Issue 003
May 2005
Cardiff MMA
Only a few years ago, Wales was considered an utter backwater for Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). I should know, I left my home there and had to move to Manchester to find somewhere decent to train! Since then, a small number of clubs open-minded enough to embrace something new have appeared, and at the forefront of the Welsh scene is Cardiff MMA, home to champions.
Previously based for four years in a judo and gymnastics centre, coach Mike Swambo took the bold step of opening Wales’s first full-time MMA facility in October 2004. With more than 30 years’ experience in the martial arts, Mike’s coaching credentials are second to none. He has a lengthy background in judo, Thai boxing and karate — competing in his first Thai-boxing fight in Holland at the tender age of 17 — and has trained under luminaries of the sport such as Thai boxing’s Master Toddy.
Cardiff MMA boasts a massive 5000 sq ft of mat space and, in addition to the vast matted area, has a full-size boxing ring. The mats are made to the same requirements as an Olympic judo competition and are covered with a specially made tarpaulin so as not to create gaps between the mats which appear when using traditional tatami mats.
The emphasis at Cardiff MMA is very much on coaching the individual as an athlete, which is evident in the way they churn out champions. Mike is keen to point out: “We offer the potential to not just enter competitions, but to win them.” With fighters such as Lee Brace, Nathan Williams and Dai Williams all champions in the Welsh Amateur Grapple and Strike League, it is clear that Cardiff MMA has found a formula for success.
“There is no secret to success, it’s all hard work,” says coach Mike Swambo. “The guys put in the hard work on the mat. They are professionals in the way they approach their training — everything we do is sport specific to MMA.”
At Cardiff MMA every member, whether a competitive athlete or not, has an individual training plan. With this they can decide which competitions they want to take part in that year, so that their training is structured accordingly. “That’s the advantage of being a full-time gym,” says Mike.
Why the emphasis on amateur fighters and not professional? “We’re not about making money, we’re about grass-roots development. Without a good grass-roots base, there is no foundation for semi-pro or pro. The better the fighters, the better the shows. It’s all about considered growth.”
As Mike said, there is no substitute for hard work, however with the facilities on offer it is clearly an attractive place to train. With regular visitors such as professional MMA fighter Paul Jenkins among others, Cardiff MMA can easily claim to have the best facility in South Wales. The recent addition of a fully-equipped strength and conditioning section can only add to its value, and while the standard of coaching from the existing team is already first class, it has had a boost in the form of former World Kickboxing Association Muay Thai champion and Lumpinee Stadium veteran Lee Power. This Master Toddy-trained fighter will be offering stand up classes four nights a week in addition to the existing MMA, submission grappling, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, children’s and ladies’ kickboxing sessions.
Cardiff MMA, Unit 45, Portmanmoor Rd Ind Est, Ocean Park, Cardiff, CF24 5HB
Tel: 02920 462800
Website: www.cardiffmma.com
