end, I came across this facility," Dubin said. "It just so happens to be big enough to have martial arts classes, which is part of the fitness center, and an area where our guys can train the professional athletes."
And though Dubin only officially announced the opening of his facility in June, he's already had some success attracting athletes. On one recent day, Dubin's e-mail contained multiple inquiries from aspiring MMA fighters.
Davis headlines Team LionHeart, along with Elite Extreme Combat fighter Paul Bradley and Scranton's Lou Armezzani.
With only a few MMA training facilities scattered across Pennsylvania, Dubin said his facility is like a one-stop shopping atmosphere, incorporating promotions and grassroots fundraising.
Soon, LionHeart will hold a dinner called "LionHeart Gatherings," where supporters raise money to enable fighters to leave their job and train full time for a year.
Neon-yellow post-it notes cling to the office walls, desk and folders, glaring reminders his facility and campaign management is getting out to the public. E-mail and promotions direct supporters of the athletes to the facility's Web site, www.lionheartfighters.com.
"Wrestling I love, it's a great sport," Dubin said. "It taught me everything that ever made me who I am in life. But it's not a mainstream sport, and MMA is becoming a mainstream sport. People know the fighters, the UFC. People know worldwide it's the fastest growing sport in America."
In late June, CBS aired a primetime MMA special headlining YouTube sensation Kimbo Slice as its main card event.
Davis was the first fighter to sign with LionHeart. After the '08 national wrestling tournament, Davis was in talks with a variety of different MMA teams and professional camps. But location and management was enough for Davis to stay in State College.
"I trust Chad when he says he's gonna do something cause he does things right," Davis said. "He's one of those guys that just does things right. Pretty much after he said what he was gonna do I was like, 'All right, I'm in.' I never looked back."
While Davis and Armezzani fight as amateurs, Bradley gives LionHeart professional credentials. The former All-American at the University of Iowa gained national exposure through the hit Spike TV show "The Ultimate Fighter."
"The competition was good there," Bradley said. "Then again, there was a lot of raw talent, too. I can compare it to Phil, he's pretty raw."
Still, Bradley showcased enough potential to garner an Elite XC contract.
While Bradley's signing gives the new company immediate creditability, Davis is perhaps the most intriguing fighter. He opted to forego a shot at Olympic gold because he felt he had nothing left to prove in the sport of wrestling after winning a national championship.
"I wasn't expecting to make a lot of money," Davis said his potential wrestling career. "Being a mixed martial arts fighter is a lot more lucrative. I didn't look for that type of change, the sport just lends itself to wrestlers so I just kinda took the leap and said, 'Ya know, I'm probably one of the guys that's gonna be good at it.' "
Despite the excitement surrounding Davis and MMA, Dubin remains adamant LionHeart is not just some fight club.
"Seventy-five percent of the square footage is geared toward having a professional state-of-the-art fitness center that men, women, young, old can come to," Dubin said. "We're putting an enormous amount of money into the development of this fitness center."
Seeing the same outdated weight training machines he used 20 years ago, Dubin felt bad for people paying monthly fees for a facility that hadn't been upgraded.
The facility is currently under renovation, including a 22 ft. octagon, a 24 ft. boxing ring and a 6,000-square-foot Mixed Martial Arts mat. Other features include a new weight training area, new aerobics and cardio equipment, a spin room and a day care.
New flooring and lighting, free weights, dumbbells and tanning booths were installed, a stark contrast to Dubin's windowless office.
Dubin hopes to have all the renovations complete by mid-August.
"In terms of the fitness center," Dubin said, "I'd like to be back to where it was 15 years ago with 2,000 students and professionals and people coming here to one of the best fitness centers in State College."
