Massa Carrara. MMA (mixed martial arts) fighter Riccardo Vita prepares for his last fight before professionalism. The athlete from Massa on 11 December will fight in Siena at the Slam FC event to win the title of the 77 kilos amateur category. At the moment, Vita’s record is five wins and zero losses. His last fight dates back to June this year, when he fought in Pontedera during the “MatSide in The Cage”. “Siena will be my last meeting as an amateur, because my goal is to move into the professionals”, explains Vita, 22, who has started practicing MMA since 2013 and who has been training at the Circolo Sportivo for some time now. “Heavy Work”, in Viale Zaccagna in Marina di Carara. “I have always trained in Massa – explains Vita – but for three or four years I have been relying on the” Heavy Work “gym, where I am followed by two masters: Roberto Del Fiandra, who follows the fight on the ground, and Gino Venturini, who takes care of the striking part (kicks and punches). I also have a third coach, Alan Pietrini, who has a gym in Sarzana. I train every day, even twice a day, depending on the work I have to do ». MMA, acronym for Mixed Martial Arts, in Italian Mixed Martial Arts, allows the use of all sports techniques of martial arts (karate, muay thai, brazilian jiu jitsu, judo) and of combat sports (wrestling, grappling , boxing, kickboxing). A discipline that has also landed in Italy in recent years. «In the gym – Vita continues – there are ten to fifteen of us. In Italy MMA is not yet widely practiced, but it is growing. It is not really a niche sport, indeed, it has its own audience. Let’s say it is an emerging discipline. The number of participants has grown a lot over the years. Surely this is due to the enterprises of foreigners like Conor McGregor, but above all also to Italian champions like Marvin Vettorim, at the top of this sport and who is bringing great visibility to MMA in Italy ». L.S.
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