Minnesota Martial Arts Academy Explained

The Minnesota Martial Arts Academy is a martial arts training center in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota. It was founded in 1992 by Greg Nelson, a former NCAA Division 1 wrestler at the University of Minnesota.^[1]

History

The Academy provides training in combative martial arts that include Muay Thai, Wrestling, Boxing, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Judo, Filipino Martial Arts, Jeet Kune Do, Modern Army Combatives, and mixed martial arts.^[2] The Academy's MMA team, Team Academy, has a winning percentage of 80%^[3]

Greg Nelson combined his background in NCAA Division 1 wrestling, from college, with the Thai-boxing training he began in 1983 to form the basis of his Mixed Martial arts system. Starting the gym in 1992 the focus was on combative martial arts & sport martial arts. As The Academy grew it attracted future UFC champions such as Dave Menne, Brock Lesnar, Sean Sherk and Rose Namajunas.^[1]

Notable fighters

• John Castañeda - UFC
• Pat Barry - UFC, K-1, Glory
• Mike Richman - Bellator Fighting Championships, Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, Former Interim Light Heavyweight Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship Champion
• Sean Sherk^[4] - Former UFC Lightweight World Champion
• Brock Larson - UFC, WEC Title Contender
• Chris Tuchscherer - UFC
• Jacob Volkmann - UFC, Former VFC Welterweight Champion, FILA- Grappling World Champion 80 kg
• Nick Thompson - Former BodogFIGHT Welterweight World Champion, UFC Veteran, Strikeforce, Sengoku
• Jon Madsen - UFC TUF 10 cast member
• Logan Clark - UFC & WEC Veteran, Sengoku
  • Kaitlin Young - Invicta Fighting Championships Brandon Girtz - Bellator Fighting Championships
• Nick Kirk - Bellator Fighting Championships
• Rose Namajunas - UFC Strawweight Champion, Invicta Fighting Championships, King of the cage
• Troy Jones - Glory

Former fighters

• Jordan Parsons - Bellator
• Dave Menne - Former UFC Middleweight World Champion
• Nik Lentz - UFC
• Brad Kohler -Former UFC fighter
• Brock Lesnar - Former UFC Heavyweight World Champion ^[5]
• Cole Konrad - Bellator Fighting Championships Heavyweight Tournament Champion

Notes and References

1. Web site: Minnesota MAA's Greg Nelson happy in background as Brock Lesnar moves to forefront. John Morgan. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20090706044458/http://mmajunkie.com/news/15397/minnesota-maas-greg-nelson-happy-in-background-as-brock-lesnar-moves-to-ufcs-forefront.mma. 2009-07-06.
2. Web site: Archived copy . 2009-09-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110714104259/http://mmaacombatzone.com/mmaa_content.php?cid=1&pg=about%20us . 2011-07-14 . dead .
3. Web site: BEST TEAM RECORDS. Sherdog. January 21, 2008 . 2008-01-21 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070827004527/http://www.sherdog.com/stats/fightstats.asp?stats_page=teamwinrecords_ratio.asp . August 27, 2007 .
4. News: The Ballad of the Muscle Shark . Demko . Paul . . May 16, 2007 . 2007-05-16 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070519135047/http://citypages.com/databank/28/1380/article15431.asp . May 19, 2007.
5. News: UFC gambles on untested Lesnar. Meltzer. Dave. Yahoo! Sports. January 21, 2008. 2008-01-21.