For more than 30 years, mixed martial arts (MMA) has expanded across North America, spilling into arenas and gyms. The octagon battles have crashed onto the shores of the Maritimes, fueled by federal legislature from a decade ago, a burgeoning roster of athletes and fans, and several homegrown talents who have reached international-level competition.
Jason Saggo is one of those Maritime stars who reached the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), an organization most commentators and fighters acknowledge as the biggest in the world of MMA. He locked horns with big-name fighters like Paul Felder and Gilbert Burns before returning to Prince Edward Island to start up his own MMA gym, which has seen an explosion of interest.
“Our membership is at an all-time high this month,” said Saggo, who opened the PEI Martial Arts Academyin 2019. “We have about 200 members. A lot of people don’t realize that most people who train don’t compete; …