Guelph kickboxer breaks title record at martial arts tournament
Global News
After he won first place at lightweight, 27-year-old Nathan Skoufis then faced the winners from the senior and heavyweight divisions to capture the Overall Grand Champion title.
Guelph martial artist Nathan Skoufis has made history.
He won the Canadian Open Martial Arts Championships last weekend in Kitchener, breaking a martial arts record.
Skoufis said what he likes about the open tournament is that it features competitors from different disciplines, including kickboxing and kung fu.
“Each person obviously presents their own challenges, and you may have to fight a little bit different in using what kind of game plan you have going into the match,” Skoufis said.
Skoufis added you’re not always going to face an opponent with a background in karate or taekwondo.
“Each style does have their unique challenges and if you’re not really prepared for it, it can throw you off a little bit,” he said.
He said the challenge in this tournament is that you’re unsure of when you’re going to compete. Depending on when the matches end, Skoufis said you could fight five minutes later or one to two hours later.
After placing first at lightweight, he faced the winners from the senior and heavyweight divisions to capture the Overall Grand Champion title, his ninth in a row. The 27-year-old broke a martial arts record with the victory.