JAYFORCE

Fighting mixed martial arts in Cuba is not easy. Not just because MMA is demanding, or that life in Cuba is hard in many ways in general. It’s also hard because the fight is not just with the in-ring opponent; it’s with the government.

The Cuban government hasn’t legalized MMA for fear of losing its best boxers, so the fighters on coach Evelio Padron Ferrier’s team wrestle on concrete floors, use the ocean for endurance training, and practice techniques pulled from memory and bootlegged DVDs.

Nothing goes in or out of Cuba without facing obstacles. Freestyle fighting is no exception. Want to know more though? Follow VICE Fightland in to the den then.