Coach Josh working the corner Coach Josh & Joshua Jr.
Win by unaminious decision Oct 8, 2011		 Josh Rutgers Retirement Fight
IABF Cruiserweight Championship Win by KO Round 3

DEADGAME

Never Ending Perseverance, to Refuse Surrender at all Costs.

The term DEADGAME is used to describe a warrior's never-say-die attitude. Gameness means to show intent, willing or ready to proceed, having or showing a resolute unyielding spirit.

To label a warrior as being DEADGAME is the highest honor he or she could achieve.

We strive to cultivate the fighting spirit of gameness that dwells deep within the heart. This applies to all aspects of life - inside the ring and out.


I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  --Philippians 4:13
 
Deadgame Fight School is the longest running boxing/MMA gym in Jacksonville. Some members train just for recreation or fitness, while others compete all over the country at amateur and professional levels in a number of different fight sports. 

Developed and based around proven documented results, realistic physical applications and Christian morals and beliefs, TEAM DEADGAME is committed to keeping kids off the streets and providing opportunities for amateur athletes, and helping people make their DREAMS COME TRUE.
 
We offer Olympic style boxing competition with USA Boxing (the largest amateur boxing sanctioning body in America and gateway to the Olympics). We also offer training and management to PROFESSIONAL fighters in both boxing and MMA as well.
 
We also regularly compete and host sanctioned & governed mixed martial arts & boxing events all over the state of Florida. Our gym is licensed by USA Boxing and the ISCF. 
 
Some of our gym members train for RECREATION, some for FITNESS or STRENGTH & CONDITIONING, and others travel the country, some even the world for COMPETITION as amateur or professional fighters.

 

Coach Josh & Joshua jr.
amateur boxing win
by KO at :34 seconds
of Round 1

JOSH RUTGERS
COACH, FIGHTER, PROMOTER, MANAGER

Josh has been involved in the professional fight game longer than most anyone in Jacksonville that's still doing it and was also one of the first people based out of Jacksonville to fight professionally in the sport of NO HOLDS BARRED cage fighting (the term MIXED MARTIAL ARTS didn't exist at that time). At that time the rules were much more brutal than what's seen today - allowing headbutts, knees to the head on the ground, kicking a downed opponent in the head etc. Since then the sport has incorporated a lot more rules and is now known as MMA. Professional and amateur combined Josh has had over 40 fights in numerous different ring sports. Josh has competed in a variety of sports to include submission grappling, amateur boxing, Professional Boxing, Toughman, MMA, NHB and Full Contact Bare Knuckle Karate. Josh has appeared on television fighting numerous times and in 2004 Josh moved up in weight class and won the Heavyweight division of the Musa Shido Bare Knuckle Full Contact Karate tournament and captured the Florida State Title.

Outside of the ring and cage Josh is a CERTIFIED PERSONAL FITNESS TRAINER who has and still does train, corner and manage both pros and amateurs all over the country in MMA, boxing and kickboxing and is currently licensed in multiple states to do such.

In 2005 Deadgame Fight School promoted its first amateur event and during the time since then has grown it into a regular consistent promotion that even has its own weekly Cable television show titled TRAUMA TELEVISION, which can be seen in the Jacksonville area each Saturday morning at 11:00 a.m. on Comcast cable channel 99. Like Trauma Television on Facebook here:

Josh Rutgers has made the fight game his career and is very driven in such and has also been very diversified with his involvement in fight sports with everything from fighting, coaching, professional refereeing, management, match making, etc. Josh is also a single father to his son Joshua Rutgers Jr. who has already started his own amateur career including winning silver medal in the junior olympics, maintains A-B honor roll in school, is active in a variety of other organized team sports including being nominated for All American on the Football Field and loves the Lord with all his heart.
 
As a coach Josh Rutgers has put in excess of 100 athletes into the ring including multiple national and promotional championship title bouts.

 
 
 
History of Josh Rutgers as a coach:
 Josh has trained and developed in excess of 100 amateur athletes into competition
 Athletes Josh has produced have competed at the following championship levels both state and national:
 Golden Gloves State Championships
 Junior Olympic National Qualifier
 USMTA State Championships
 Armed Forces World Championships
 Professional MMA Title SFC
 PAL State Championships
 Platinum Gloves State Championship
Under the direction of Josh Rutgers Deadgame Fight School has captured and currently holds numerous belts in various different ring sports.
 
Josh is also a licensed referee both amateur & professional and has officiated well over 1000 bouts. He is also noted for refereeing the 1st ever amateur sanctioned MMA event not only in Florida but also in the state of Maryland.

A decade of Josh Rutgers in the ring

 History of Josh Rutgers as a fighter:
After a 10 year professional career which included 17 total bouts (12 MMA & 5 Boxing) spanning from 1999 - 2009 Josh retired from fighting to dedicate more time to running the gym.
Josh competed as an amateur from 1996 - 1999
Undefeated Professional Boxer: 5 wins 0 losses 5 ko's
IABF Cruiserweight Champion
1997 International Jacksonville Mayors Cup Fighting Champion
2000 Three time Submission Grappling Champion
2000 Tough man competitor appeared on national television FX
Professional No Holds Barred Cage Fighting Veteran
World Extreme Fighting veteran
World Vale Tudo Federation veteran
Extreme Fighting Challenge veteran
20+ Amateur Boxing bouts
2004 Musa Shido (full contact, bare knuckle, Japanese Style,
knock-down Karate) Heavy Weight Tournament Champion

 
History of Josh Rutgers as a fight promoter:
To date Josh has promoted approx. 37 events in Florida. More details about this can be found at www.rumbleintheancientcity.com
 
Add Josh Rutgers as a friend on Facebook here:
 
 
Qualifications
ISFA licensed Shootfighting Instructor under Bart Vale
USA Boxing Southern Association Certified Level 2 Coach
USA Boxing Florida Association Certified Level 2 Coach
USA Boxing Southern Association Certified Official
W.I.T.S. (World Instructors Training School) Certified Personal Fitness Trainer
A.M.F. (American Muscle and Fitness) Certified Person Fitness Trainer
A.M.F. (American Muscle and Fitness) Certified Nutritionist
AAMMA Certified Master Referee
USMTA Certified MMA Referee
ISKA licensed MMA judge
ISCF Professional & Amateur referee
Licensed and has worked as an event official in Florida, Georgia, Alabama & Maryland
 

 

 

 Disciplines studied
Shootfighting
(BART VALE World Champion)
Boxing
American Submission Fighting
(OBAKE World Champion)
Tang Soo Do
Hap Soo Do
Jiu Jitsu
Muay Thai
Mixed Martial Arts
American Kickboxing

MOST IMPORTANTLY –
Born again Christian as of 1994

(left) 2009:  Professional MMA


Cruiserweight Pro Boxing:  Josh "The Irishman" Rutgers - Feb. 2008
 

 
Josh Rutgers (Back row- Center) Awarded 1st place Cup of Florida
State Bare Knuckle Full Contact Karate Championship 2004. Rutgers won the
Heavyweight division championship match with a :13 second knockout via
knee to the head

Amateur days of Josh Rutgers

Josh Rutgers July 2000 Amateur Boxing -
Working the jab over a much taller opponent
Rutgers lands a powerful shot with opponent on the ropes

Just before Rutgers delivers the knock out