Brooklyn Center MMA Fighter Trains To Achieve UFC Dream
Brooklyn Center-based mixed martial artist Quang Le trains in a nondescript warehouse off Shingle Creek Parkway.
His nickname around the gym is “Bang,” or “Quang Bang.” It’s not surprising when you hear him hit the punching bag.
“He lulls people in, he moves around a little bit, and out of nowhere, you’re going to get that shot,” said Greg Nelson, head coach at The Academy. “He has a really good, heavy shot … he has really tricky kicks. And so out of nowhere, one of those things are going to land, and bang, lights out.”
The Academy is well known in the martial arts community. UFC champions including Brock Lesnar, Sean Sherk, Dave Menne and Rose Namajunas have trained at the facility.
Nelson founded the gym in 1992, moving to a Brooklyn Center warehouse in 2003.
“We try to mix in all the combat arts, wherever somebody wants to gravitate to, or all of them,” said Nelson, a former University of Minnesota wrestler. He also coaches wrestling at Park Center High School.
Le says he moved from Wisconsin to Brooklyn Center to be close to the gym.
“Training, coming in every day and trying to get better, and I have to, you know? If not they’re going to bet me up,” Le said, laughing. “Every day, we push each other … I’m proud to be here.”
He’s got a rigorous training regimen and spends six-days-a-week sparring, hitting bags and building good habits.
“In camp, I’m sore all the time,” Le said. “I’m tired, sore for eight weeks in an eight-week training camp.”
Quang Le of Brooklyn Center trains at The Academy with instructor Nat McIntyre.
Le is a soft-spoken man during off-times. But when he’s in the gym or a fight, he’s intense.
“Outside the cage he is such a mellow guy,” Nelson said. “Once he gets in that cage it’s like a switch goes off.”
Le has won each of his seven professional fights in the Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA). It’s a developmental organization, with more than 260 of its fighters moving on to the UFC.
During a Jan. 12 event dubbed LFA 174 at Mystic Lake Casino, Le defeated opponent Cody Peterson.
Now, on April 5, he’ll be back at Mystic for LFA 181 facing Tial Thang in a bantamweight bout.
“Before the fight, coming into the fight, when you get in, walk into the octagon, it’s a lot of pressure [and] nerves,” Le said. “But when the fight is over, and you get your hands raised, it’s like, the best feeling.”
If he can keep winning, he hopes to move on to MMA’s biggest stage.
“My dream is to be in the UFC,” Le said. “I would have probably a couple more fights to get there.”
Until then, he plans to keep grinding with his Brooklyn Center martial arts family.
“I believe in myself and go for it,” he said.
