Mixed-martial arts gym empowers fighters, brings Latinos together
By Natalie Benoit and Marissa Tansino
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NASHUA, New Hampshire (WMUR) — A mixed-martial arts gym in Nashua is doing more than just teaching people how to fight.
Karasu Tengu Academy is creating a strong community for some Latinos. The gym is all about having a fighting spirit both on and off the mat.
“Once I stepped into my first class, my outside life started getting better as well,” said Mike “Woodz” Jolicoeur, amateur MMA fighter.
Three years ago, Joliceur signed up at Karasu Tengu Academy. The Nashua-based gym gave the then-18-year-old the outlet he needed.
“I got some trouble, you know, like with the law and stuff, and I was just around the wrong people and putting my energy in bad places,” Jolicoeur said.
Fast forward to now and the amateur MMA fighter is now reaching a high point in his career.
“I fought Sept. 15,” Jolicoeur said.
The first day of Hispanic Heritage Month was Joliceur’s 21st birthday when he won the 145-pound amateur title at Combat FC in Wilmington, Massachusetts.
“What a lineup of events and yeah, biggest fight of my life,” Jolicoeur said.
Jolicoeur said Karasu Tengu Academy gives him a community filled with other Latinos, including head coach Walter Cotito.
“I can easily be a victim of my consequence, but I decide to fight for it and the gym teach me that,” Cotito said. “Being able to fight for my identity.”
Cotito is originally from Peru. He faced an uphill battle when he moved to Japan as a teenager. Despite the different culture, he embraced MMA and competed in professional tournaments.
“I was able to fight around 14,000 people,” Cotito said.
From Brazilian jiu-jitsu to Thai kickboxing, Cotito brought all of the skills he learned overseas to the Granite State, opening Karasu Tengu Academy in 2020.
“I believe in the people of New Hampshire,” Cotito said. “I want to truly become their team. We want it to represent them.”
More than three years later, Cotito now has over 100 fighters at all levels. Some even help him at the gym.
“Julian Menjivar is one of my coaches. He’s working with me with a lot of the teens,” Cotito said.
Julian Menjivar is an amateur MMA fighter, instructor and soon-to-be-father.
His story started when he was just a boy in El Salvador.
“My dad was murdered for MS-13,” Menjivar said. “Since that, my mom had to take care of me and my sister. My sister was 1 year old, I was 5 years old.”
In 2016, Menjivar and his sister were told to leave home and head to the southern border to reunite with their mother in the U.S.
At 17 years old, Menjivar spent months traveling on foot, barely eating or sleeping before he and his sister were detained by border patrol agents.
“I grabbed my sister and tried to run, but only got five meters ahead when a horse got in front of me,” Mejivar said in Spanish.
A relative with American citizenship took custody of Menjivar, making it possible for him to earn his green card and legally live in the U.S.
“I came back to El Salvador like one year ago and then when I asked one of my friends about my other friends, most of them were killed or in jail or in gangs,” Menjivar said.
Now Joliceur, Cotito and Menjivar are all in New Hampshire, working to empower the next generation of Latinos and fighters at Karasu Tengu Academy.
“To be a good fighter, you have to be a good person,” Cotito said.
Cotito said the gym is working to create a program with the Boys and Girls Club of Souhegan Valley to introduce more kids to MMA.
He said the goal is to teach the next generation how to be a leader in their own community.
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