LEAF RIVER — Two Ogle County mixed martial artists have earned the opportunity to represent Team USA and battle on the world stage after taking home national championships.
Landon “The Body Snatcher” Jaski and Caleb “Concrete” Hahn each competed at the GAMMA National Championships in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Saturday, June 15. Both fighters finished in first place in their respective divisions and earned the right to represent Team USA at the GAMMA World Championships in Indonesia this December. Hahn won the 16-to-17-year-old, 125-pound division, while Jaski took home the 12-to-13-year-old, 95-pound division title.
Hahn finished all of his matches in the first round during this year’s national championships, clinching his first-ever trip to the world championships. Jaski, who won all of his matches by submission or dominant fashion at this year’s nationals, went to Greece and Abu Dhabi to represent the USA last year, finishing in the top 10 in Abu Dhabi and third in Greece.
Jaski will compete again on Sept. 7 in Waukesha, Wisconsin at the North American Fighting Championships along with other members of the Magicians MMA Academy in Leaf River, where both Jaski and Hahn train on a daily basis, often multiple times a day. Both fighters compete for GAMMA (Global Association for Mixed Martial Arts), an Olympic-recognized organization that operates as a stepping stone to leagues such as the UFC and One Championship.
Jaski is from Davis Junction and Hahn hails from Stillman Valley. Jaski, who has been competing for seven years, began with taekwondo, earning his black belt before moving on to wrestling and then mixed martial arts. Jaski holds a 14-3 record in mixed martial arts and only competes in combat sports including jiu-jitsu, wrestling, kickboxing and more.
Hahn has wrestled for 12 years and has a few jiu-jitsu championship wins. Hahn began focusing on mixed martial arts about five years ago and tends to a family farm while he isn’t training.
The Magicians MMA Academy is holding two separate fundraisers to help send Jaski and Hahn to Indonesia for the GAMMA World Championships. The first is a pretzel fundraiser that ends on Aug. 23, while the second is a fundraising event at Sledgehammers Bar & Grill, located at 1450 Illinois Route 2 in Oregon, on Sept. 21 from 1-4 p.m. The academy is also accepting donations.
Checks can be made out to Magicians MMA Academy, located at 103 W. 2nd St. in Leaf River. Donations can also be made out through Venmo by sending donations to @Mitch-Britt.
