OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — The Olympics are inching closer and closer. This year, the games invited back 28 sports and welcomed four new ones.
However, there is one sport members of the Kansas City community are waiting to see on the Olympic stage — MMA.
A handful of young athletes are putting on their gloves and getting ready to represent Kansas on the MMA world stage.
“I started because my mom wanted us to do a self-defense class,” said Nora Longhauser, GAMMA athlete.
Fight University owner John Brown explained what makes GAMMA different from MMA.
“Some people, they watch the UFC ... fighting championships and they see adults really getting down and getting dirty. The great part about this for kids is that there is no head contact,” said Brown, Revolution Gym/Fight University founder.
In January 2024, GAMMA USA became recognized as the official USA pankration team. Pankration is another term for mixed martial arts.
Now, young fighters Nora and Kate Suter are on their way to worlds.
“I’m looking forward to meeting new people, hearing their experiences with the art and just getting the experience of going. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Kate said.
After GAMMA USA worked for years for national recognition, Kate and Nora are hoping to take the sport to the Olympic stage.
“Being on a stage is weird by itself, but on a larger scale, it’s nerve-wracking,” Kate said.
Still, it's a stage their coach has been fighting all his life to see.
“To know you’re standing with a country behind you is a culmination of years and years of training in which a lot of these kids, some of them, are just a few years in,” Brown said. “To be able to afford the opportunity at the young age they are and to have that experience, I mean …”
GAMMA was founded in 2018, making it a relatively new organization. Brown said it could still take years, but the formation of a national team is a step in the right direction.
“That’s everybody in the organization's goal is let’s get there,” Brown said.
The world competition that Nora and Kate are gearing up for is in Indonesia, so Fight University has put together a GoFundMe to ask for the community’s help to send these athletes there.
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KSHB 41 reporter Olivia Acree covers portions of Johnson County. If you have a story idea to share, send Olivia an email at olivia.acree@kshb.com.