Hayastan-IMB, Charlottes Premier MMA Academies

Hayastan-IMB Mixed Martial Arts

We are Charlotte North Carolina's Premier Mixed Martial Arts Chain of Schools. We offer traditional and modern application Martial arts programs. Whether you want to be a pro fighter, get in shape, learn self defense , or just get your kids involved in a positive, fun program we are the school for you. We hope you find this site informative and we hope it will enhance your training experience at one or all of our academies.

Tony Tan and Grey Sweet make Team Hayastan-IMB Proud!

Tuesday, 21 February 2012 19:49 | Author: Paul Booe |

Tony Tan and Gray Sweet of Team Hayastan-IMB Mixed Martial Arts in Charlotte NC recently competed and brought home wins at Elite Championship Cage Fighting 20. The event was held in Hickory NC at the Freedom Center. Both Fighters performed flawlessly in front of a packed house of screaming fans.

Tan was up first against Travis Short. Tan was quick to set in for the takedown and was stopped on his first attempt but was quick to reshoot again this time getting a big slam. All three rounds were more of the same. Tan repeatedly slamming short to the mat and landing ground and pound. One of the many highlights of the fight was a double spinning back fist done by the adversaries at the same time. It looked almost planned. Tan recovering from the exchange with a smile while short was not laughing. Short charged Tan but Tony scored with another takedown. Tan wins unanimous decision.

Sweet was next up against Team ROC fighter Brandon Davis. Both fighter move to the center of the ring and are a little stand offish at first. As the round continues both fighters exchange blows with a heavy amount of leg kicks. Round 2 was more of the same. Blow for blow, back and forth, with Sweet landing only slightly more. Round three starts with loud yelling from fans and coaches alike. Everyone knowing it is a close fight and could go either way. Sweet and Davis trade blows again and then sweet hits Davis with a surprise takedown. Sweet stands up and fakes as if he is going to jump in Davis' guard. Sweet chooses to back up and let Davis up. The round ends with both fighters still swinging. Sweet wins a split decision.

Photos Courtesy of Nathias Ray

Team Hayastan take wins on East Coast & West Coast

Saturday, 04 February 2012 19:44 | Author: Paul Booe |

Team Hayastan Fighters Sevak Magakian & Kevin Forant Both take Pro MMA wins last week.

West Coast

Sevak Magakian - Hayastan MMA Academy - North Hollywood, CA

Sevak Magakian’s road back to the Ultimate Fighting Championship continues to be a road of destruction.

On Saturday night at the California Fight Syndicate’s event at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, Magakian laid waste to Eddie Mendez, garnering a brutal submission victory less than a minute into the opening round of their lightweight mixed-martial-arts bout.

“I was pretty happy,” said Glendale's Magakian. “But I felt bad. I think I broke his shoulder or dislocated it. I heard the pop.

“That’s my move. If I got you, I’ll take you all the way.”

The victory was Magakian’s third in a row and ninth in his last 10 bouts, as he secured a savage kimura for the eighth submission win in his 10-3 career.

Mendez (2-7) was a late replacement who took an early exit. Scheduled to face Alex Garcia on the show, Magakian was told Garcia was injured five days before the bout, but it hardly affected Magakian.

“I didn’t care,” Magakian said. “As long as I’m ready to go, I don’t care. I was ready, I was healthy, I was in shape.”

Mendez threw a leg kick to start and then a big right cross that grazed Magakian and brought the fighters together. Magakian went for a judo throw, but slipped and Mendez tried to take his back standing. Magakian, whose strength advantage was noticeable throughout the brief fight, then slammed Mendez to the canvas, throwing him over his back. Magakian instantly dropped down looking for a submission, first going for an arm bar, but Mendez fought it off and Magakian transitioned.

“At that point, I went for a kimura,” said Magakian, who was cornered by Gokor Chivichyan, Alex Ariza and Glendale's Karen Darabedyan.

And he got it, locking in the arm lock and ripping back to notch the win.

While some fighters are disappointed with a short fight after all the training, Magakian couldn’t have been happier with the abbreviated evening.

“As much as I can finish fast, that’s good for me,” Magakian said. “If you don’t get hit, then you don’t get injured.”

It’s the ninth finish in Magakian’s career, with all nine having come in the first round. After he was a cast member on “The Ultimate Fighter” in 2010, Magakian emerged with a rib injury. He returned to

“I’m pretty happy,” Magakian said. “I think I need two more good fights to get back to the UFC.”action on Nov. 29, 2011 in Burbank when he beat David Gardner in the first round via technical knockout and, after Saturday’s win, believes he’s on the road back to the UFC.

Magakian might even fight again as early as Thursday, as he said if there are any late changes to the King of the Cage’s card at San Manuel Casino, he would gladly step up. Either way, he wants to fight again soon.

“As soon as I can,” Magakian said. “As fast as I can.”

East Coast

Kevin Forant - Hayastan-IMB Mixed Martial Arts - Charlotte, NC

Fight Lab Promotions held its 20th event Thursday, January 26 at Coyote Joe’s in Charlotte, NC before a packed house with over 1,200 in attendance. Headlined by a lightweight bout between former Fight Lab, Elite Championship Cage Fighting and ISKA SC state 155 pound champion Kevin Forant and former Midatlantic MMA, Fight Lab and ISCF welterweight champion Micah Lail, the card delivered plenty of action with four professional bouts, three amateur title fights and four amateur contests.

Continuing his undefeated streak in his professional career, Forant defeated Lail via TKO by strikes at 3:46 of the second round.

The fighters exchanged punches to open the match until Forant moved the fight to the ground with a successful takedown. Lail, making his professional debut with the bout, came close to reversing the outcome of the fight by almost locking up an arm bar from his guard, only to release when his face became the target of Forant’s punches. The second round provided more of the same action as Lail used his BJJ to defend from his back while also attacking with multiple guillotine attempts. Forant eventually passed his opponent’s guard and rode Lail in full mount, landing damaging blows. The fight was eventually stopped as Forant swarmed Lail with punches, forcing the referee to stop the match just as Lail’s corner attempted to throw the towel in to the cage.

Sevak Magakian and Tony Tan gets MMA wins for Team Hayastan

Monday, 31 October 2011 20:47 | Author: Paul Booe |

Sevak Magakian of the North Hollywood main Hayastan Academy sqared off against David Gardner this past Sat. at National Fight Alliance’s “Valley Invasion” show in Burbank CA. Magakian was extremely patient in this fight and simply waited for the right moment to strike. Gardner was the aggressor early and went for a number of take downs that Magakian stopped easily. It was from one of these Gardner takedowns that Magakian reversed position and was able to connect with a hard left to Gardner’s chin which immediately turned off the light. The referee quickly jumped in and stopped the match. Magakian win via TKO in the first.

Tony Tan from Team Hayastan Affiliate School Hayastan-IMB Mixed Martial Arts in Charlotte NC also fought this past weekend in Marion NC at USFFB Combat Zone. From the start of round 1 his opponent Jackson Perry was aggressive to get the clinch. Tony was able to make space and land a couple shots. Perry then resorted to being aggressive with his own punches to only be elevated by Tan with a fast double leg slam which landed perry on his neck. Tan dominated from top positions and ended the round in dominate fashion. Rounds 2 and 3 were more of the same. Tan with explosive slams and dominant position and ground and pound. Tan Won by Unanimous Decision.