Coach Michael Allen has been in combat sports for 25 years and shared some of his experiences and thoughts on the MMA scene in Charlotte.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The mixed martial arts community in Charlotte has grown rapidly in recent years, and Michael Allen, owner and head coach of Checkmat Charlotte, has been there since the beginning.
Allen joined WCNC’s Live Impact News to discuss how MMA took root in North Carolina and how far the sport has come.
“I was fortunate enough to be part of it when it first got legalized here in North Carolina,” Allen said. “We had a company called Fight Lab, and we sort of got the entire scene started. We’d have anywhere from 2,000 to sometimes 4,000 people at our events.”
Allen said the sport’s growth has been steady and community-driven.
“Now, there’s so many gyms,” he said. “Everybody’s growing, the scene is growing. It’s really cool to see.”
Before opening Checkmat Charlotte, Allen transitioned from competition to coaching after sustaining an injury at work.
“I got hurt working at the paper mill,” Allen said. “My coach told me, ‘Why don’t you help me coach the team?’ Next thing I knew, I had my hands in everything.”
At Checkmat, Allen focuses on keeping jujitsu accessible and inclusive for all ages and backgrounds.
“Our gym’s pretty diverse, but it’s not diverse enough for me,” Allen said. “There’s a segment of society that needs jujitsu that we haven’t reached yet.”
Looking ahead, Allen said he wants to continue expanding access to the sport throughout Charlotte.
“Jujitsu is important — not just for the physical part but for the mental and emotional benefits it brings.”