Mixed Martial Arts is the fastest growing sport in the world and it's becoming quite popular here in Estevan. Ever since Hard Knocks Fighting ran their first card in Estevan in the fall, the Estevan Combat Sport Gym has been a very busy place.
Club Owner Josh Heinz says that there were about six or seven guys who regularly attended the gym before the arrival of Hard Knocks in Estevan. He said since that time there is about 15 people who attend each class. The club offers classes like Muay Thai, Jiu-Jitsu, MMA classes along with kids and female classes. Heinz added there are some people who attend a class with no desire to step inside the cage.
Heinz said the kids classes have seen the biggest increase since last fall. He says those classes are a little bit different than the regular classes. He says they try and make the class like a game to keep the students interested. He adds the female classes have also seen a big spike in attendence.
There will be a little bit of history made on June 1 at Hard Knocks 24 in Estevan. For the first time in Saskatchewan there will be a junior fight featuring Roark Franke of Estevan and Christian Crowthers of Regina. Heinz believes the junior fight is a great thing for the sport and for Estevan. He believes with Franke being a local kid, that more and more kids from the Estevan Comprehensive School will follow in his footsteps and start attending the gym and train to become a MMA fighter.
There will be seven fighters from the Estevan Combat Sport club at the upcoming Hard Knocks card. Heinz himself will be fighting as he'll be squaring off with former Estevan Bruins player Lee Ruff.
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