The council chambers at Ventura City Hall were nearly full on April 28, and included more than a dozen excited young people from Ventura’s Westside neighborhood.
Ventura City Council meetings typically begin with special presentations and announcements, and on that day, the meeting opened with a “Community Member Recognition” for Bobby Taylor. Taylor grew up on Ventura Avenue, and was a champion wrestler at Ventura High School (VHS) about 25 years ago. While his backstory includes victory, trouble and redemption, he is now an inspirational coach and a youth mentor.
Councilmember Liz Campos said during the meeting that Taylor has “really given his heart and soul and life to the kids on Ventura Avenue,” by founding a grassroots youth development program at his gym, Ventura Fight & Fitness, at 407 N. Ventura Avenue. The Ventura Youth Combat Club was founded in 2022 and officially named by its members in April, Campos said, while introducing Taylor at the meeting.
Ventura City Councilmember Liz Campos with Coach Bobby Taylor at the April 28 city council meeting.
(Alex Wilson)
“The program is shaped by the entire Westside community, offering an inclusive environment where all local families can connect. Holistic development, with training extending beyond physical combat to include boxing, wrestling, self-defense, mentorship and all life skills,” Campos said. “This program is recognized as more than a gym. It is a vital social hub, building community trust and investment for the voices of the Avenue.”
Campos said parents have told her what a great role model Taylor is and how patient and respectful he is towards everyone.
“The youth sentiment is that when they come to the club, they feel human and welcomed,” Campos said. “They feel safe, alive, determined, and they have fun.”
Champion wrestler at VHS
Taylor has a storied past as a champion wrestler competing for VHS around 2000, placing highly in state and national competitions. Following his wrestling career, Taylor took up mixed martial arts (MMA) and competed in seven professional MMA fights. More recently, he’s been training to compete in the ring again in a new discipline he’s focused on, jiujitsu.
Before Taylor moved Fight & Fitness to its current location on Ventura Avenue, he established the business in a storage unit on nearby Fix Way, where he put a speed bag out in the sunshine so passersby could see what he was up to.
Peter Cano helps lead youth classes at Fight & Fitness on Wednesdays and Fridays and told the Ventura County Reporter he’s the father of five kids, three who also train with Taylor. Cano said he used to take his kids to a skateboard park near the storage unit where Taylor first launched his business.
“We noticed Bobby had an outside set up, and got a chance to talk with him. He was really just well-spoken, very kind and very well-versed in multiple martial arts and technical fighting. And then I started training with him, my children also trained with him and then that led to, you know, gaining skills and then being able to help assist with some of the classes,” Cano said.
Taylor and Cano have now been working together for about 10 years, and Cano said he likes how the classes promote youth empowerment.
Peter Cano (left) with Ventura Fight & Fitness owner Bobby Taylor. Coach Cano leads youth classes at the gym, and has five children of his own — three of whom train with Coach Taylor.
(Alex Wilson)
“I love the philosophy that Bobby just imbues with all of the children. You know, you show up, you put in hard work, and you’re able to see benefits and you get these gains. And it really does provide a metaphor for life. We struggle but with continued effort you’re able to overcome troubles,” Cano said.
Cano was happy to see Taylor recognized at the Ventura City Council meeting, which he called a “wonderful opportunity.”
“I think it’s just wonderful for the recognition, although Bobby never did this for any type of recognition. He just wanted to contribute to the lives of the youth. Yeah, it’s beautiful. It really is and it just highlights an aspect of our city that you might not readily notice,” Cano said.
Alexis Espinoza, 17, is captain of the VHS wrestling team and told the VCReporter she got her start training at Fight & Fitness with Taylor.
“I like that Bobby’s never put me down and never made me feel like I wasn’t good enough to continue in the sport. Every single time I’m here I feel like I get a good workout in and I learn something new,” Espinoza said.
Life’s ups and downs
Taylor told the VCReporter his dad was born in Ventura but his parents met in Maryland because they were both in the U.S. Army and that’s where he was born. When Taylor was 2 years old, they were discharged and moved back to Ventura.
“I grew up in the mobile home park right by the Pepsi plant. I started wrestling at the Boys & Girls Club. I had a little success in wrestling, and then, I mean, I kind of had ups and downs throughout life,” Taylor recalled.
Around 2000, Taylor was one of the strongest wrestlers VHS had seen in years, placing as high as second in the state championship tournament, he explained. After graduating from VHS, he moved to Northern California and took up MMA, which was gaining in popularity at the time. He ended up with six wins and three losses.
“It was not nearly as organized as it is now, but I had nine fights and I just fought all over California pretty much and I fought in Oregon and I fought wherever,” he said.
After losing a fight in 2010, coupled with a painful breakup with his girlfriend, Taylor did something which changed the course of his life and career in the ring. After returning to Ventura County, Taylor was arrested and charged with evading police and felony firearms violations.
“There’s no excuses. I was guilty so I pled guilty,” he said.
Taylor received a three-year California Department of Corrections prison sentence served mostly at High Desert State Prison in Susanville, located in Lassen County in the far northeastern corner of the state near the Oregon and Nevada borders.
Upon returning to Ventura as a parolee, Taylor said a Ventura Police officer, Misti Henderson, who knew about his athletic prowess, helped him on his path to becoming a coach and business owner by encouraging him to earn a personal training certificate.
“She’s the one that initiated the idea of me becoming a personal trainer, which is cool,” he said.
Bobby Taylor works with students at his Westside boxing gym, Ventura Fight & Fitness.
(Alex Wilson)
Breaking down barriers
Taylor said his gym welcomes people of different fighting abilities, styles and ages.
“It’s really neat actually. It’s been one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever been a part of,” Taylor said. “The gym knocks down so many barriers and boundaries that I was unaware of when I was just training. People become friends that would never be friends. Cops train in here with felons and they all see each other as people, you know?”
Taylor said even when he went to prison, people who cared about him never gave up on him — including his former wrestling coaches at VHS.
“They put so much time into me and I let them down. But they wrote to me the whole time, and they never once made me feel like I wouldn’t get back on track,” Taylor said. “People make mistakes and you get redemption, you know? If you can come back and do the right thing, they care about what you’re doing, not what you did, and you can change.”
Now Taylor finds himself helping kids from the Westside who have gotten off track.
“All kids are good, you know? They just need something to make them believe in themselves, I think,” said Taylor, recalling some kids who have unfortunately found themselves incarcerated.
“I get letters from them, still right now, from juvenile hall. And I just try to let them know that they can change in the future. I get some gut-wrenching letters from them telling me about how they wish they were here and they’re sorry they let me down. But I remember feeling the same feeling about the people that put time into me,” Taylor said.
Setting goals and following through
Staying focused on doing positive things was the difference between him and friends who are still off track, Taylor said.
“I feel like the difference between myself and my friends that can’t get it together, the training definitely was the difference, as far as learning how to set goals and like, follow through. I think that’s been the biggest difference in the lives of my friends that haven’t been able to get their act together,” Taylor said.
The business owner was also grateful for all the mentors he’s had during his fighting career.
“I got to travel and see so many things because of it. And without it, I don’t know where I’d be. But I’m proud to have it as my identity and I feel like they all keep me accountable. So, it’s the best thing I’ve ever been part of. I am grateful for it,” Taylor said.
Taylor was also thankful for the recognition from the city council.
“I think it’s really neat. I’m grateful. It’s really cool that people recognize it. But it’s not me. It’s everybody’s gym here, the whole community. There’s nowhere else I’d rather have a gym. It’s very, very cool,” Taylor said.
He’s also thankful for the help he’s gotten from the community supporting his endeavor and spreading the word about what’s offered at Fight & Fitness.
“Whether it be dads or business owners, everyone comes by and pitches in and they all help to stay afloat,” Taylor said. “It’s my first time ever being involved in running a business and I’ve definitely made some mistakes. But we make rent, everyone does a part, whether it be water or toilet paper. I mean, I’ve had people assisting in every aspect.”
Ventura Fight & Fitness, 407 N. Ventura Avenue, Ventura, 805-207-6739,
@vtafightfitness.