Mixed martial arts: Ackman dedicates self to life of fighting

Curtis Ackman has been friends with Lance Fleming since their days at Jackson High School.

At age 23, he decided to get involved with Lance's father's jujitsu class at HealthPoint Fitness.

A fighter was born.

"He's a hard worker," said Lawrence Fleming, Lance's father and instructor of the jujitsu class. "He got his blue belt at a jujitsu seminar in Paducah. He performed well enough that Royce Gracie awarded him a blue belt."

Ackman, now 26, has been involved in jujitsu for three years. His training recently branched off into mixed martial arts.

Curtis Ackman will be competing in Saturday's Mixed Martial Arts Devastation Fight Night at the A.C. Brase Arena Building. (LAURA SIMON)

"The class started off as just a jujitsu class," Ackman said. "Lawrence asked around if anybody would be interested in mixed martial arts and enough people were interested that we started doing that.

"I use jujitsu in mixed martial arts. That's mainly what I'm trained in and I incorporate that into mixed martial arts."

The mixed martial arts class has about 20 students and meets three nights a week.

Ackman and Fleming both said they try to incorporate all aspects of jujitsu into their training sessions.

"We try to get a little bit of everything," Ackman said. "One night we do ground work, one night we do standpoint striking and one night we do clench and take down. We have a pretty good variety."

Ackman, a 2002 graduate of Jackson High School and a current student at Southeast Missouri State, acknowledges the classes mainly are his life outside of work and school.

"As far as outside of school and work, it's pretty much all I do," Ackman said. "But it's a great way to stay in shape."

He's quick to praise Lawrence and his assistant instructors for the time and work they put in to help him succeed.

"Lawrence is a great instructor," Ackman said. "The assistant instructors are all great as well. They know what they're doing and they will help you with anything. They come in during their off time and are willing to work with you if you want."

He said the excellent teaching combined with hard work has him believing he's prepared for his next fight.

He won his first fight by submitting Matt Finan at the Black River Coliseum in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Next up is Steven Hill of New Madrid, Mo., as part of the MMA Cage Fighter Championships at the A.C. Brase Arena Building in Cape Girardeau on Saturday night. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with fights getting started at 8 p.m.

"I've been training hard for this one for a while now," Ackman said. "I got the first one over with. The second one should be easier as far as anxiety and being nervous go. I've got great instructors and I've been training hard. I know I'm ready."

Ackman competes in the heavyweight division, which features fighters weighing between 205 and 265 pounds.

He admits that fighting is exciting and nervewracking at the same time, but he's hooked.

"It's unlike anything I've ever done before," he said. "I'm definitely going to be involved in martial arts for my life. I don't know how long I'll keep fighting, but I'm going to stay involved as long as I can be."

For now though, Ackman is focused on winning Saturday's match.

"He's really been working hard," Lawrence said. "He looks better now than his first fight. I think he's going to come out on top."