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Jackson Wink Academy is one of the most well-known training establishments in the world of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). The academy is led by coaches Greg Jackson and Mike Winkeljohn, hence the name! These two MMA coaches and trainers have helped be a part of some of the biggest MMA fights in history, developing countless champions and creating an indelible legacy. In this blog post, we will take a closer look at the coaches at Jackson Wink and their impressive resume of MMA fighters, including looking at some of the most iconic matchups of all time.
Early Life And Career
Let’s start with coach Greg Jackson himself. Jackson is a mixed martial arts trainer who was born in Washington D.C. Greg moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico when he was three years old. Greg has known fighting all his life, as he comes from a family of wrestlers. In fact, his father, brother, and uncle were all champions in the sport. Due to growing up in a rough neighborhood, Jackson learned how to defend himself through martial arts. Eventually, after graduating from Rio Grande High School, Jackson founded his own martial art, Gaidojutso. This combined techniques from both wrestling and kickboxing, mixed with some judo. Other styles were added over the years, before opening up his first MMA school in 2000. It wouldn’t be until 2007 when Mike Winkeljohn joined, that things would change forever.
Enter the story, Mike Winkeljohn. Mike is a 5th-degree black belt in Kempo Karate, and is a multiple-time ISKA, Kickboxing, and Muay Thai World Champion across various organizations. Being a native of Albuquerque, New Mexico, he grew up with a love and passion for martial arts, which allowed him to become one of the most interesting figures across Mixed Martial Arts. Mike only engaged in four amateur fights before going professional, amassing a 25-7-2 record as a professional kickboxer. Teaming up with his good friend Greg Jackson, the two would go on to form the renowned gym, the Jackson Wink MMA Academy. With its focus on combat sports, the academy quickly rose to prominence with some of the best fighters from around the world coming through its doors. Fighters such as Jon Jones, Holly Holm, and Cub Swanson have all trained at the academy, just to name a few.
Notable Fights
Jackson Wink is a legendary academy in the world of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) that has helped train some major fighters. Throughout their careers, both Greg and Mike have had a major role to play in the development of MMA, with the gym being involved in some of the sport’s biggest fights. They are best known for training some of the UFC’s biggest stars, including Jon Jones, Holly Holm, Carlos Condit and Georges St-Pierre. He was also involved in many memorable bouts in the WEC, Pride FC and Strikeforce organizations. Lots of people were able to reliably shout about how they would predict Jackson Wink-trained competitors would wipe the floor with competitors.
So much so that if you were a betting man, you’d know to back these fighters with their distinguished pedigree. It was that notable. You can bet on UFC in physical stores as well as online. People in Britain are likely to stream the UFC online. Everything is now online as well, meaning you can gamble in any way you see fit. So, you can play baccarat live in your home, whilst watching MMA; it’s the dream!
In recent years, Jackson Wink’s fighters have been a part of some of the most exciting bouts in MMA history. For example, the two coaches trained Jon Jones for his epic battle with Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 165, which went down as one of the greatest fights ever. They also trained Holly Holm for her shock win over Ronda Rousey at UFC 193. This went down as one of the most famous victories in the sport and captivated interest all over the world. Lots of people talk about the fight between Rousey and Holm as one of the greatest fights which really catapulted UFC and MMA into the public interest in the UK.
Jackson Wink Academy’s history in MMA is marked by countless incredible moments. Their influence on the sport will continue to be felt for many years to come as they train the next generation of fighters. Whilst there is talk of Conor McGregor, Dana White, Khabib etc, Greg Jackson and Mike Winkeljohn should be up there in terms of influence and marketing of the sport.
Ambassadorial Duties
In addition to being a sought-after trainer and mentor, Greg Jackson and Mike Winkeljohn are ambassadors for the sport of MMA. They regularly take part in charity events and other public appearances to promote the sport and speak out on its importance in today’s society. It’s fair to say that MMA would not be how it is today without their influence. The academy itself has a wide range of services away from just training.
For example, fighters are able to live on site during their camp as they prepare for a fight. They have a state-of-the-art training facility with newly built apartments and dorm rooms on site, as well as other fighter amenities that would be beneficial for MMA stars.
Of course, it’s not just the two coaches at the academy. In fact, there are several members of staff that help make the academy what it is. You only have to visit the academy yourself to see this in action. The Jackson Wink MMA Academy is constantly on the lookout for top talent to join their ranks, both in terms of coaches and fighters.
So What’s In The Future?
Only Jackson and Winkeljohn will know what the future holds. Only they can make the decisions they want to, but they have earned the right to take that extra step. For Brits and Americans, MMA is becoming increasingly popular, and we can’t wait to see and read about how up-and-coming fighters training at the academy get on.