SPORTS FLASHBACK 2010: Blumenort fighter prepares for light heavyweight match

Nick Penner of Blumenort is one of the top prospects in the world of mixed martial arts and with a record of 10 wins (six were won in the first round), and only one loss, he is looking forward to his next Maximum Fighting Championship (MFC) fight.

Penner told The Carillon the scheduled fight with Chris Price would be not only be a tough one, but that it would also be a really challenging one for him, since he recently dropped down a weight class to light heavyweight.

While Penner feels the weight class drop will help him, since he’s simply not big enough for the heavyweight class, a lot of training is still needed to compete at the lighter weight-class.

In preparation for the upcoming fight on the MFC card Penner turned more towards training in standing-up styles, such as Muay Thai and Greco-Roman wrestling, to help avoid takedowns and help to get out of certain Jujitsu holds.

He pointed out that his opponent in his next fight seems to be strongest in these areas and so he wants to work on them a bit more.

Penner went on to explain that Price has a lot more experience, having fought in the Ultimate Fighting Championship before, and has a good record as well. But long odds are nothing new for Penner. The 27-year-old survived an Edmonton parking lot shooting in 2007, taking bullets in the hip and arm, while working for a security company.

Edmonton is currently the place to be if you are interested in fighting, according to Penner. He pointed out that some of the top trainers in relatively unknown disciplines are in the Alberta capital, and that currently there are more fights in Edmonton annually than the rest of Canada combined. Penner even said that Edmonton is considered a “hot spot” internationally based on the number of fights happening every month.

Penner said his interest in martial arts began as a kid, and just like any kid, he was very interested in karate. He started taking lessons in several different disciplines, even taking classes in Winnipeg as one thing led to another to another.

He then joined the military and was last posted in Edmonton. When he decided to leave the service he remained in Edmonton, employed by a security company offering personal protection and he trained in martial arts, kickboxing and boxing at the same time.

Over the past two years, Penner’s stats as a professional have been nearly perfect, having gone 2-0 in both professional boxing and kickboxing, in addition to a 10 wins-one loss record in the MFC.

The Penner-Price match is one of the draws on the card at the MFC 24: Heat XC, and will be for local fight fans through pay-per-view.