My name is Eddie and I am 62 years old. I am a retired diesel mechanic and have been disabled for the last 10 years. I have known the majority owner of MMA Premier Fitness Nick Lopez for the past 19 years. Since the first day I met Nick I took him in and treated him as my own son. In 2008 Nick and his cousin/business partner John Vasquez Jr. came to me in need of assistance to help them build a gym in Centennial, Colorado from the ground up. Because of my disability, I am not able to work for long hours at a time, but I offered to do whatever I could for them to help them out.
Nick Lopez needed an office to work out of during the construction of the gym. He asked me if he could use my motor home as an office during the construction. Nick and John Vasquez offered to buy me new tires for my motor home in exchange for me lending it to them as an office. I agreed and the motor home was used as an office for over 5 months. I assisted all that I could at the gym day and night. Many times I stayed over night watching the building 24 hours a day because a security system was not set up so I was asked to watch the building by Nick Lopez. Nick Lopez told me that I would be compensated for all my time and labor once the gym was open for business. I worked as much as I could during the construction of MMA Premier Fitness. From throwing trash, sweeping floors, cleaning windows I did it all. In the month of December 2009 Nick Lopez offered to give me a Christmas bonus for all my hard work that I was helping him with at the gym. I never received a bonus from him. When the gym officially opened for business in 2009, I did all that I could to try and make the business successful. From moping mats to passing out flyers to scrubbing dirty toilets I did it all with pride because I wanted Nick Lopez and my son Frankie to have a successful business. Months past without any pay or compensation for my motor home, time and sacrifice at the gym. I had documented over 2,000 hours working at the gym. When I approached Nick about some type of compensation he stated to me that he was going to pay me when the business was cash flow positive. When I asked him about my tires for the motor home the he promised to buy me he told me he could not purchase them at the time. I trusted Nick Lopez as a son and I could not believe that after all that I did to him that I would have to take him to small claims court in Arapahoe County. In small claims court I was not able to prove my case to the judge because I only had a verbal agreement with Nick Lopez and MMA Premier Fitness. The judge needed a written and signed contact to rule in my favor. Nick Lopez had to swear under oath and under GOD that everything that he said in the courtroom that day was the truth. Nick Lopez lied on the stand about many things and more importantly the agreement he had with me. I lost in court that day and Nick was not ordered to pay me $7,500 for all the great things I did for him at MMA Premier Fitness, but because he lied on the stand he did lose a step father that day and the love that he lost from me he will never get back. Nick Lopez will one day have to answer to God about what he did to my family and me. I am told that he has fighters and trainers in his gym who preach the word of God and read the bible in his gym every day. I would really suggest that Nick Lopez sit down with one of them and get right with God and ask for forgiveness before his day comes to stand in front of God and explain why he did what he did to so many people. Nick Lopez did not just hurt and take advantage of my son, my family and me; he also took advantage of Hicks Heating and Air Conditioning, Sigalla Brothers Construction, Karl Otto Construction, Chae Kim and many others. Nick Lopez and John Vasquez Jr. your days will come when you have to answer to the only one that counts and that is GOD.
John, I have heard about your million dollar homes and your $200,000.00 cars and Nick I have seen with my own eyes and you have always bragged about your $10,000 watch and your $100,000 custom motorcycle. I am till this day not able to drive my motor home because I can not afford new tires and the $2,500 license plate fee because Nick Lopez and MMA Premier Fitness have not paid me what they promised me for all my work at MMA Premier Fitness.
Karma is a son of a gun and Nick you are now experiencing first had that Karma is real. From living in your 2 million dollar home in Laguna Beach to now illegally living, sleeping and eating out of MMA Premier Fitness gym. Any coaches, gym members or fighters who still support Nick Lopez and MMA Premier Fitness and who know me and know what I did for them should be asshamed for still helping him stay open.
Your day with God will come, trust in that.
Eddie |
