New MMA gym opens in Wellingborough town centre, offering a friendly environment for fighters of all disciplines

Fighting Top Team has opened its doors in Wellingborough, giving seasoned professionals or first-time fighters a place to hone their skills in mixed martial arts (MMA).

Officially opening its doors on September 1, Fighting Top Team hosted a seminar with 1st dan black belt fighter, Marcin Bandel, showing its students what the gym is all about.

Marc Bearpark co-owns the gym with partner Lukasz Ksionek, and also serves as one of its trainers alongside Lukasz Lepianka, who has a 1st degree Brazilian jiu jitsu belt under Robert Drysdale.

Marc said: “There was nothing else in the area available, for the children, especially for kids in the evening. Outside of football, rugby or cricket, there wasn’t really a lot on offer.

“We needed to bring something to the area, we looked around and we knew this was the ideal place to bring it.

“It’s a group of martial artists who wanted to have their own place and all wanted to train together with no politics.

“Any race, religion, creed or colour can come and train here, it’s all about the individual becoming the best they can be.”

The owners previously had a gym in Isham, but due to the increase in demand there was a need to move to a bigger space. The Alma Street premises were a suitable place to offer a different sport to people eager to try something new, and Fighting Top Team has a 20-year lease on the building, proving its dedication to the town.

Marc has been training and competing in mixed martial arts since he was eight-years-old, and developed an interest in the sport that has taken him around the world. Now, he hopes to impart the same passion onto local youngsters so they can reap the same benefits as he has.

He added: “For the children, all we ask them to do is show respect and be disciplined for the 45 minutes we have them on the mat.

“What we’re seeing from the children in regards to that is that you can see they’re becoming a bit more confident in themselves, and you can see they’ve got a bit more knowledge of what we’re trying to show them.

“It’s all taught in a controlled environment and manner, everyone that coaches here has competed at quite a high level, so we’re not just chucking people in.”

With facilities and equipment fitting of a champion, the MMA gym is a suitable place for current and future world champions to train, but it has also nurtured a positive atmosphere for anyone from the age of six eager to learn the benefits of the sport.

It caters to all different disciplines of martial arts under one roof, be it wrestling, jiu jitstu or kickboxing.

Kledi Disha has an upcoming bout with Florinel Boanca this Saturday, and considers the gym his new home.

He said: “I’ve been waiting for this for a long time.

"When I first stepped into the gym I felt like I was in my new home.

"When I was young I used to be the kind of person that would stay out with friends and do nothing, but since I started joining the gym, everything changed in my life.

“Every kid should do something, at least something, it gets you out of the troubles of everything and helps your mind.”

Plans for the future are ambitious for Fighting Top Team, with the intention of opening more facilities, though the Wellingborough premises will remain the ‘flagship’ gym.

Marc added: “The long-term goal of this gym is that everybody in the Northamptonshire area will know who we are, if their children are having problems in school or a child is lacking in self confidence they know they can bring them to us and we’ll bring out the best in that child.”