BOISE, Idaho — Mixed martial arts is one of the fastest-growing sports, peaking in interest across the world, and soon two local teenagers will put Boise on the international MMA map. I'm your neighborhood reporter, Alexander Huddleston, with two athletes who were invited to compete on Team USA next month.
"Once I did my first one, I just fell in love and didn't want to stop," smiled Muay Thai fighter Kyler Fordyce.
Another fighter, Robert Owen, added, "It's an opportunity I never thought I'd have. especially starting this as just a kid who didn't want to sit in his room all day."
It's a typical Monday morning for Kyler "Felony" Fordyce and Robert "Riot" Owen, two teens who practice Muay Thai at SBG Idaho, a Boise mixed martial arts gym.
"We see each other in the gym every day and train together every day, hang outside and watch fights," explained Fordyce.
Owen nodded, saying, "So the morale stays super high when we are in the room together."
But the duo's more than just sparring buddies. The teammates have competed at the regional and national levels for the last three years.
"Kyler wants to fight. He wants to do anything and everything he can to make his goal a reality. Robbie is just an animal. He tries to hit as hard as he can, as much as he can, whenever he can," said head coach Jo Guiness.
Talking about the constant travel, Owen said, "Unfortunately, in Idaho, Muay Thai is not sanctioned, so we have to do a lot of traveling to fight. It's very difficult to fight here."
Guiness says taking these boys to places like Delaware for nationals, and Thailand for a tournament, helped set them up for their next challenge, representing Team USA for the WBC Muay Thai World Festival in Italy on June 26th.
"It's cool to be representing my country on the world stage," said Fordyce.
Owen exclaimed, "I'll be there representing this building and the people inside of it and the hard work they put in for me."
"They are kind of a representation of what my system can create. To have them go out and perform like they did in Thailand, I'm over the moon excited for them," finished the coach.
The boys have set up a GoFundMe to help get them to Italy, and if you would like to support their journey, you can find it here.
