THE RED CORNER
NEWS AND UPDATES FROM THE NORTH STAR ACADEMY OF MIXED MARTIAL ARTS
WEEK OF MAY 4th, 2026
Monday Mindset, Junior Samurai Stripe Challenge, Membership Updates, and Facility FAQ Links all available at the bottom!
Happy Monday Team!
Got a few things on the docket today. Busy month of competitions coming up — ISKA Nationals, Freedom Fighting Championships, Grapple at the Chapel II, and more!
NORTH STAR YOUTH WRESTLING CLUB ARRIVES AT THE NORTH STAR ACADEMY
Shout out to all our grapplers, both young and old, for a solid week of training.
We had a great time hosting Coaches Kyle and Rob from LaSalle Prep Wrestling in our youth class this past Wednesday. Kyle and Rob have produced state-level high school athletes (in Pennsylvania, no less — a huge feat) and will be collaborating with us on the launch of the North Star Youth Wrestling Club.
The NSWC will run through the Summer (approximately 6/1 to 8/19) on Mondays and Wednesdays from 4-5pm for ages 6-9, and 5-6pm for ages 9-13. No grappling experience is required. If you are interested in bringing your child in, let me know! We’d love to have you.
This club will link up with the local wrestling scene and, if successful, establish itself as a fixture in the area to attract and train local talent. As a former wrestler myself I am really excited to be back in the community. More information to follow.
Our adult NSWC was on fire as well, 34 students (against the previous class’ 36) on the mats. Again, we are officially only running this class up until Memorial Day, but if participation is high we will add it permanently to the schedule. Vote with your feet!
ISKA NATIONALS THIS WEEK IN DELAWARE
Xavier, Makhi, Dashaun, Jason, Andy, and Joe are all competing at the ISKA National Tournament this Saturday. These athletes have been training incredibly hard and we expect some great performances out of the team. This is an all hands on deck event for our striking coaches so we will run a special open mat on Saturday, 5/8, from 10-12pm (both striking and grappling). There will be no classes on the schedule for Saturday aside from coach Alex’s 9am M4A class.
TIM GREEN HEADLINES FREEDOM FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIPS 39 IN PHILADELPHIA ON MAY 16TH
Coming off a dominant victory in NYC, Tim Green steps up to the plate in a 5-round battle against veteran Ben Collins for the Freedom Fighting Muay Thai Championship belt. This fight headlines an already stacked card. We have 100 tickets available, but we do anticipate them being sold out. Contact me or Tim at your earliest convenience to secure yours as the fight is less than 3 weeks away!
Please note the full event schedule below:
- 5.8 – 5.10 WEEKEND – ISKA National Tournament.
- 5.16 SATURDAY – Grapple at the Chapel: Fit Jitsu and Junior Samurai showcase and awards!
- 5.16 SATURDAY – Freedom Fighting Championships in South Philadelphia.
- 5.22 – 5.25 WEEKEND – Memorial Day Weekend, schedule TBD.
- 5.30 SATURDAY – Rami Elite Smoker.
- 6.20 SATURDAY – Gut Check Championships in Delaware.
See you on the mats!
–Coach Jackson
You can find this week’s Monday Mindset HERE
You can find this week’s Junior Samurai Stripe Challenge HERE