A MIXED martial arts centre is going from strength to strength after starting up back in November. International cage fighter Paul Kelly and boxer Courtney Fry were on hand to celebrate the club’s opening. Now the centre is training competitive fighters ready to make a name on the Merseyside MMA scene. The KIAI MMA centre, based at Crosby Youth Centre on Coronation Road, is expanding classes to cater for more martial arts and fitness enthusiasts. Avid fighter Clark Champion is delighted with the club’s rapid progress. He said: “The club is going from strength to strength. “Our Shotokai Karate sessions are very busy, with a mixture of adults and children. “We are now members of the English Karate Federation and will be entering a number of tournaments throughout the year. “The mixed martial arts class is gaining an excellent reputation in the local MMA scene for its hard training and team spirit. “This is reflected by us having two people fighting out of our gym and a further two getting extra training from the KIAI, who train at Marsh Lane Health-Fitness. “We have been lucky enough to get our T-shirts for the fight sponsored by Mojoe's Juice Bar and we hope to gain further sponsorship in the future. Clark himself is getting ready for a big match-up. The 41-year-old is by no means the youngest fighter on the circuit, but still has ambitions of glory – he has been granted a title eliminator cage fight at an upcoming show in Liverpool. The centre are going to be introducing a number of other classes to their timetable, including Chi Ball, Zumba and a ladies boxercise class starting on February 28. Clark added: “The whole philosophy of the KIAI centre is for people of any age to get fit and healthy, and to keep it at a very affordable price, and to add something to the community. “Any profits are put into the local youth service which helps the hard working Crosby Youth Centre committee provide a valuable service to the local children of Crosby and the surrounding area. It is great for us as sports enthusiast seeing people gaining fitness, losing weight and in one member who has given up smoking a great sense of achievement.” IF you are interested in signing up to classes at the centre call Clark on 07796-252572 or send an email to kiai.mmacentre@yahoo.co.uk | 
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