University-Funded Combat U Program ‘Needs To Happen’ For MMA

“I’m pumped now to help out on this front to develop the next generation of people that want to be well-rounded on top of being a combat athlete.”

Did you get into fights in school?

Well, now you can trade blows with fellow students punishment-free at Sacramento State University thanks to the new Combat U program.

Started by Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Hall of Famer, Urijah Faber, and Sacramento State President, Luke Wood, Combat U is the first university-supported fight program. First contacted by Wood out of interest in such a venture, Faber was then contacted by a Sac State student from India who was also into mixed martial arts (MMA). The proximity of Faber’s famous Team Alpha Male (TAM) gym to the university and the interest from all involved to grow the sport naturally led to all the pieces falling into place.

“I loved wrestling because it’s the closest thing to a fight that my parents would let me do,” Faber told MMA Mania. “They wouldn’t let me box, head trauma and everything else. I loved wrestling, but for me, the sport wasn’t where it was back then. It was 2003 when I graduated college. It was still illegal in California, there was three events a year, the lightest weight class in the UFC was 170 pounds.

“We’re at a new era,” he continued. “This needs to happen now for our sport. This needs to happen for the athletes. So many people have to put their education on hold to pursue a combat career. Cory McKenna’s an example of that, Song Yadong, people that are fit for college but know what they want to do already. I had so many positive things that came out of my college experience and I’m pumped now to help out on this front to develop the next generation of people that want to be well-rounded on top of being a combat athlete.”

Through Combat U, students will be granted scholarships thanks to the university’s backing. There will be a full staff on campus along with four club teams, including boxing, jiu-jitsu, wrestling, and kickboxing.

The biggest aspect of the program, however, is the pro-prep class, says Faber. That’s where all the coaches to help foster future MMA fighters will be in one place.

“We’re gonna develop a programming so it’s almost like a season for jiu-jitsu in the club team,” Faber said. “There’s already amateur boxing that goes through the college but we can also have pro boxing matches because it’s not an NCAA thing. We have kickboxing, we’re gonna create a season for that where there’s actual competitions and training regimens. There’s already club wrestling.

“The really big thing is that we’re gonna have this pro-development team,” he continued. “We’re gonna encourage those club teams to interact together and get the training between the four that they need, compete as they need, get experiences that they need. The pro-prep class is gonna be amazing and the ability for somebody that can come in right now into college as a freshman and be able to hang with the pros is very unique.”