Copyright birminghammail
Tucked away behind a Stirchley housing estate, inside an unassuming grey factory unit, world-class fighters are quietly turning everyday Brummies into skilled mixed martial artists. What started as a friendly neighbourhood gym offering quality MMA classes for local families has evolved into one of Birmingham’s most exciting fight hubs - where former UFC welterweight champ Leon Edwards even pops in to train. Kombat Martial Arts, at Unit 4 Clonmel Road, which originally focused purely on teaching beginners and children the basics, from the ground up, is now producing serious contenders in the sport of MMA. READ MORE: I tried to survive in a cage against an ex-UFC fighter from Birmingham and it didn't go well Over the last 18 months the gym has undergone a transformation - both physically and professionally. A full-size boxing ring and octagon now sit at the heart of the space, as seasoned pros pass down their knowledge to the next wave of fighters. Leading that charge are two of Birmingham’s best-known MMA names: former UFC middleweight and light heavyweight fighter Tom Breese, 34, and Cage Warriors featherweight Aiden Lee, 30. The pair are now coaching the city's next generation of fighters - from fresh-faced youngsters to already-skilled adults hoping to make their mark in the cage. Tom, who has fought former UFC champ Sean Strickland, and also trained with the legendary George St-Pierre, has won 20 out of his 26 professional fights; 18 of them by brutal finishes. His next fight is on November 29 and Tom, already weeks into fight camp, is locked in. The head MMA coach at Kombat told BirminghamLive: "I've been [here] for a year now. I teach 16-year-olds and above; people that are looking to get into combat, into competition, fights. But I also train the hobbyists jiu-jitsu and stuff like that. "It's great to come here, socialise, train, get the endorphins, learn new skills. Life is tough. There's a lot of depression so these are important places to better yourself and gain that spiritual strength. Be stronger within." Tom, who grew up in Kings Heath , said his interest in MMA began when he was 16. "Birmingham is quite a rough place and you get into incidents," he said. "I just wanted to do something that would push me to be stronger, as a person. I've been able to travel all over the world, coach people, and gain a lot of experience myself." Tom said he would happily fight again on UFC but that he is "really enjoying" life at the promotion he currently fights under, FNC. "I'd love to get back to the UFC...I did enjoy it," he said. "It's a big show, lot of pressure as a youngster and stuff like that, but I had some great moments, some of the best nights in my life were in the UFC. I got four first round knockouts; plenty of bonuses." Aiden, who previously fought for Bellator, said he was influenced by Birmingham kickboxing champ Kash the Flash when he was growing up in the city. "I competed full contact kickboxing, and then went more into Thai, then I went to a gym called Fearless in Hockley, then got into the MMA and never looked back," he said. On coaching at Kombat, he said: "It's a good gym, we've got great guys running it. They're passionate about martial arts themselves, that's why it works well." Kombat's lead instructor, Imran Majid, said the dojo was "originally for families" without experience. He said: "And then, as time went by, we wanted to expand into the sport and combat aspect of martial arts, competing. So we build the right team. "Aiden came on board first. It was great to have him because we now had a seasoned athlete at a high level, with a lot of experience. "He came on as our striking coach and then started to attract amateur fighters and semi-pros who wanted to go down that route. "Through that, we managed to get Tom Breese, a dear friend and coach of Aiden's. A lot of the pros started to follow him so we developed and expanded the building next door with the octagon and boxing ring. "People travel from all over the city and out of Birmingham to come here. To have Tom and Aiden here means a great deal; to have seasoned fighters who've got credible background, fighting for the UFC, the PFL, Cage Warriors, Bellator. "We've had Fabian and Leon Edwards train here. This is all because of Tom and Aiden. It's a great buzz, it's great for the community, and it's great for the city." Interested in popping along to Kombat to see what it's all about? Contact 07398 090997 for more information.
