News Archives - Page 13 of 33 - Absolute Mixed Martial Arts

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: REAH SAUNDERS

We have many amazing people with interesting stories that walk into all our gyms! The member spotlight turns to Reah Saunders, one of our Melbourne CBD lunchtime Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu regulars! Let’s all keep calm…and ca-REAH on!

Occupation: Indirect Procurement Specialist

Martial Arts/Sports: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

How did you get into the sport?

I was on maternity leave and wanted to start a martial art for self-defence and to fill some time. A BJJ gym opened at the bottom of my street (in Sydney). I did a trial, fell in love and the rest is history.

What are your immediate training goals?

To turn up to lunch class 3-4 times a week. If I can do that, I am happy.

What are your goals for the next five years?

To still be doing BJJ and enjoying it as much as I do now.

Why do you love training at Absolute MMA?

I love the culture. I tried a few gyms in Melbourne before joining Absolute. I like that everyone is friendly and supportive and always willing to help. And not just within your own gym, I often reach out to the Women’s group in St Kilda and get the same response.

What is your favorite move?

I like an Omapalata. I even sing the Pina Colada song as I’m doing one and change the word Pina Coalda for Omapalata (pulling it off is rare, but I give it a red hot go).

What do you like to do to relax besides training?

My partner recently got me hooked on the podcast ‘Australian True Crime’. So most recently I listen to that. I also like to read.

Can you tell us about where you’re from and any interesting stories growing up? If you’re not originally from Melbourne, how’d you end up living in Melbourne, Australia?

I’m from England and moved to Australia in 2008. We lived in Sydney for 8.5 years and then moved to Melbourne in 2016.

Who are the kind of people that you look up to and why?

I like people in history that have challenged society and the norms. So people like Rosa Parks, Harvey Milk, Alan Turing and The Suffragettes. People that put their self on the line to change our futures for the better.

If you could go back in time to your first martial art class, what would be the advice you give to your past self?

You’re going to be bad at this forever, but that’s not why you started, so just keep going.

“Reah is one of the most patient, lovely and passionate people you could ever hope to train with! When she walks on the mat I feel safe and scared at the same time! Without her motivation and backhanded compliments I never in a million years would have a blue belt! She is the reason I go hard or slack off (haha) irreplaceable!!!” – Trish Brew, training partner

“Since this English girl started training, I have always known her to be a strong person. I have always liked her character and behavior in and out of the class, and she is a student who is always smiling and kind. As a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner she has solid fundamentals and a good attendance in classes despite working full time, being married and a mum of a beautiful boy. She is another Wonder Woman at AMMA.” – Thiago Stefanutti, coach

MEET THE TEAM: PRADEEP SINGH SIHAG

Originally from a village in North India, our head Boxing Coach, Pradeep “The Indian Warrior” Sihag first came to Australia in 2004 to compete in the youth Commonwealth Games. He has since moved to Australia and has worked with Absolute MMA tirelessly for the last five years to form our Boxing program and help countless students develop themselves. Having boxed since the age of 12, Pradeep has a combined amateur and professional record of 144 wins, 6 losses and 1 draw. He is the WBC Asian Middleweight Champion, Pan Asian Boxing Association Middleweight Champion and Oriental Pacific Boxing Federation Asian Middleweight Champion. Read on to find out more about Pradeep!

What would you consider your greatest achievements in Martial Arts?

Winning gold medal at the world amateur boxing cup and OPBF middleweight champion

What made you start Martial Arts?

I belong to a sports family. My grand father, my father, uncles and my elder brother were all wrestlers. I spent a lot of my time playing sports when I was a kid.

Mantra/Quote to live by?

One way, one life, one dream

Who is an inspiration to you, and why?

My grand father. He was a full time farmer until he was 66 years old. Then he started training and started competing in power walking, shot-put, discus-throw and hammer-throw and became a national champion multiple times. I used to go with him for training every morning when I was a kid. He showed me how to be an optimist, and be happy and healthy in your life.

If you were going to be an animal, what would you be and why?

A honey badger, because they are good hunters and quick.

Tell us a fun fact about yourself!

I speak 6 languages.

Can you think of a common inspirational quote that you completely disagree with and why?

“Fake it till you make it.” – I think you don’t need to fake hard work.

Have you done other sports besides martial art and which teams/athletes are your favourite? Any funny stories?

I did compete in wrestling. I don’t have any favourite teams but my favourite athletes are Usain Bolt, Floyd Mayweather, Roger Federer, Steve Hooks and Jana Pittman.

If you could go back in time to your first martial art class, what would be the advice you give to your past self?

Keep your hands up and head down.

During a Absolute MMA staff retreat a zombie apocalypse breaks out. You get separated with 3 AMMA team members. Who would be part your dream team and why?

Simon Carson because he has military experience, Daniel Herbertson because he is a good strategist and Maryanne Mullahy for her wrestling skills.

“Pradeep helped me achieve so much in boxing, I walked into the gym with no experience and 2 years later I’m most of the things I wanted to become and working towards bigger goals with him as my coach. When you first meet Pradeep you have to have the guts to take his jokes, then the strength to do what he tells you need to do to win, then the determination to win and to never quit.” – Antonia Kay, Absolute MMA Fighter of 2017

“People often cite talent when an athlete achieves at a high level but to write off Pradeep’s outstanding career to talent alone would not be acknowledging the incredible amount of work that has lead to him being the boxer and coach that he is today. Pradeep’s unwavering focus from his training and development as both a boxer and a coach is truly remarkable and that love and dedication to boxing is now being passed on to his students. We are extremely fortunate to have him as part of our team. His vertical leap is lacking a little though, just ask any of the staff who witnessed him trying to jump a fence at the last staff retreat.” – Daniel Herbertson

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: KAYLA HAMILTON

We have many amazing people with interesting stories that walk into all our gyms! The member spotlight turns to Kayla “The Brickhouse” Hamilton, one of our plant-powered bad asses who’s turned ground and pound into an absolute art form. We’re so proud to see how far Kayla has come on her martial arts journey so far (including a total weight loss of 38 kilos!) and look forward to what she’s going to achieve in the future. Read on to find out more about Kayla!

Occupation: Lifeguard and writer

Martial Arts/Sports: Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)

How did you get into the sport?

I got into MMA when hired Lukaz “the Lycan” Catubig as a PT to get fit (Gumtree ads, aren’t they wonderful!?” and his passion for it made me fall in love with it.

What are your immediate training goals?

To get in the cage! I’m aiming to fight on the next Path to Hex, so that means dropping weight and sharpening my skills.

What are your goals for the next five years?

To just become the best Mixed Martial Artist I can be! I want to see how far I can go, because there is no limit in what you can achieve! I also want to finish my nutrition degree so I can use my knowledge and experience to help other fighters cut weight safely and get the best out of their bodies.

Why do you love training at Absolute MMA?

Absolute MMA has become a home for me. Everybody, coaches, staff and members alike, are so wonderful. They push you hard but aren’t afraid to have a laugh. The banter here is top notch.

Can you tell us about where you’re from and any interesting stories growing up? If you’re not originally from Melbourne, how’d you end up living in Melbourne, Australia?

I’m originally from Adelaide, and when I was 11 years old, my grandma took me to Melbourne for a holiday. I told her then I was going to move here! Eventually at 26 I did to achieve my goal of being one of the best female KRUMP dancers in Australia. Still working on that one (haha).

Who are the kind of people that you look up to and why?

People that never let life get them down but also help other people achieve their goals too. It’s easy to achieve and step on other people, but to lift others up while you are moving up too…that takes a special type of person.

If you could go back in time to your first martial art class, what would be the advice you give to your past self?

To not care what others are thinking about you. We are all on our own journeys and whether it’s page 1 of Chapter 1….or page 256 of your 3rd book, comparing yourself or worrying about others takes the fun out of training!

“Kayla is a very friendly human being, she likes inspiring other people and sharing her Martial Arts stories. What I admire about her (especially regarding her attitude to the Martial Arts) is that when it comes to her goals she one hundred percent commits into it and does whatever is necessary to get it done.” – Luke Catubig, Coach.

“It’s always so much fun to train with Kayla. She has so much passion for martial arts and her journey inspires me and a lot of people to be the best versions of themselves. She is a positive role model that shows us with hard work you can achieve your goals.” – Rebecca Cerra, training partner.

Follow Kayla’s journey at: https://www.facebook.com/fromthecouchtothecage/

WEEKEND RESULTS (11/05/2018 – 13/05/2018)

It was a jam packed day on May 12th for both the Absolute MMA striking team and our Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu kids, who looked to make waves at Rebellion/Roots, the Kids and Teens Round Robin (Dominance MMA Richmond) and Powerplay 37, all within 24 hours! Our Muay Thai girls were first up at Roots 7: One Love, with Georgia Verry, Gracie Astill-Torchia and Jessica Fothergill all set to step into the ring.

Georgia Verry coached by Laos Toohey Choundary and Albert Xavier from Absolute MMA Melbourne CBD looked confident and composed in her bout, taking home a win for the team via UPD. Georgia showed off her stellar kicking technique and we would like to congratulate her on her performance! Can’t wait to see you in the ring again Georgia!

Making her debut for team Absolute MMA, Jessica Fothergill coached by Jai Tao from Absolute MMA Collingwood sustained a loss via points, however it was great to see her having fun in the ring and getting in there. Plenty to work on going forward and Jess will be stronger for this opportunity to learn. Good on you Jess!

Gracie Astill-Torchia coached by Jai Tao from Absolute MMA Collingwood fought through a close match with Tao and Glen Fraser supporting her in the corner, eventually bringing home another win for the team via points. Gracie always gives her all in training and it’s great to see this result for her. Congratulations Gracie, looking forward to seeing what the future brings for you!

Finishing up for the team at Rebellion/Roots, Joe Coverdale (training out of UFT/Absolute MMA) trained by Laos Toohey faced off against a tough opponent in Doug Lloyd from South Australia. A hard fight followed, with Joe giving his opponent a significant cut in round two, pulling through to achieve a win via UPD. Congratulations Joe! It’s great to see Joe fighting regularly on Rebellion, who recently featured his journey in a video you can watch here:

https://www.facebook.com/Rebellionmuaythai/videos/1781352821924475/?comment_id=1781491855243905&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22R0%22%7D

Meanwhile, on the same day, our prodigies from Absolute MMA St Kilda made their way to the Kids and Teens Round Robin at Dominance MMA Richmond to compete. Under the watchful eye of Coach Hugh Boyd, six of our amazing kids (Horace, Gretchen, Amali, Zoe, Kiara and Sienah) all competed and were great representatives for Absolute MMA! So wonderful seeing you guys all get in there and watching how much you have improved. Special mentions to Horace who earned a gold medal and Amali who earned a silver medal!

Powerplay 37 saw our very own Elliott Glenister up against Victorian kickboxing veteran Steven Baldacchino in the semi-main event of the evening for the IWKBF Australian title. After five rounds, Elliott sustained a loss by points against a very experienced opponent. More experience gained for Elliott, we look forward to seeing him come back stronger for it. Good to see you in the ring Elliott, looking forward to seeing you improve and grow from this!

Photos: William Luu Fight Photography, Elliott Glenister & Hugh Boyd

WEEKEND RESULTS (04/05/2018 – 06/05/2018)

Can you believe it’s May already? The year’s been going fast, but the Absolute MMA fight teams are doing a great job of keeping up with it. We had four of our Mixed Martial Arts team and four of our Boxing team fly up to Queensland last weekend for Eternal MMA (Gold Coast) and the North Queensland Games (Mackay).

First up on Eternal MMA 33 at the Southport Sharks Club from the Absolute MMA team was Wade Kelly. Stepping back in the cage to face opponent Mark Herman at lightweight after an impressive win at Rogue MMA #2, Wade looked to make a successful debut under B-class rules. His years of playing high level Rugby was apparent in the cage, with his Wrestling and Jiu-Jitsu skills helping him push through despite copping a strong kick to the head in the 2nd round. He continued to put the pressure on in the 3rd round, fighting in his preferred style, eventually securing the take down. Wade ground through the rest of the round, spending some solid control time switching between the body triangle, back control and mount with his hard work eventuating in a win via UPD (decision 29-28).

Next up was Tyrell Woollcott, getting his first taste of the Bantamweight division (debut under B class rules), having prepared to endure the 3 x 3 min rounds. The early round saw Tyrell succeed in his game plan, continuing to counter leg kicks and working a snap down takedown. Following this, Tyrell fell off the back and threatened to finish the fight with a deep armbar attempt, however his opponent Travis Robertson showed good composure to survive, with the round finishing with some heavy ground and pound shots.

This was a close first round with both fighters having good moments. However, Tyrell looked a little more alive in the 2nd round, stalking down Robertson on the feet. Landing a heavy right hand, and swarming his opponent on feet, Tyrell secured a win via TKO in the 2nd round (via strikes).

Riding the team’s momentum, Josh Grove then stepped into the cage in his first taste of the big stage in the Bantamweight division on the Australian MMA scene. Setting the tone for the rest of the fight, Josh scored a big right hand in the first round which drops his opponent Hoani Selwyn. His defense work was apparent throughout the entire bout, as he continued to maintain position and scored heavily with knees on the cage and takedowns. After much wrestling, Josh eventually wore down his opponent and won via UPD 30-27.

Last but most definitely not least, Jasper Dunphy then stepped into the cage (fighting under pro rules), ready for 3 x 5 min rounds. This fight was a hard grind, characterized by cage wrestling and Jasper going the full 15 minutes fighting for cage control, securing takedowns and working short elbows on top. Jasper survived a big uppercut from his opponent Kermara Valentine Greer in the 3rd round, showing a great chin and his composure, eventually getting the fight back to the ground. Congratulations to Jasper on his win via UPD 30-27.

Our Boxing team also represented Absolute MMA at the North Queensland Games in Mackay this weekend. They all performed incredibly well, with Ankur and Jacquie both dominating their respective bouts to both achieve a win in the semi-final round, making it to the finals.

Absolute MMA Fighter of the Year 2017 Antonia looks to continue actively fight through this year as well, and boxed very well in the final. Despite losing via split decision in the final to a heavier and much more experienced boxer, we are so proud of Antonia’s result. She comes home with a well deserved silver medal. Well done Antonia!

Unfortunately Dushan’s opponent pulled out of their bout last minute, however he had the opportunity to do six rounds of sparring with three junior boxers who were much more experienced, with one of them having 25 bouts. We’re proud to report that Dushan looked very technical and impressive in his exhibition matches! Thank you to Dushan for being such a great representative for the gym.

Photos: Eternal MMA & Pradeep Singh

WEEKEND RESULTS (27/04/2018 – 29/04/2018)

The Absolute MMA fight and competition teams finished up April in style, with representatives from the gym going to war both locally and internationally. Choi Sung Wook kicked off the weekend on Kings of Kombat 21 at Springvale Town Hall, in his first striking fight, fighting under K1 rules. His two previous fights have been in Mixed Martial Arts (Path to Hex & ROGUE), with a previous record of 1 win and 1 draw.

With coaches Albert Xavier and Laos Toohey in his corner, Choi put on a dominant performance and was winning up until the final eight seconds of the match, when unfortunately he was caught by his opponent and sustained a loss via KO. Choi did incredibly well in this match and while we’re shattered for him, he’ll come back stronger for the experience. Well done Choi!

Path to Hex 4 on Saturday, 28th of April rolled around and four of our amateur MMA fighters were ready to enter the Hex octagon. First up on the card was Rebecca “The Punisher” Cerra, in her MMA debut. Rebecca lost a very close fight via decision in a match dominated by striking. While not the result she wanted, great to see Rebecca get in the ring after training so hard with her Coach Luke “The Lycan” Catubig and we can’t wait to see what the future brings for her. Congratulations on getting in there and on all your hard work Bec!

Next up from the Absolute MMA team was Mo Ridzwan on fight three of the card. Ridz was fighting well in the first round against a taller opponent with lots of back and forth action. Unfortunately after a strong first round, Ridz got caught with a high kick in the second round and took a significant amount of damage, eventually sustaining a loss via KO on the ground. Lots of to take away and work on, and Ridz will be stronger for experience gained.

Sam Yaghini was scheduled as fight five on the card, which unfortunately could not go ahead as his opponent pulled out the day beforehand due to a car accident.

Wrapping up the day for the team was Jake Savic on bout 8 of the card, facing off against a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt. Jake defended the take down very well against a skilled opponent, and showed great defense from Jake. This was a great fight to watch and while the fight ended in a loss via decision for Jake, it was a good performance and display of skill. We look forward to seeing Jake take this as a learning experience and coming back stronger for it. Well done Jake!

This weekend also saw our Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competition team travel to Abu Dhabi to represent Australia in the UAEJJF World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2018.

We couldn’t be prouder of our top competitors putting their jiu jitsu on the line and displaying their skills to the world.

Special shout out goes to coach Livia Gluchowska for being the first Australia female black belt to reach the final at this coveted event and bringing home a well fought silver medal.

Coach Lachlan Giles brings home the trophy of Best Black Belt In Oceania for his consistent excellent performances at UAEJJF events through out the year.

Congratulations to all Australian athletes for representing your teams and your country with pride!

Photos: Albert Xavier, Dogs of War Photography, Luke Catubig, Livia Gluchowska & Lachlan Giles

ANZAC DAY OPENING HOURS (25/04/2018)

Please note that there will be no classes on Wednesday, April 25 due to the ANZAC Day public holiday.

OPEN MATS

Melbourne CBD – 4pm to 6pm.
Collingwood – 10am to 12pm.
St Kilda – 10am to 12pm.

Please also note the gym equipment is available for member use while the open mats are running. Our customer service team will not be operating reception during Anzac Day. If you have a query in relation to the gym or require assistance with your membership, please direct your message to info@absolutemma.com.au and our team will endeavor to get back to you as soon as possible after the public holiday.

WEEKEND RESULTS (13/04/2018 – 15/04/2018)

Happy April everyone! It’s been yet another jam packed weekend with the Absolute MMA fight/competition teams going to war in Australia and internationally.

Angelique De St Jorre set the tone for the weekend with a win at VAMAA on Friday the 13th, displaying a strong clinch game and right kick against a southpaw opponent. Well done Angelique!

We also had Coach Connor Evans representing Australia in Wrestling at the Commonwealth Games. We’re super proud of Connor for his result, with him being the only member of the Australian Team advancing to the medal rounds. Connor just missed out on Bronze in a semi-final loss to the eventual Gold-medallist Kumar Sushil. Well done Connor on your efforts and thank you for being such a great representative of the gym!

Saturday the 14th rolled around, and in Melbourne we had the BJJ team showcase their skills at the Victorian BJJ Championship. The results were outstanding. We’re super proud of everyone that competed – whether you’re a seasoned competitor or having your first competition you can be sure that the team at Absolute MMA has your back! Congratulations to the athletes, the coaches (coach Thiago Stefanutti’s voice booming over MSAC from 10am to 8pm!) and to everyone that helped all our competitors to prepare on the mats.

On the much-anticipated Warriors Way 21 at Doncaster Shoppingtown Hotel, Absolute MMA was out in full force with four of our Muay Thai team on the fight card. Huge thanks to all our members who came to support their team-mates, it was great to see so many of you cheering for the team on the night! Jenna Bryan was first up on the card and entered the ring looking super composed. It was a close fight that eventuated in a split points loss for Jenna however she fought incredibly well and gained a lot of experience from it. We’re super proud of you for getting in there Jenna!

Ben Higgins was up next in the ring and put up an absolute show against a strong opponent in Quang Pham. Ben looked to be in trouble in round one, taking an 8 count however recovered superbly in round two, showcasing some classic catch and dumps to rack up points on the scorecard. Fight News Australia cited Ben’s fight as a “strong fight of the night candidate” with Ben finishing the match in round 3 with a KO by question mark kick.

Coach Darren Gn entered the ring with a smile on his face and showcased a high level of technique with class and composure. In a dominant performance against a New Zealand opponent who was previously undefeated, Darren pulled off a comfortable win via unanimous decision to huge cheers from the crowd. Well done Daz, we can’t wait to see you back in the ring again!

Elliott Glenister finished up the night for the team, displaying true power in his K1 bout against the New Zealand champion Yassin Yass. Hugely dominant in the fight, Elliott targeted the ribs of his opponent with some heavy body shots to great effect with the referee putting a stop to the fight in the second round. Congratulations on a well deserved win Elliott!

Our Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu coaches Mikael Yahaya and Craig Jones finished up the weekend for the team at KASAI Pro 2 in New York City. Mikael made a strong pro grappling debut, beating a very game opponent (Renzo Gracie black belt) on points! Awesome job Warbaby! Along side Mikael was Coach Craig Jones competing at the main tournament of KASAIPro2.
Craig went 3-1. Making his way to the semi-final by a triangle (No doubt marketing his new triangle DVD!) and a points win over game opponents to getting narrowly beat by points in the semis. Craig came back strong in the bronze match beating the Boogeyman Richie Martinez via heelhook.

Well done to all of our fighters and competitors, you are all great representatives for the gym and we could not be prouder to have you on board.

Photos: Jai Tao, James Walters, William Luu fight Photography, Kasai Grappling

MEET THE TEAM: JOE BOOBYER

One of the biggest people in the gym with a personality to match, our Muay Thai Coach Joe Boobyer started his Martial Arts journey at the age of 14 and is now an internationally recognized fighter, coach and personal trainer with a record of 37 wins from 54 fights. After meeting some of our Absolute MMA team while training and fighting in Thailand, Joe came on-board with us and brought the good vibes with him! Read on to find out more about Joe!

What would you consider your greatest achievements in Martial Arts?

Winning the WMF world title and managing to fight for years at a high international level. This allowed me to travel and compete all over the world facing some of the best fighters out there.

Mantra/Quote to live by?

“Work hard, quietly. Respect everybody for something, don’t be a dick.”

Tell us about your life growing up, what is your favourite memory from when you were younger?

I 100% couldn’t pick one. Long summers growing up in the English countryside, going on adventures with the boys, to adventuring across south-east Asia for four years as a young adult…I’ve loved every minute of it.

Who is an inspiration to you, and why?

The honest working class. They get up every day, most of them don’t like their job and they do it anyway. They go out in the cold, the rain, the snow, and they work hard. That’s all they know. There’s a simple honor in that.

If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Eggs on toast.

Tell us a fun fact about yourself!

I love puns and ‘dad jokes’ … let’s hear your best one liners!

Can you tell us about where you’re from and any interesting stories growing up? If you’re not originally from Melbourne, how’d you end up living in Melbourne, Australia?

I grew up in England, but moved to Thailand in 2011 to pursue Muay Thai. Since then, I’ve fought some of the best fighters from around the world in multiple countries, and lived through all the chaos that comes with the martial arts lifestyle. I’ve coached in NZ, back in the UK, then again in Thailand where I met my better half (she’s Aussie) and found my way over here!

Who are the kind of people that you look up to and why?

People with their own character and a true set of values. More and more rare these days.

Do you have a “useless” talent that makes people smile every time you use it?

I can control my eyes individually, and grab things properly with my toes.

During an Absolute MMA staff retreat a zombie apocalypse breaks out. You get separated with 3 AMMA team members. Who would be part your dream team and why?

The three biggest BJJ guys so they go for the take-down and keep the zombies occupied and fed, while I boost outta there!

“One of the most genuine and positive people I know. Whenever he’s around, the vibe gets better.” – Rob Pelle

“Tall, funny and handsome, he’s such a dream… and not bad at Muay Thai either.” – Liam McNeill

“Joe Boobyer or “Boobsey” is a motherf***ing hoot, hardass fighter and an excellent coach/trainer. His commitment in both his coaching and training sets high standards for us all to follow. Since joining the AMMA family he has been a great addition; imparting his experience & knowledge to his students, keeping s*** real in his classes, representing the AMMA fight team and just being an all round decent bloke with an okay sense of humor. (Kidding. He is quite funny).Come in and train, meet the man and find out yourself that he is tops.” – Young Nghiem

“Joe is hands down one of the funniest, most laid back blokes I’ve had the pleasure to know.
His charisma and energy flows throughout the gym, making it an amazing, comfortable place to be – chances are he’ll sweep you off your feet. It’s an honor to work and train beside you brother!” – Imantha Alahakoon

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: YOUNG NGHIEM

We have many amazing people with interesting stories that walk into all our gyms! The member spotlight turns to Young Nghiem aka CCB, long term member and official cheerleader of Absolute MMA.

Occupation: Office & Accounts Manager

Martial Arts/Sports: All of them. MMA, Wrestling, BJJ, Muay Thai/Kickboxing

What are your immediate training goals?

“Always have fun and learn some s***.”

Why do you love training at Absolute MMA?

“What isn’t there to love?! Coaches, training partner, facilities, attitudes/environment are all top f***ing notch.”

What do you like to do to relax besides training?

“Be incredibly annoying (especially to my partner), plenty of swearing, eating and cooking. And massages. I f***ing love getting them.”

Can you tell us about where you’re from and any interesting stories growing up? If you’re not originally from Melbourne, how’d you end up living in Melbourne, Australia?

“My parents were “boat people” from (Viet)Nam. They were in mortal danger escaping Nam and I was named after the bloke who saved their lives (his surname was Young). Quite good, no?”

Who are the kind of people that you look up to and why?

“People that are good humans. People like my Dad. He has been through some s***. Vietnam war, concentration camp, escaping to a new country with LITERALLY nothing, raising kids on his own as a single parent and putting himself through university whilst working 3 jobs… And after all that hardship, he isn’t messed up in the head/mentally, he is an asset to our community/society and keeping s*** real.”

What’s your favourite place to eat in Melbourne and your #1 dish recommendation?

“F*** me. Don’t be like that. No way can I pick just 1 place. Lots of excellent places in Melbourne to eat and each has their “jam”. Having said that, check out “Eis Japanese restaurant” in Albert for excellent contemporary Jap food, “Komeyui” in Port Melbourne for Sushi/sashimi & sake pairings, “France Soir” in Toorak for French, “38 Chairs” in South Yarra for Italian, Pacific House on Victoria street for Roast duck/Crispy skin roast pork, My House for brownies or braised pork belly and egg.”

If you could go back in time to your first martial art class, what would be the advice you give to your past self?

“Hey there youngin’ Young, do not dishonor the family.”

“Young is one of the coolest people I know – even though she’s a midget, she literally takes down people twice her size like a boss. If you don’t keep your hands up, she’ll punch you in the face and your contact lens will most likely fall out; if you don’t invert fast enough to recover guard, she’ll oil check you; if you don’t sprawl fast enough, she’ll double leg the shit out of you.

Not only is she an amazing grappler and a striker, she’s just an awesome human being. She organises all the social gatherings for all three Absolute gyms. She will be there to cheer you on if you’re fighting or competing – doesn’t matter if it’s MMA, Muay Thai, Boxing or Jiu Jitsu, Young is on everyone’s team. Although we see her sucking up to Lachie and Liv by bringing food exclusively for them, she makes it up to the rest of us by baking brownies and cookies, bringing vegan cakes for the vegans, and cutting up fruits for the ones that are cutting weight so that no one feels left out. Young is full of love and just an awesome person to have around the gym ❤” – Chisaki Akiyama

“To train with Young is to train with a gentlelady. She is very appreciative of everyone she trains with, always making it a mutual learning experience and leaving her ego out of it. She’s always humorous, an angel with the mouth of a sailor.” – Alyra Bartasek

Category Archives: News