Two members of Arashi Do Sylvan Lake competed in the Muay Thai event in Sherwood Park Dec. 7th.
Head instructor Sensei Ken Sumner and Coach Cody Bryant, the boxing and Muay Thai coach, both competed in the charity fight card.
People from Arashi-Do in Calgary, Sylvan Lake, Sherwood Park, Edmonton and Fort Saskatchewan participated at Arashi Do Sherwood Park School. It was put on by head instructor Ryan Timoffee in order to raise funds for The Malawi Water Project.
Sumner was put up with opponent Mike Pyska, a student from Arashi Do Sherwood Park who trains in karate and Muay Thai. For his first fight, Pyska weighed 230 pounds, standing at 6’2”. Sumner stood 5’11”, 220 pounds. As head instructor for Arashi Do in Sylvan Lake and Arashi-Do Drayton Valley, he should have had the edge on experience.
The fight started strong. However, Pyska overwhelmed Sumner who had issues with cardio early in the fight. It was revealed after the fight that Sumner had been suffering from a moderate lung issue and had had a very hard time training for the fight in the previous two weeks. However, this did not take away from the excellent skill and cardio attacking with leg kicks and right body punches that Pyska showed during the fight.
Bryant fought Steve Brown from Arashi Do Calgary North. They put on a very close fight with Bryant dominating the second and third rounds with good hands and feet. Bryant and Brown both weighed in at 150 pounds. Bryant showed good hands and head movement to frustrate his opponent.
At the end of the day, this event raised $2,250 for The Malawi Water Project as well as gave a number of other fighters from Arashi Do Martial Arts experience in the ring.
—Submitted