My name is Cory Minton, and I am the head coach of 982 Combat Academy. I am 42 years old and have spent the last 22 years coaching, teaching, competing, and training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, and MMA.

My martial arts journey began in late 2006 when I was almost 300 pounds and searching for something more. I was introduced to the sport of MMA and quickly became drawn to combat sports in a way that changed the direction of my life. I began working with professionals and amateurs alike, trying to better understand myself, my drive, my ambition, and why I felt so connected to combat sports.

Early in my journey, I was introduced to Coach Aaron Boggs, who is still my Muay Thai coach to this day. Aaron helped develop my striking, but his impact went far beyond technique. Over the last 20 years, he has played a major role in shaping me as a coach, a martial artist, and a better human being.

In 2011, I was given the opportunity to work with Vitor Henrique Oliveira. Vitor introduced me to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in a way that few people could have understood at that point in my life. Through him, I was introduced to Grappling Fight Team, Master Julio, and a level of training that opened my eyes to what martial arts could truly be.

Being surrounded by athletes and coaches of that caliber changed me. They were passionate, focused, and driven, but also kind, welcoming, understanding, and patient. It was during that time that I realized martial arts was not just going to be a hobby for me. It was something that would completely change my mentality, both on and off the mats.

Under the tutelage of the coaches at Ronin Training Center, including Luke Zachrich, Vitor Oliveira, and Aaron Boggs, I was given the opportunity to help build programs that launched me into one of the greatest jobs and privileges of my life: coaching others. During that journey of training, competing, and coaching, I went from nearly 300 pounds down to 149 pounds. More importantly, I grew as a person, leader, coach, and student of the martial arts.

It was also during this chapter of my life in Ohio that I met my future wife, Dr. Sydney Crawley. Together, we were later given the opportunity to move to North Carolina. Once there, I continued coaching part-time at several different locations and had the opportunity to meet her Jiu-Jitsu coach, Louie Adams, who would later become my coach as well.

While in North Carolina, I was faced with one of the most difficult moments of my life: a major surgery that nearly took my life. During recovery, I was no longer able to coach the way I had before, and I was forced to focus solely on myself mentally, physically, and emotionally. It was during that time that I realized the mats were not just a place for me to train or pursue a hobby. They were my safe place. They made me feel whole. They made me feel like I could face anything.

During my recovery, my wife helped me get back to moving on the mats, even when it was uncomfortable and difficult. That process reminded me how powerful martial arts can be, not just for the body, but for the mind and spirit.

Eventually, we were given another opportunity to move, this time to Texas. While in Texas, I became more focused on competing while continuing to sharpen my skills as a coach and training partner. During that time, we had the opportunity to train at an elite facility, Mohler MMA. Training there was the closest I had felt in years to the environment I experienced with GFT, Vitor, and Master Julio. It reminded me what it felt like to be surrounded by a room full of people who were serious, passionate, skilled, and committed to getting better together.

Through combat sports, I have had the opportunity to travel abroad, train with elite athletes, and open my eyes to new possibilities, cultures, and ways of thinking. I have worked with fighters from organizations such as Strikeforce, the UFC, Bellator, ONE, King of the Cage, as well as professional boxers, MMA fighters, and professional grapplers.

I was also given the opportunity to continue my education under Dave Freetag and Tim Davis in Grove City, who helped me fine-tune my skills and further develop my understanding of combat sports, leadership, patience, and positive culture.

I am currently a third-degree brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Louis Adams. Throughout my journey, I have been fortunate to learn from, train with, and coach alongside some of the greatest athletes and professionals in combat sports.

One of the most meaningful parts of my coaching journey was starting a program called The Legion Project, where I worked with first responders. That experience reinforced my belief that martial arts can do much more than teach people how to fight. It can build confidence, discipline, resilience, community, and purpose.

After years of training, coaching, competing, recovering, rebuilding, and continuing to grow, the opportunity presented itself for us to move back to North Carolina and open 982 Combat Academy.

At 982 Combat Academy, my goal is to grow martial arts in a positive way, build a strong culture, and represent a strong community through Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, and MMA. I want every student who walks through our doors to feel challenged, supported, and part of something bigger than themselves.

Whether you are stepping onto the mats for the first time, looking to compete, training for self-defense, or working to become a better athlete, my mission is to help you build confidence, discipline, toughness, and real skill.

982 Combat Academy is more than a place to train. It is a place to grow, test yourself, build relationships, and become stronger both on and off the mats.

My martial arts journey began in Columbus, Ohio, in fall 2019 when I started private Muay Thai lessons with Cory Minton. At the time, I loved striking, and although my gym offered MMA and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, I had very little interest in wrestling or grappling. Like many people who first encounter jiu-jitsu from the outside, I did not yet understand what made the sport so compelling.

My perspective began to change during and shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic. In late 2020, I moved across the country alone to pursue a professorship at North Carolina State University. Because campus remained largely remote from 2020 into 2021, I found myself in a new place without a local personal community. I was living by myself in a rural area, and while I had always been independent, I recognized that I was lonely. I wanted to build relationships, stay active, and feel capable of defending myself and my home if needed.

Cory, who is now my husband, encouraged me to find a local martial arts gym and give Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu a real chance. Although I was hesitant at first, I decided to step onto the mat. What I found was much more than a new sport. I quickly met a small group of women who were also white belts, and through training with them, I discovered the camaraderie, challenge, and competitive nature that make jiu-jitsu so unique. The physical demands drew me in, but the community kept me coming back.

Training hard is not new to me. I have been an athlete my entire life, competing in collegiate track and field, cross country, and tennis. I have completed a half Ironman, the Philadelphia Marathon, multiple 5K and 10K races, and I was a fast-pitch softball pitcher for about 13 years. I have always enjoyed pushing myself physically, but Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu was the first sport that felt almost like a science. It challenged me both mentally and physically in a completely new way.

No two days on the mat are ever the same. Every round, position, and training partner presents a new problem to solve. Jiu-Jitsu is not just about strength, speed, or athleticism. It is about patience, timing, awareness, resilience, and constant adaptation. Over time, I have enjoyed watching my own game evolve while learning more about both myself and the sport.

As a competitor, I won gold in my first and only tournament at white belt. Since being promoted to blue belt, I have competed six times in Raleigh, North Carolina, and Dallas, Texas, earning multiple bronze medals and one silver. Two back surgeries and one knee surgery forced me to take a break early in my blue belt journey, so I am currently chasing my first gold medal at this level. I value competition not only for the medals, but for the lessons it teaches. It has helped me identify areas for growth, develop confidence under pressure, and better understand the emotional and mental side of jiu-jitsu.

I am currently a four-stripe blue belt under Louie Adams. Although this is my first formal role teaching Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, teaching itself has been part of my life for many years. I previously worked as a tennis instructor, and professionally, I hold a PhD in urban entomology and have taught public speaking, microbiology, and general biology at the undergraduate level. Whether in academics, athletics, or martial arts, I have always enjoyed helping people understand complex ideas, build confidence, and discover what they are capable of.

At 982 Combat Academy, I am honored to serve as the Women’s Program Lead. My goal is to help build a program where women feel welcomed, supported, challenged, and respected from the moment they walk through the door. I want students to experience what BJJ can do for their physical health, mental resilience, confidence, and ability to protect themselves both on the feet and on the ground.

I believe this is a highly individualized sport. Every student comes to the mat with different goals. Some want to compete. Some want to learn self-defense. Some are looking for fitness, community, confidence, stress relief, or simply a new challenge. All of those reasons are valid. My role as an instructor is to understand what each student is looking for and help them build the skills, knowledge, and confidence to pursue that path.

At the same time, I believe it is important to respect the legacy of the sport and develop a strong foundation in the fundamentals. Fundamentals are what make jiu-jitsu effective, adaptable, and sustainable. My coaching philosophy is to help students understand those fundamentals and apply them in a way that fits their body, their goals, and their personal journey. I am especially cognizant and skilled in working around prior injuries, given my surgery history.

My hope is that every woman who trains at 982 Combat Academy feels stronger, more capable, and more connected because of her time on the mat. Whether you are interested in competition, self-defense, fitness, or simply trying something new, there is a place for you here. This sport has given me community, confidence, discipline, and a lifelong challenge, and I am excited to help other women discover what training can do for them.

Like many people who grew up in the 1970s and 1980s, I was fascinated by martial arts from an early age. My martial arts journey began in high school when I started training in Shotokan Karate. Later, while attending NC State University, I spent two years studying Aikido. Also, like many people, life eventually took me in other directions, and I stepped away from martial arts for several years.

Three years after my daughter was born, I realized I needed something that would challenge me both physically and mentally while helping me maintain a healthy lifestyle. In 2007, I attended my first MMA class—but not without hesitation. As someone already in my 30s, getting back into a physically demanding sport was intimidating. My first grappling classes felt awkward and unfamiliar. I didn't know where to grip, how to move, or how to react. Looking back, I now realize that's exactly how most people feel when they first step onto the mat.

What immediately drew me in was that grappling wasn't just a physical activity—it was a mental challenge. Every position, movement, and decision required problem-solving and strategy. A few months later, after training exclusively in no-gi grappling, I attended my first Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gi class. That experience changed everything.

During that class, I rolled with the instructor. Having always considered myself physically strong, I was amazed at how effortlessly he controlled and manipulated my movement. For the first time, I experienced what Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu truly represented: technique, leverage, timing, and strategy overcoming strength and athleticism. I walked away realizing that this was an art I needed to learn and understand.

From that moment forward, I immersed myself in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The more I learned, the more I realized how much there was still to learn. After years of training, dedication, and growth, I earned my Black Belt on November 16, 2019, under Master Roberto Maia. Originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Master Maia trained under his cousin, Carlos Gracie Jr., and received his Black Belt from Renzo Gracie in 1994. In October 2024, Master Maia was awarded his Coral Belt by Mestre João Andrade, a 7th Degree Coral Belt and member of the Masters Council of the Liga Brasileira de Jiu-Jitsu.

On June 15, 2024, I was honored to receive my First Degree Black Belt from Professor Nicholas Walters, a Third Degree Black Belt in Gracie Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Master Luiz Palhares, an 8th Degree Red and White Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Over the years, I have come to believe that every practitioner reaches a point where they realize that while their journey to learn will never end, their journey to teach has only just begun. I firmly believe that what I have learned is not mine to keep—it is mine to share. Every instructor who invested time in me helped shape the martial artist and person I am today, and I view teaching as an opportunity to pass that knowledge on to others.

That philosophy is one of the driving forces behind 982 Combat Academy. Coach/Owner Cory Minton and I share a vision for 982 Combat Academy that extends beyond creating just a place to train. We want it to be a place where people can challenge themselves, build confidence, develop meaningful friendships, and become part of a supportive community both on and off the mats. Whether someone walks through our doors looking to compete, learn self-defense, improve their fitness, or simply try something new, I want them to feel welcomed and valued from day one.

I also believe that martial arts can have a profound impact beyond the mats. The discipline, humility, perseverance, and problem-solving skills developed through Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu carry over into everyday life. My hope is that every student who trains at 982 Combat Academy leaves not only as a better martial artist but also as a stronger, more confident version of themselves.

As an instructor, my goal is to create a positive, welcoming environment where students of all ages and experience levels can grow both on and off the mats. Whether you're stepping onto the mat for the very first time or continuing your own martial arts journey, I look forward to helping you build confidence, develop your skills, and experience the same lifelong passion for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu that has enriched my life.

I grew up playing sports and lifting weights in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. I have been involved with and competed in sports my entire life. All of that led me to Bloomsburg University were I graduated with a bachelors degree in Exercise Science in 2013. Then after graduating I got invited to move to Columbus, Ohio to begin training at Westside Barbell to compete in Powerlifting.

For the next eleven years I had the opportunity to train with and learn from the best of the best. During my years competing I decided to open my own gym so I could help other athletes and pass on the knowledge that I’ve learned. So, in 2016, I opened Iron Icon.

Iron Icon is a strength training facility that helps athletes perform better at their sport, move optimally, function more efficiently, and live healthy lives. The programming that I believe works best and that I use for all sports is the Conjugate Method. I have used Conjugate style programming to help jiu-jitsu athletes win gold medals, powerlifters bench over 600lbs, and baseball pitcher’s increase their velocity on the mound. It will keep athletes in top physical condition all while making them brutally strong and fast.

When you sign up for strength and conditioning programming, you’ll get unlimited access to training programs that are tailor-made for you that will elevate you as an athlete. We will go over what your strengths and weaknesses are and build a program based on those attributes. I have always strived to be the absolute best at what I do and I will never stop. I apply this to everything I do in life.

I am honored that Cory and Sydney brought me on as a Strength and Conditioning Coach to help 982 Combat Academy athletes be the absolute best.