Last year Riverfront Times named Festus native Lance Benoist "Best Local MMA Fighter" for his 16-0 amateur record and his 2010 signing with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Before going pro, Benoist earned a purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ), training at Team Rodrigo Vaghi in Fenton. Owner Rodrigo Vaghi trained in BJJ at the flagship Gracie Academy in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which is kind of a big deal, as the Gracie family is generally credited with founding the martial art.... More »
