MMA legend holds Muay Thai seminar in Cape Girardeau

Duane Ludwig, a former UFC fighter and award-winning coach, arrived at Cape Girardeau on Saturday, Feb. 17, to teach a Muay Thai seminar at the Peak Performance Training Center.

Ludwig had a 21-14 record in MMA including one of the fastest knockouts in UFC history. He was also voted coach of the year during the 2013 and 2014 World MMA Awards.

His prized pupil was TJ Dillashaw, who won two bantamweight UFC titles and has recently retired. Now he is working with Tevor Peek, who recently won his fight at UFC 294.

"It's nice to be able to have disciplined individuals to invest into," Ludwig said.

Ludwig started the Bang Mauy Thai system shortly after his retirement from fighting.

"I prefer a Mauy Thai base with footwork and setups so that it can be more applicable for today's mixed martial arts," Ludwig said. "Stationary footwork delivers power but then you're a stationary target for the takedowns. So in order to make your strikes successful, you need to have footwork, be able to be in and be out and set things up."

Ludwig teaches affiliate instructors around the country who use the system and makes a point to make an annual personal evaluation.

"It's my routine to travel the country twice a month maximum and visit an affiliate school and just keep my fingers on the pulse," Ludwig said.

The MMA gym, run by Cage of Honor promoter and War Eagle Fight Team coach DeRay Ivie, has been a Bang Muay Thai affiliate for the last five years.

"We are brothers in the martial arts world," said Ludwig, who founded Bang Muay Thai, "and also brothers in Christ."

A majority of the students in the seminar fought in recent COH events and some are slated for COH91, which is scheduled for March 9, at the AC Base Arena.

"The talent pool is solid," Ludwig said of the local fighters. "[Ivie] has a strong stable of very hard working and athletic disciplined individuals and those are the qualities that are needed to create a champion. So he has the base layer. He's helped build the base layer and I'm proud of what he's done with the student base."

After the seminar, a handful of students earned belt promotions, including Ivie, who now has a brown belt.