Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, Jul 30: To the delight of mixed martial arts (MMA) aficionados, the Abrasumente Academy MMA and Fitness has opened Arunachal’s first MMA academy, which was inaugurated by Youth Affairs & Sports Minister Mama Natung at Ganga here on Tuesday, in the presence of former minister Nabam Rebia and MMA coach Sidharth Singh.
Abrasumente MMA Academy has been founded by Higio Taarak, who has received professional training in MMA in Thailand, Malaysia, Russia, Singapore and New Delhi. He was the national jiu-jitsu champion in 2018, and had won the gold medal in the Delhi State Grappling Championship in 2016.
The word ‘Abrasumente’ is taken from the Spanish proverb “Abrasumente a la realidad,” which translates to “Open your mind to reality.”
After inaugurating the academy, Natung expressed delight over the opening of the first MMA academy in the state.
“Our youths have lots of potential in sports. The only thing we need to do is to tap it and channel it in the right direction. I am happy that our youths are making Arunachal proud in games and sports in the national and the international arenas,” said Natung.
The minister, who himself was a karateka, said the state government is according priority to youth affairs and sports, and that “a considerable amount of fund has been allocated to promote sports like Wushu, boxing, karate and badminton.”
Natung assured of all possible help to Abrasumente MMA Academy, and expressed hope that the academy would help its students bring laurels to the state in combat sports competitions.
Delhi-based Crosstrain Fight Club’s head coach, Sidharth Singh, who attended the function as special guest, said, “Let’s put Arunachal Pradesh on the map of MMA with this new academy.”
Singh, who trained Taarak in Delhi, is the only Indian to have earned a brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
Speaking about his objective behind founding the academy, Taarak said it would “provide world-class MMA training to the people of the state, so that the state can produce national as well as international champions and professional fighters in the future.”
A short promo video on the academy, conceptualized and directed by Sanju Dodum, featuring training and combat skills, was also screened during the inaugural function.
