Southern Impact is a Mixed Martial Arts school located in Mena, AR. We instruct students in the different combat sports we use in MMA since 1996.
Southern Impacts history starts with the introduction of MMA to the general public.
The first Ultimate Fighting Championship 1 in 1993 grew the interest in what would be mixed martial arts in the US. The purpose of the early UFC competitions was to identify the most effective martial art in a real fight between competitors of different fighting disciplines, including boxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Sambo, Wrestling, Muay Thai, Karate, Judo, and other styles. The first UFC opened many peoples eyes to the effectiveness of ground fighting. At the time the ground fighting was not as well the striking martial arts.
Brent Toon had 6 years of experience in Taekwondo. Brent and his brothers had achieved their black belt and competed on the international level After seeing UFC 1 he had to learn ground fighting. Toon and his brothers grappled in an old abandoned church in Octavia, OK learning as much as they could about ground fighting arts. Finding a ground fighting based school was unheard of in the area at the time. They learned whatever they could from anyone that new anything. The Toons built a small shed to train in moving the school to Watson, OK.
Andy Threlkeld and Aaron Renard joined the Toons in 1996. Aaron had a brown belt in Judo. At the time No Holds Barred (MMA) was still illegal in Arkansas until 1997. Brent had his first fight in 1997. Most of Toon’s fights were in a tournament format so you may have 4-5 fights in the same night.
In the late 90s Brent started training at the Lions Den in Tulsa under Mikey Burnett as much as possible. In 1997 Brent Toon won Dan Severn’s Danger Zone NHB Tournament. In the 175 lb and under division. Brent made it to the finals of Dan Severn’s Danger Zone 3 in the light weight division 1999. Andy had his first fight in 1998. Andy moved away for college in 98. Aaron started fighting in 2001. In 2001 Brent had some setbacks and stopped fighting.
Todd Ham was a friend of Andy and Aaron that also had an interest in MMA after watching the first UFC. Todd’s father was a Martial Arts Instructor in the Marine Core. Todd always had an interest in martial arts. He trained karate but didn’t care for the point system. Todd convinced Andy and Aaron into training again in 2006. They began to train in a hangar at the airport and Brent soon joined in helping them train. They cross trained with the Lion’s Den in Tulsa whenever possible. Todd started fighting in 2007. Aaron would go on to win the Ring Rulers light-weight title in 2009.
From there Southern Impact continued to grow into what it is today.
Martial Arts School, Gym/Physical Fitness Center, Sport
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