Martial Otters
Mixed Martial Arts Club competes
Marvin Green, Staff Reporter
mgreen@csumb.edu
For last 13 years the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) club has been relatively low key, but with 17 students competing in the MokoMoko Invitational this year, it is unlikely to remain that way. The only event the club did not participate in was knife fighting. Not only did the club compete, but they were very successful with at least seven second place and two first place finishers. “This tournament was rather different from many martial arts tournaments: Competition was not limited to the traditional Taekwondo “Olympic style” of scoring, or the more common “point sparring” found in most karate tournaments,” said advisor and coach Dr. George “Whirlwind” Baldwin. “Rather, the tournament organizer attempted to give the entire martial arts community a venue to compete, show off their abilities, and provide entertainment for the audience. Competition included point sparring, forms, full contact kick boxing, full contact jujitsu, and no gi (uniform) grappling, stick fighting, and knife fighting.” The MMA club didn’t go to the competition with a lack of support either, as another five car loads of CSU Monterey Bay (CSUMB) students and parents followed them up to Campbell, CA.
But the competition in Campbell is not all the club has been working on lately. They meet twice a week, Monday and Wednesday from 7:30-9:00 a.m. Baldwin said the workouts are “student driven” with different students instructing in their areas of strength. “Coaching is rotated amongst the membership, however stand-up (punching-kicking) is led by Chris Korman and down work (grappling) is led by Peter Mitchell. Jose Fuetes provides exceptional jujitsu training,” said Baldwin.
The “Martial Otters” (as coach Baldwin likes to call them) have also been known to carry their skills beyond CSUMB. “Former club members have become university professors, women’s self defense instructors and rape counselors, prosecutors in the district attorney’s office, and a number of who have gone on to careers as first responders, police officers and one Navy SEAL!” Said Baldwin.
As for the club itself, it has not always been so prevalent on campus, over the years its membership as fluctuated, with most of the interest coming from CSUMB’s “Crime and Violence Defense” class. This is not a requirement, as many of the members are simply looking for a place to train while away from their home “dojo’s”. If you want to join the MMA club, show up at one of their two meetings a week.