By Jaiden Johnson
Santa Clarita residents gathered Saturday to see ‘Dream Fight League 2’. A cage fighting competition, including numerous MMA, Boxing, and Muay Thai matches, was held at the Santa Clarita Soccer Center. This is the second competition held at this venue by the Dream Fight League, and its founder, Jeff Martin, is looking to create a more interactive and bigger event.
“We started at the Santa Clarita Mall. And now we’re at the Santa Clarita Sports Center. It’s a dream to build a real pro-fight show I can fight at,” said Jeff Martin.
The event’s competition included over 50 matches with people of all ages. Many competitors were ready to make their loved ones proud and to show the crowd what they were made of. The main event took place in the cage, which consisted of five full-contact MMA fights and a women’s Muay Thai fight. For one competitor, she says the art of Jiu Jitsu taught her some very valuable life lessons.
“There’s nothing better that you can do as far as a sport as far as a metaphor for life. I have a huge history of PTSD and trauma, all that it got me into creating my business. But jujitsu was my first martial art. And it taught me the art of being present,” said Ariel Zeigler.
Ariel has never felt more at home than she did with jiu-jitsu, especially performing in various sports throughout her life. For her, martial arts taught her to develop a bond, connect with her competitors and keep a rivalry inside the cage. It also taught her a lesson in manifesting her own reality.
“It’s about being in the now. It’s learning to be present in the moment. Now, loving yourself unconditionally, having worked for yourself, and trusting your ability to find the next steps that are going to create what you want,” said Ariel Zeigler.
