Local MMA fighters seek financial assistance for world championships in Indonesia

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (KCTV) – The Revolution Gym in Overland Park is training world-class mixed martial artists who are heading to Indonesia for world championships, but they need some financial assistance.

Three national champions are working out of Fight University inside the gym. Four in total are going to Jakarta, Indonesia for the Global Association of Mixed Martial Arts World Championships.

“They’re representing the United States of America and I believe it’s 72 countries represented at worlds and over 500 competitors,” said President/CEO of the gym and Fight University John Brown. “We’ve got a GoFundMe going — to get there it’s thousands of dollars per child and the parent that’s going with them.”

The building on Floyd Street doesn’t look like a huge dojo from the outside but inside there are mats spread out throughout, punching bags hung up, gloves piled together, and those being trained are prepping for an experience of a lifetime.

Malea Boyd, Nora Longhauser, and Kate Suter all finished in first place at the GAMMA National competition, securing their spot in the world championships. Zachary Rome was handpicked by the president of GAMMA at a regional tournament.

“It’s just crazy,” said Rome. “The MMA community here in Kansas City is so supportive.”

Rome tore his shoulder about five years ago, sidelining him from action until last year when he decided to get back into MMA 100 percent. He said he got caught up in partying which ultimately distracted him from the game. Now, he’s back and competing at a world-class level.

He said, “Within the last year, I’ve lost 100 pounds, I’ve got sober, I started helping with the kid’s team, I’ve taken over a concrete company, I’ve really changed my life, started to become a man of Christ, following my faith, and it’s been a huge transition. It’s awesome.”

Boyd is just nine years old and won the nationals in the first round. That‘s the trend for her so she is a little worried about going more than one round in the upcoming competition. But still, she’s ready to go.

“I believe in myself,” she said.

Longhauser is 12 years old and has been competing in MMA for three years. She’s a GAMMA national champion and hopes to walk away with the world championship soon.

“You have to give 100% in everything,” she said. “It‘s a fun activity to me and it’s a fun sport to play.”

Suter is 15 years old and she‘s been a fighter for about eight years. She’s been mixing it up on the mats and believes in herself to be crowned champion too.

“There’s always that scare of you lose, go home, seems like for nothing but then there’s also the dreams of you could win it all,” she said.

Brown operates the gym and is also the Kansas representative for the Association, experiencing firsthand the struggles of fundraising for his athletes to get to Indonesia.

“It’s a whirlwind of emotions for me because I’ve been on that stage and to see them go and to know what they’re about to face and to have that life experience for them and to have the entire country behind them – it’s indescribable until they’re there.”

He‘s hoping the community’s support for the sport will translate to dollars. They’ve raised $6,400 as of Wednesday afternoon but they want another $6,000 to make sure everyone can make it safe and sound.

“They’ve got to raise the money on their own,” said Brown.

Rome is having to miss two weeks of work to make the trip work.

“I pour concrete so that’s tough for me,” said Rome.

The kids are working on technique, the coaches are motivating, and they all know what’s ahead of them as they prepare together as a team.

“It’s your own fight but you get to be there with your team to cheer your team on and have your team cheer you on,” said Longhauser.

It‘s not only about getting their hands raised as victors in the sanctioned fight, but it’s also about the full development of the person according to Brown. They emphasize training is not just what happens on a mat, but what happens at home and at school that can positively change their life too.

“Them learning that the journey is actually as important as the competition, because we treat every competition as if it‘s also part of training,” said Brown. “Your homework, it‘s training. Doing your chores around the house, it‘s training. It’s all about the development of the whole person.”

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