PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE

MIXED MARTIAL ARTS & KICKBOXING

Benjamin Glossop is a Professional Mixed Martial Arts Fighter and Kickboxer.  Some of the events he’s fought for are Ballroom Brawl, Elite Cage Fighting and East Coast Champions.  As a Professional Mixed Martial Arts fighter, Benny’s biggest honor came when he fought for the troops at Camp Lejeune in the first ever Pro MMA event on it’s base.  As a kickboxer, Benny fought for many shows throughout Northern Illinois, at various events, including the famed Ballroom Brawl.

Benny has trained all levels of clients including general enthusiasts, amateur fighters, Professional fighters, Professional baseball players, Professional soccer players, and members of the U.S. Military.  Military clients include Marine Corp Anti-Terrorist Battalion operators, Special Operations Officers, and private security contractors.

Benny is currently the Head Coach of MMA, BJJ and Muay Thai at the UFC GYM Clearwater.

 

BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU

Benny’s introduction to BJJ happened in 1995 as a student at Northern Illinois University.  He had the fortunate opportunity to do a couple of seminars that introduced him to the Gracie art.  After the seminars he searched for places to train more consistently but was unable to find a local instructor.  So he took to the internet and found Rickson Gracie’s association.  Rickson’s association allowed members to travel and have access to his seminars.  Later, in 2001, Benny joined the local Gracie Barra academy in Clearwater, FL.  He trained and taught MMA & Kickboxing classes there as well.  In 2003 Benny opened TAMPA COMBAT but then met David Vieira and eventually began training at DVBJJ full time.

In 2008, Benny began instructing BJJ classes at Pinellas Fitness & Martial Arts and after 3 great years there he once again opened his gym TAMPA COMBAT (in 2011) where BJJ was a staple of the curriculum.   After 4 years, Benny, moved on to the UFC Gym Clearwater where he is currently the Head Coach and Professor of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Benny received his Blue Belt, Purple Belt, and Brown Belt from Prof. David Vieira and spent the majority of his Jiu-Jitsu journey proudly representing DVBJJ.  However, with David’s move back to Brazil Benny began learning from and training with Professor Christian Broker, 2nd Degree Black Belt under Matt Serra.

BLACK BELT Promotions / Credentials:

•  2nd Degree Black Belt – promoted by Prof. David                                       Vieira – 2.13.22
• 1st Degree Black Belt – promoted by Prof. Christian Broker – 3.16.19
• Black Belt – promoted by Prof. Christian Broker – 3.24.16
• Blue Belt, Purple Belt, and Brown Belt – promoted by Prof. David Vieira
• Affiliation:  Fera Braba Team / DVBJJ

 

KICKBOXING / MUAY THAI

Benny has been training, teaching and fighting professionally in kickboxing since 1994 under the guidance of Mike Mattox and he is a certified Kickboxing Master Instructor, under the SMTC banner which he continues to represent today.  He began his kickboxing training as a venture to add cross-training to his Taekwondo efforts and soon after began training in Muay Thai.  Benny and his coach, Mike Mattox, would travel all over N. Illinois to train with other coaches and fighters and often competed in smokers (fights that were full contact but not sanctioned by any commissions).  The two also did demonstrations of stick fighting (kickboxing with the use of Eskrima sticks) at local kickboxing events.  Benny’s first Pro fight was in 1996 at Ballroom Brawl where he won via decision.

• Muay Thai – 28 years of experience, coaching & fighting
• American Kickboxing – Master Instructor
• Affiliation: SMTC

 

OLYMPIC TAEKWONDO

Benny began his martial arts career at Northern Illinois University in 1993 in the P.E. Dept.’s Taekwondo class.  At NIU Benny won many tournaments and as a color belt competitor he was undefeated through the ranks of Yellow Belt through Red Belt.  Benny earned his first Black Belt at NIU and he became the Head Instructor of the NIU Program during his final year at NIU.  In that role he coached and taught over 300 students who were enrolled in the program for college credit.  He was a member of the NIU Taekwondo Team that competed nationally against many clubs and other Universities.

In 2000, Benny moved to Tampa Bay and was invited to join Griffin Taekwondo.  Griffin Taekwondo was highly recognized as one of the top competition teams in the nation and was home to a number of State, Regional, and National Champions.  Benny earned a spot on the Griffin Elite National Team as the team’s Featherweight fighter and he represented this National Team at such events as the State Championships, U.S. Open, U.S. National Championships, and the 2000 Olympic Qualifier.  Along with those championships Benny also competed and trained at the U.S. Olympic Training center.

ACCOMPISHMENTS

• 3rd Degree Black Belt
• 5 Time State Champion
• Mid-West U.S. Champion
• Featherweight Fighter / Griffin Elite National Team
• Competed and Trained at the Olympic Training Center
• Athlete:  2000 Olympic Qualifier
• Head Instructor of TKD at Northern Illinois University
• Athlete:  NIU Taekwondo Team 

Benny’s successes in Olympic Taekwondo  were his foundation and the stepping stone to a very promising Martial Arts and Fighting career.

 

KIDS COACHING

Benny has over 30 years of experience in coaching kids in various sports.  These include, swimming, volleyball, Taekwondo, kickboxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, soccer, and running.  His current focus mostly details coaching kids in martial arts and youth strength & conditioning.  Regarding martial arts coaching, Benny offers one of the best After School, youth, Black Belt programs in Tampa Bay.  This program is taught with a strong emphasis on proper striking, grappling, and self-defense techniques along with building confidence, improving grades and focusing on fitness.  As well, Benny also works with young athletes who need to improve their physical standards or stay in peak performance mode during the off season of their regular sports.

Kids coaching successes include:

• Junior Olympic National Champions – Olympic Taekwondo
• Olympic Taekwondo State Champions
• Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournament champions
• Youth swimmers who went on to swim in the Olympic trials
• Illinois State Champions – Swimming
• U10 running, 5K and 10K finishers
• Palm Harbor Panthers Summer S&C coach

 

TRIATHLON / RUNNING / Other Sports

Triathlon

Triathlon has become Benny’s passion for competing and he is a regular top 20, or better, finisher in his age group.  Benny has had good success in Sprint and Olympic distance races with his best events coming in the Dunedin Triathlon (Sprint) and the TriRock Clearwater event (Olympic).

Running

Benny competes in all distances of running and races an average of 20 events per year.  He has been a top finisher in many of his events and he has completed all of the following distances:  5K, 10K, 15K, Half Marathon, Marathon, and Ultra Marathon.

MARATHONS: Clearwater Marathon (2X) and Disney Marathon (2X).

ULTRA RUNNING:  Benny has completed the Pinellas Trail Challenge (46 miles) (2X), the DBR 6-Hour Ultra (5X), the Clearwater Marathon Ultra (50K), the Gasparilla Ultra Challenge (2X), and is a 3 time veteran of the Keys 100 Ultra Marathon Relay where he and 5 teammates ran 100 miles from Key Largo to Key West.

Other / Volleyball

Benny was a member of the Northern Illinois University Men’s Volleyball Team, ’94-’95.  As a defensive specialist and back up setter, Benny had the opportunity to play D1 Men’s Volleyball with some incredible athletes and top level coaches.  In the Summer of 1994 Benny played in numerous Chicago area beach volleyball tournaments and managed the sand volleyball league at the Lisle Park District.  In 1999, Benny was the Asst. Coach of the Routt High School Volleyball Team in Jacksonville, IL.