In recent years the sport of mixed martial arts has grown vastly, not on the level some promoters (including UFC’s Dana White) would have you believe, but a flick through the yellow pages, or 21st century equivalent, will show you a host of gyms offering to teach you the various disciplines of MMA, in any city.
While many of those Google might throw up fall in to the unfortunate ‘McDojo’ category, there are a number established gyms supplying the domestic scene with the current crop of talent, and even fewer with the potential to produce champions.
Down on Britain’s south coast Southampton’s Exile Gym have built a team, a family, a force that is making UKMMA stand up and take notice. In just two weeks time, the South Coast’s top proving ground for MMA opens it doors to legions of fans once again for Shock N’ Awe 18. Among them will be an army of support for Exile Coach Daniel Bourne’s fight team.
Moulded from Look Borai gym, where Bourne had coached since 2006, Exile as we know it today came about in 2011 as the Head MMA coach explains;
“Master Sanga Look Borai trained the 3 of us, Dean Kendell, Gareth Blair and I, in Muay Thai back in the late 90’s to early 2000’s. When Master Sanga went back to Thailand Dean Kendell took over the gym as Head Coach and I was assistant coach in Muay Thai.
Exile started out in 2011 and was the brain child of Jarrod Speed, who competed in MMA back in 2002 and fought Tengiz-Tedoradze. I had been coaching MMA from 2006 at the Look Borai Gym where Jarrod had trained for his fights. It had been his dream to open up a big MMA gym like the ones we had trained at in America.”
The team at Exile covers a broad range of skills and experience, Bourne himself trained and competed in Sanda/Sanshou back in the mid to late 90s before training in Muay Thai and grappling.
Gareth Blair coaches Muay Thai and MMA. He has also trained Boxing with Cornelius Carr and competed both in Muay Thai and Boxing.
Janis Meiksans coaches Wrestling, competed at a high level in Latvia and trained with Olympians Stefan Vasile Loan and Artem Kotov.
Trevor Birmingham teaches BJJ,a gold medallist in multiple European and World BJJ championships around the world.
Bourne coaches MMA at Exile (Image from Facebook)
Not everybody that walks through the doors is looking to compete. Exile offers expert training in a friendly environment with the option and support to take it as far as an individual wants to.
“We have fighters competing in Muay Thai, MMA, Boxing and BJJ, Probably about 13 guys and girls who have had fights and we have a few more about to take their first step at competing”
“There is no distinction between a fighter and hobbyist at the gym, everyone is on the same level, everyone looks after each other, nobody is bigger than the gym and the respect that must be shown in it.”
“Gareth, Trev, Jarrod and especially Dean care so much about the people in the gym, they truly are the kindest most caring, fairest, along with toughest coaches anyone could have and I think the students see that. They see that we care about their lives outside of the gym, that family and work come first, the gym is a hobby, and their priorities must be in the right order.”
“Most of the students came to Exile not knowing one another, but they made friends and created close bonds with one another. Students brought their families in to the ‘gym world’ and they are tight. Going to each others’ weddings and going out together, helping each other out etc. As coaches we just sort of watched this happen and it was really beautiful to see”
Shock N’ Awe 18 sees a number of Bourne’s regiment go into battle in an arena where they have tasted a fair deal of success. SnA favourite Benny Carr has competed in a number of stand up wars at the Mountbatten Centre with team mate Arthur Frost racking up enough wins to earn a title shot, though unfortunately an injury has put that opportunity on ice.
As tension mounts and we approach fight week Daniel is feeling the nerves and excitement along with his fighters, as he describes. “The relationship a coach goes through with a fighter is special, it’s impossible to describe. When they fight, we fight too, we get just as emotional, we want them to perform as well as they want! Training camps are hard and bonds are formed. Coaching sometimes turns in to psychology”
Matchmaker Brian Adams and Shock N’ Awe promoter Gareth Johnson have taken the show from strength to strength as well as their own GYM01. Formerly South Coast Submissions, it was those interclubs that opened the door for Exile to make the short trip to Southampton’s rival port neighbour and compete on Portsmouth’s top stage.
“Brian (Adams) would see the guys we had and would ask if they wanted to go on a big show. I thank them for the opportunities they’ve given to our team”
“Brian helped me back in 2006 or 2007. He contacted us when we were Look Borai Submission Muay Thai asking if I had anybody wanting to do the SCS (south coast submissions) interclubs. Those interclubs were great. As we grew, Brian started putting our guys on SNA shows. I think the first guy on a SNA was Dom Thompson. When SCS became GYM 01 we would jump at the chance to do their Interclubs. Brian (Adams) would see the guys we had and would ask if they wanted to go on a big show. I thank them for the opportunities they’ve given to our team”
Exile have produced a couple of fighters that have competed on the national shows in the past year, including Benny Carr on BAMMA and rising WMMA straw weight Bryony Tyrell.Tyrell lost out to Beckie Aincough at Cage Warriors in Liverpool. Well nurtured, they have managed to carve out potential paths to the top, not just on talent alone. Bourne says;
“I think that it is rare that talent without nurture can get someone far. It’s great if someone is talented and hard working. Most people have to put in hard work to do well. At Exile some guys have to work harder than others to do well. Dean Kendell is phenomenal at getting the most out of people, physically and mentally, he doesn’t give a crap how talented you are, he just wants people to put in the hours at the gym. You get out what you put in. Benny, Bryony and Frosty, they put in the hours” and they get what they deserve.”
There are three Exile fighters appearing on November 22nd in Portsmouth, Bryony Tyrell, Lewis Wilshere and Dave Chamberlain, with the unfortunate withdrawal of Arthur Frost.
Wilshere impressed last time out with a TKO in the third round after a real back and fourth battle. Chamberlain will look to bounce back from a debut defeat having got the first fight jitters out of the way and Bryony Tyrell faces debutant Indy Briar, in the cage for the first time but having impressed in BJJ over the past year. Their MMA coach is hopeful they can bring home the wins to Southampton.
“Bryony’s got a tough opponent, her previous MMA experience of competing in front of a large audience may give her an advantage.
Lewis is fighting Gavin Haines, who we know nothing about. He may have the advantage as he’s been in there and knows what to expect. I’ll say this about Lewis, he is tougher than old boots and had two really hard fights and got through them!”
“Daz is coming back from a loss – Dazee is still learning the ropes and going against someone who is jumping in like he did! There’s probably not a lot of difference in experience between the two. When Dazee started he wanted to be a fighter, now he wants to be a martial artist who has seen what it takes to get in there and compete. That could be the mental edge he needs over someone who hasn’t fought in front of a large crowd”
It’s clear there is a real family relationship at Exile and that shows in the attitudes of the fighters and coaches. For anyone looking to get involved in a bit of training in any discipline, in the Southampton area Daniel Bourne and co. will happily welcome you down.
“Just come on down to the Gym, we have everything from Krav Maga to Capoeira and Kempo. Along with Muay Thai, Wrestling, BJJ and MMA there are many options available so just give one a go!”
Shock N’ Awe 18 takes place November 22nd at Moutbatten Centre, Portsmouth.
Daniel Bourne would like to mention the following:
“I would like to give a MASSIVE thank you to my ‘brothers’ Dean Kendell and Jarrod Speed. Those two have given myself and the students so much, they’ve allowed so many dreams to be fulfilled and I can’t thank them enough.
A big thanks to my girlfriend who puts up with gym talk pretty much all day long! Also a special thank you goes to Gareth Blair, Trev Birmingham, Rich Harding, Trev Soko, Stefan Vasi and Janis Meiksans for the great coaching. Ken Boyce, Ross Laurence from ImpactLPA and Dean Amasinger for the help and support to the fighters.
And a big thank you to Lee Taylor and Benny Carr. And Helen Chant deserves a thanks from me!
Finally, a thank you to all the students, former students & their families who have helped and supported the gym. They are a wonderful bunch of people, who deserve much happiness.
Anyone wanting personal training please feel free to message, Daniel Victor Bourne or Gorilla Fitness on facebook, or just pop in to the gym and say hi!
Check out www.exilegym.com or Exile Gym Southampton on facebook
'On The Road' with UKMMA 