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Ultimate fighters visit Niagara Falls club; Professional athletes enjoy first trip to Canada
Posted By Matt Day
Not many people get to train with a professional athlete in their favourite sport, but a group of about 30 had the opportunity to spar with former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighters Nate and Nick Diaz.
The brothers lead a seminar at Fight Club Canada (FCC) on Drummond Road Saturday.
The two Californian brothers braved Canada’s cold weather for their first ever visit north of the boarder this weekend.
“It’s cold, but it’s good because I’m not in the snow everyday, so it’s fun,” said the 22-year-old Nate, who is 8-2-0 for his professional record.
Nick, a black belt in Ju-Jitsu, showed the class some new sparring techniques and new moves with the help of Nate, a brown belt in Ju-Jitsu.
Along with the new moves, Nick, 24, offered some advice to aspiring athletes.
“Like the Nike sign says: Just do it. You got to train hard.”
Nick said he got into fighting when he was in high school.
“I didn’t have anything in school I was interested in. When I got into a Ju-Jitsu school, I was actually learning. Ju-Jitsu gave me more direction. I learned more, I wanted to learn.”
The brothers would demonstrate a move to the class step by step, then walk around and help anyone who needed some one-on-one.
Chris Taber, 35, of Niagara Falls said the $80 fee to enrol in the seminar was worth it to “roll on the mats” with the UFC fighters.
“Right now is the best time to be in Ju-Jitsu or MMA (mixed martial arts) because it’s still on the way up,” said the FCC gym member. “Once these guys become superstars you’re not going to have this chance to be one on one.
The three hour seminar started at 12 p.m. and autographs were signed from 3 to 4 p.m.
The club’s president, Matt Skinner, said The Fight Network contacted the gym and asked if the brothers could come to Niagara Falls and lead a class.
“They wanted to do it here because we are one of the premier MMA clubs in Ontario,” said Skinner.
The club, which opened Sept. 20, 2007, has world-class instructors who have been to the Olympics and the Pan American Games.
“Nate and Nick being here builds our credibility. It shows we are the real deal,” said Mike Booth, the gym’s vice-president.
Article ID# 925752
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