The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

EMPIRE Mixed Martial Arts will take another major stride toward the local development of the sport as they get set to face international competition in the near future.

“Team Beastmode” will take to the octagon on consecutive weekends in Florida, highlighted by the international debut of Jasmine Wilchcombe, the first Bahamian female to fight in the MMA cage.

Wilchcombe will fight at Real Cage Fighting 29 on October 18 at the Space Coast Harley-Davidson Centre in Palm Bay. She has been training with Empire MMA for six months, and the organisation’s founder, Dr Kent Bazard, expressed his optimism for Wilchcombe’s performance.

“Jasmine’s going to do very well and we expect big things from her. She has a foundation in karate and added to that she has learned a lot about Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. She has also gone through two wrestling seminars to balance out her game on the ground but it has been noticeable that her striking has improved a lot,” Dr Bazard said.

“Her opponent will have some reach on her, and she comes from a gym with a grappling background. Our game plan, since we are predominantly a stand-up gym, is to get a firm advantage striking but should it go to the ground we feel as if she will be able to maintain that advantage.”

With the continued growth of the sport and with major brands like the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) becoming household names, female fighters have emerged as major icons in the sport.

“Females are the future of the sport and even the UFC, the biggest name in MMA, became the last major organisation to take females on as fighters and it has paid huge dividends,” Dr Bazard said. “You have seen Ronda Rousey making big splash recently and people have become attracted because they don’t see them fighting as ‘girls’ so to speak. But respect it because they are fighting like trained professionals.”

Before Wilchcombe makes her debut, Empire MMA will field a pair of fighters on Saturday at Combat Night at the Hard Rock Casino in Fort Lauderdale.Giovanni Johnson and BJ Brown will fight on the card.

Dr Bazard called it a great opportunity for exposure for the fighters. “There will be a number of UFC executives in attendance, so we hope for the guys to make a big impression. Gio has expanded his reach as a as a fighter after he spent six months in a Muy Thai camp. He has had a lot of exposure training with professional fighters and it was a good experience to see where we measured up and where he measured up personally as a fighter,” he said.

“Brown is a talented striker so he has a natural advantage there. He’s well versed in wrestling as well so it should be a favourable matchup for him. We also have talented fighters like Kenny Neymour, who is in a camp right now in California and will be fighting his first fight next week. In his first event in Orlando a few months ago, he knocked his opponent out 15 seconds into the fight so we will look for him to be one of the next big things in local MMA.”

Empire was established in 2006 by Dr Bazard, who boasts 33 years of experience in martial arts and extensive training in mixed martial arts.

Dr Bazard started the Empire MMA team with seven fighters and has seen that grow to nearly 30.

The group’s mission is “to establish and maintain high standards in personal conduct, competition, and promotion of the Arts; and participating in Full Contact Fight Sport events in The Bahamas and internationally. Empire Mixed Martial Arts also fights to bring positive change and development to communities throughout New Providence.”

Empire MMA trains in Sanda (Chinese full contact striking), American Freestyle Wrestling, Judo and Brazilian JiuJitsu (BJJ).

Its affiliations include the Bahamas Wushu Sanda Association, International Wushu Sanda Federation, World Sanda League, World Combat Grappling Alliance, World Cup of MMA, BlackHouse MMA, MMA Masters, SUDA MMA and Bolt Wrestling.

Empire MMA has trained at various camps, including the Jaco Hybrid Training Centre, Florida, and Sityodtong, and with coaches Mario Sperry, Kenny Johnson, former UFC light-heavyweight champion Rashad Evans and Bahamian UFC fighter Yves Edwards.