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Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) — a combination of boxing, wrestling, karate, jiujitsu and kickboxing among other combat styles — tends to get a bit of gruff for being “excessively violent.” But Brainerd Lakes Fight Mafia (FAFIA), an MMA training center located in downtown Brainerd, is proving that the newly popularized sport is just as much about family as it is about fighting.
“We’re really just a giant and somewhat dysfunctional family,” said Alicia Nauheimer, whose fiance Steve Foslien owns and operates FAFIA. “You see how hard they train, and how much time is put into it, you become so close to everyone involved.
“We’ve become a family, watch each others kids, bring the kids to the gym and overall just really care about each other...watching them fight has brough that to us.”
Foslien, who hails from California, moved his MMA aspirations from Dallas to Brainerd just over three years ago. Starting from humble beginnings in his longtime friend, Christopher Santiago’s sister’s basement in to the building on Front Street that FAFIA is now housed in, the space allows everything from merchandise, to watching and of course actual training, as Foslien’s vision has now become a reality.
“This has been my passion and my livelihood for as long as I can remember,” said Foslien, who began his MMA training at the age of 8. “We’ve grown so much over the past three years, going from just a couple fighters on a (competition) card to nine for our latest (Savage Entertainment) upcoming event in April.
“And while we’re mainly an MMA school for guys who want to fight in the cage, lately we’re picking up a lot of moms and kids which has been awesome.”
FAFIA offers four different options outside of MMA training, with FAFIA (for adults interested in learning and training for MMA) lil’ FAFIA (MMA courses for kids 4-16), women’s power hour (self-defense and kickboxing) and men’s jiujitsu/boxing/self-defense. A little bit of something for everybody.
“FAFIA is really specifically designed for people looking to get in to cage fighting,” said Foslien, who has a purple belt in jiujitsu. “We do a lot of take down defense and cardio to train how to keep standing up and throwing punches.
“In our women’s class we do a lot of kickboxing, as that seems to be what they really want to do but we like to mix it up and do something new and different each time, especially trying to focus on getting out of a physically dangerous situation.”
“And then we’ve got 10-12 children in our lil’FAFIA right now, with our youngest being a four-year-old girl. They have a lot of fun in there, Matt Thurstin, one of our MMA fighters teaches that course and the kids have a great time with him.”
Apparent from the moment two lil’FAFIA members walked in to the studio, Nicki and Jill Glomski, was the amount of fun to be had by all ages.
“I love playing dodgeball in class,” said Jill with a giant grin on her face and who quickly added, “except when (Matt) Thurstin cheats!” To which he replied, “I don’t cheat I’m just that good.”
Comments (153)
Add commentI'm glad
to hear that it seems to be a good program for some, but I have an issue with others. When I can't even go to the bar to celebrate a birthday and go outside to get some fresh air without one of the Fafia adults spitting at me and trying to start a fight with my boyfriend I lose a lot of respect. I hope this is a very small percentage of the group because I really had a bad opinion of this group for some time.
I have been with our fighters
I have been with our fighters when we have had an event in Brainerd, and we try to go out to our sponsors for an afterparty and the FAFIA had to leave because as soon as we walked in people were just messing with fighters, people coming up and slapping them and such....these guys can't go anywhere without someone verbally or physically trying to challenge them, maybe its the male ego of the men already at the place, but still a little respect for the boys fighting for their town would be nice :-)
The family that fights together stays together?........
This is such a sad article......it says so much about life in Brainerd, Minnesota, and about the local newspaper. If the paper was on the ball, you could help them throw in a Bullying 101 class and help promote that. Sad......very sad.
They're people too!
These guys have families just like us all and have such a large amount of respect for their families, friends, and fans out there who are supporting them through all the negatives. If you really want to see what respect, courage, discipline, commitment, etc mean, go to the Brainerd Lakes Fight Mafia gym on Front street any time during the week to see these guys train. I have met all the fighters, seen them train very hard, been to their fights and have hung out with them. I personally think they are a great group of guys working hard toward dreams and goals. Steve is a great instructor and mentor. He is always there for his guys and is highly respected for what he does. I support the FAFIA!! Great article Dispatch!
I'm not gonna sugarcoat it..
..there have been a couple of [filtered word] in the group over the years but the majority of the guys are princes. If anyone can show me a group of guys in the same age group that doesn't have a couple of knuckleheads in it, clue me in. This is a young organization and a work in progress but they are working hard to take their club to the next level, clean up their image, and build ties, hopefully the community sees that and will embrace them. I for one respect what they are doing and am a big fan.
Lets read the whole book and not just the cover
I have seen this group. Their training is great, it is intense yet made fun at the same time, to have that much intensity be fun is only made possible by Steve and the group members. I have never seen such a tightly wound brotherhood before. Yes you get some bad apples every now and again, but it is not the FAFIA's fault. Some people just can't comprehend what "respect" means. The ones who can't or refuse too, usually are not with the group long. They DO NOT teach you to go out and pick on people. I highly recommend checking the FAFIA out for self defense! Go in with an open mind, willingness to learn, some humbleness and you will have made some new brothers and sisters in a hurry.
pretty sad if you ask me
I find this article pretty sad myself. These guys are jerks. They pick fights with people and have a [filtered word] poor attitude. Well most of them anyways. If Steve were to drug test them I can guarentee 90% of them would fail. The sad thing is too that some of these men actually have assult records too or got lucky enough to have the charges dismissed. Bad way to represent Brainerd if you ask me.
we do not condone fighting on the street!
Our guys CANNOT fight outside the gym or cage, they are comwould be a poor choice. We cannot judge everyone on their pasts, how many of us would be under scrutiny if we were only judged for actions then and not now? The fact is, the same people who hate us, are the ones screaming the loudest at a show and buying them drinks after.
Bad apples
Saying that there are some "[filtered word]" or "bad apples" and that it is not FAFIA's fault is like saying that the trainers of Pit Bulls are not responsible for training their dogs to be violent. FAFIA trains these young men and women to use violent behaviors. It must take the responbility when they take those skills into the community at large.
And before anybody accuses me of comparing FAFIA fighters to dogs, read it again. I am comparing the the training and the responisibilty. I feel sorry for these young people. Their brains are not physically developed enough to understand the impact of practicing violent behavior. I also blame society for creating this situation. When this is the best place for young people to fill their sense of belonging we have all failed.
Life goals.......
"Specifically designed for people looking to get in to cage fighting". What a great goal in life, especially for the impressionable young kids. Aren't there laws against some of this stuff?
@jjmans
That quote was referring to the MMA class :-)
mma misconceptions
As a society we often hate what we fear, and fear what we don't understand. As the parent of 2 sons, one who trains for fitness and tournament grappling, and one who fights, I'm the first to admit I had many reservations when they told me they were going to start training. What I've seen in the past 3 years is a group of guys train their butts off, become physically fit, and mentally prepared to participate in an amazing sport. Like most teams they're a tight group. Extended family. I've gotten to know many of them while attending fights and they have all been very respectful and polite around me. Many have been guests in my home. To assume the whole is bad if you've had a negative experience with some is very unfair. I can't think of a single sport or profession where there aren't some bad people, that doesn't mean all of humankind is bad. Before bashing the FAFIA and the sport of MMA, take some time to learn what it's really about. How much athleticism and IQ it takes to fight. The licensing requirements, rules, scoring etc. You may be suprised to find yourself going from hater to MMA fan.
@ o.w.i.w & jjmans
You scrutinize FAFIA as being some brutalizing team with cavemanish IQ's who train and teach people to be assholes. Maybe take the time to learn about them and you will see how smart and nice they are. Maybe come in and train, learn a few things. Then when you find yourself backed up into a corner that talking can't get you out of, you can thank the so called "violent"...(Self-defense) behaviors FAFIA teaches for allowing you to defend yourself intelligently. Or does the resposibilty your talking about mean just sit in that corner, pee your pants and let that person have their way with you? As I said earlier, some have had bad attitudes, are they in the group yet? Probably not. Everyone is their own person, what they do with it is their choice, their actions are not forced by others. Defaming FAFIA and what they offer because of an "individuals" actions is not fair.
And JJ telling anyone their goal is a bad idea, is just a garbage thing to say. Law against it? MMA is as big a sport as any, go tell the young inmpressionable kids out there playing B.Y.A.A football who want to be the next Joe Montana the same thing then, after all football is a violent sport as well.
I am really bored with all the fighting, kick boxing, et al
so what if you can kick the crap out of someone? Really, I mean so what? Isn't there more to life?
I am really bored with all the trollers, under-educated, et al
So what if you can troll a newspaper column? Really? I mean so what? Isn't there more to life? Wow, I think I just became dumber after reading that comment. Perhaps that is just one aspect of each one of those persons lives. As trolling is apparently one aspect of yours. I will diligently defend these guys from any defaming, because I personally know what they are like as "people" and how far they have come from nothing.
Every one of you who has a
Every one of you who has a misconception of who we are please stop in at the gym and watch training one day!
Practicality
Wait and see.
Mafia Fafia
I have been very impressed with these guys. They have always been very polite, and take responsibility to be good neighbors with the adjoining businesses. Self defense is always better than being a victim. They are no different than any karate or jug-jitso club who also have competitions. It is an organized and controlled sport, and the competitions are enjoyed by many including the contestants.
@ o.w.i.w. (you might want to pay attention as well @jjmans)
I've gone back a couple of times and re-read your post and I'm sorry but MMA training and dog fighting is not even close to the same. Dog fighting is an illegal sport using animals that have no choice. MMA is a legal, sanctioned sport governed by the MN Combative Sports Commission with willing participants that must be 18 and licensed before getting in the cage. Fights are controlled by referees, Commission members are present, doctors are on sight, rules are enforced. Men who have trained hard, passed physicals, and paid for both state and federal licensing, are who you say you're not comparing to dogs but you then proceed to insinuate they don't have the brains to think for themselves. I can assure you many of these men on the fight team have very high IQ's, and a good work ethic in addition to training 12 or more hours a week, most work full time jobs, have homes, are raising children, being productive, tax paying members of our community. Going by your theory of FAFIA being responsible for it's fighter's actions outside of the gym, I assume you also hold all driving instructors and auto racing responsible for car accidents, gun safety instructors and NRA liable if someone is shot...know the subject before condemning it.
While I will agree that these guys
train the butts off, and they obviously become physically fit, I can not say anything against their character, having never met them. I also will agree that if you cherry pick the bads one as an example of the whole, then every sport in the world would have to shut down. I think my only problem with this whole scenario is the ultimate fighting, or mixed martial arts, aka MMA.
From what I understand it is really no more that vicious street fighting, or what Senator McCain called "human cockfighting"! Ultimate fighters do not wear helmets or shoes or full, padded boxing gloves. They attempt to win the bout by: concussing an opponent into defencelessness through blunt head trauma; disabling an opponent through joint subluxation, dislocation, or soft tissue trauma; causing unconsciousness through a neck choke; or forcing an opponent into submission through a variety of the above techniques.
Now if any one can reasonably show me where I have erred in my thinking, I honestly welcome it. In the meantime let's give these young people the benefit of the doubt and support them, until or unless something comes along to show otherwise!
they're everywhere!
I really don't think any of you know how many MMA guys are in brainerd! These are guys you see all the time and have no idea! There are fighters working at Target, Walmart, Little Caesers, Buffalo Wild Wings, Construction, Cub Foods, they are everywhere! Many of you who are badmouthing these boys was probably helped at one of these places by a fighter, and didn't even know it! Can't say their bad people until you know a little more about them...
Just my Humble
Opnion. There was one thing that caught my eye & that was watch each others KIDS. Congrats. THAT is thee most important & precious thing anybody has in life! Nuff said
@oldfarmboy
Thank you! A lot of these guys have children, and can't always find a babysitter. A lot of these guys have been with us a very long time and their kids have been around the rest of the team since birth. The name Brainerd Lakes Fight Mafia, mafia is from a playstation game :-) we could have never gotten where we are now without eachother, thank you so much for your support! Make sure you check out our fb page, www.facebook.com/thefafia
Anauheimer
Dont ever say thank-you too me. I is the age where we used to have FUN/with-out eepout( lawyers). Just take care of your little ones & I will be very happy.
P.S
If they young why not Military?? There is where ya wanna play thee game Hon.
70s and Glass OldFarmBoy, wasn't b*ngs.
It was Long Playing Records.
LPs, you're heard of these?
Some of those other 70s items of
glass were Lava Lamps...They were in glass!
I guess
I got your Att. Thanks for getting that straight because I dont have alot of hair to scratch anymore. P.S. I did shake my head especially when you brought up blood.
no worries
our babies will ALWAYS be taken care of
no worries
our babies will ALWAYS be taken care of
It was
bongs. Don't let the dutch lie to you.