Finney's HIT Squad, formerly Hughes Intensive Training Squad, is a mixed martial arts

Mixed martial arts

Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...

 training organization owned by Jesse Finney

Jesse Finney

Jesse Finney is an American professional mixed martial artist who fights out of St. Louis, Missouri. He competes as a Welterweight. Finney has fought in kickboxing and boxing fights, going 23–0 and 8–2 respectively...

 but originally founded by former UFC Champion Matt Hughes

Matt Hughes (fighter)

Matthew Allen Hughes is an American mixed martial artist, UFC Hall of Famer, and former two-time UFC Welterweight Champion. Hughes put together two separate six-fight winning streaks in the UFC, won the welterweight title on two occasions, defended the belt a record seven times, and holds the...

. H.I.T. Squad has a boxing

Boxing

Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...

 ring, weight lifting/fitness equipment and a 5000 square feet (464.5 m²) matted wrestling

Wrestling

Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...

/grappling area surrounded by octagon fencing.

The gym was founded by Hughes after he left Miletich Fighting Systems

Miletich Fighting Systems

Miletich Fighting Systems is a mixed martial arts training organization. It is recognized as an excellent training camp. It has been the training camp for fighters such as Matt Hughes, Tim Sylvia, Jens Pulver, Robbie Lawler, and Jeremy Horn...

 in 2007. It is located less than a one-hour drive from Hughes' Hillsboro farm. Finney purchased the gym from Hughes on March 24, 2011.

Finney’s HIT Squad has new locker rooms, a competition cage, a boxing ring, 3,000 square feet of Hammer Strength weight lifting and fitness equipment, 1,000 square feet of cardio equipment, 5,000 square feet of matted wrestling/grappling area surrounded by octagon fencing, and a member’s lounge.

Instructors

The Granite City location features several MMA Instructors, including:

• André "Benkei" Vinicius Aurnheimer Ferreira, head coach/mma coach
• Mauricio Da Silva, main kickboxing coach
• Ryan Sutton, main wrestling/grappling coach
• Andrei Sales, Jiu-Jitsu coach
• Lucas Lopes, Jiu-Jitsu coach
• George Stanich, main Judo coach
• Bob Peeper, assistant Judo coach
• Junior Killer, main muay thai coach
• Markus Grosse, Kickboxing coach
• Josh Epps, boxing coach
• Jimmy Donahue, boxing coach
• Ira Lukowsky, boxing coach
• Ismael Hadade, BJJ Black Belt
• Ezra Lenon, BJJ Black Belt
• Junior Barata, BJJ Black Belt
• Ricardo Oliveira, BJJ Black Belt
• Luiz Fimino, BJJ Black Belt
• Leonardo Livio, BJJ Black Belt

UFC Fighters

Houston Alexander

Houston Alexander

Houston Alexander is an American professional mixed martial artist, who fights as a light heavyweight and heavyweight. He also works as a DJ in North Omaha, Nebraska...

 Dustin Jacoby Dustin Neace  (Competed On The Ultimate Fighter 14)

Strikeforce Fighters

Francisco France Coltin Cole Terrell Brown Josh Epps Lucas Lopes  (BJJ Black Belt) Jesse Finney

Jesse Finney

Jesse Finney is an American professional mixed martial artist who fights out of St. Louis, Missouri. He competes as a Welterweight. Finney has fought in kickboxing and boxing fights, going 23–0 and 8–2 respectively...

  (Owner)

Other Notable Professional Fighters

Romario Manoel "Junior Killer" Da Silva  (Shark Fights Fighter) Eric Acuna  (BJJ Blue Belt) Ryan Sutton  (Former Olympic Wrestler) Rob Washington  (MFC Fighter) Ben Brown Abel Trujillo Markus Grosse  (Kickboxer\Kickboxing Trainer) Erik Steenburg Jimmy Donahue Andrew Childs Jordin Hinman Tyler Abney Jason Bosler Joe Bunch Rob Hill  (Legends FC Fighter) Joe "Cujo" McCall Ronnie Rogers

Ronnie Rogers

Randall "Ronnie" Rogers is an American country music singer and songwriter. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Rogers charted eight singles on the Billboard country charts, including the top 40 hits "Gonna Take My Angel Out Tonight" and "My Love Belongs to You." He recorded for the Lifesong, Epic...

Notable Amateur Fighters

Ira Lukowsky  (In Tournament to Box in 2012 Olympics) Ricky Bolin Andrew Berger  (BJJ Blue Belt) Kaspar Larson Kevin Engel Nick Pipitone

Female Fighters

Larissa Tozzi  (BJJ Blue Belt) Tonya Evinger

Tonya Evinger

Tonya S. Evinger is an American female mixed martial artist. She has previously competed for EliteXC and Raging Wolf.-Early life:Evinger's younger twin brothers, Chris and Owen Evinger, are also professional mixed martial arts fighters....

  (Former Titan FC & Elite XC Fighter)

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belts

Leonardo Livio Lucas Lopes Luiz Firmino

Luiz Firmino

Luiz Firmino de Carvalho Júnior , commonly known as Luiz "Buscapé" Firmino, is an Brazilian Vale Tudo fighter and mixed martial artist, who fights at Lightweight...

 Ismael Hadade Ezra Lenon Junior Barata Ricardo Oliveira

Ricardo Oliveira

Ricardo Oliveira is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Al Jazira Club in the United Arab Emirates, as a striker.He represented São Paulo in two different spells, but also played in Spain, amassing La Liga totals of 120 games and 58 goals for three teams.A Brazilian international in the 2000s,...

 Andrei Sales