Head Instructor Nuri Shakir

A lifelong martial artist, Nuri’s martial arts journey began by studying Judo and Kung Fu early on before moving onto the fighting arts. A New England Pioneer in Mixed-Martial-Arts, he has been fighting since the early “open palm” M.M.A. days – where palm strikes were the only legal ‘hand’ blows allowed in the local events.

Nuri is a multiple-time art and event Champion. Not only winning belts in various NAGA and Grapplers Quest grappling tournaments but heralded for gathering an extensive championship collection in MMA – becoming the Raging Wolf welterweight Champion, the  Reality Fighting welterweight champion, Former Combat Zone Welterweight Champion and many others.

He has fought all over the country and unique to very few, he has competed and won multiple-men tournaments having to compete in more than one fight in a night.

Currently Nuri is one of the most experienced fighters in New England with over 40 professional bouts to his credit. To add to his already extensive list of accomplishments he was ranked even as high as 6th overall in the world in the mid-2000’s for all of his worthy fight accomplishments..

His coaching has paved the way for many aspiring amateur and professional fighters. His direct students have fought in high-level events such as Strikeforce and they have also won many local Championships belts.

Nuri has owned his own M.M.A. school since 2001 and the inception of “Warriors Cove” – his first M.M.A. gym. His fight team’s name: “Bucket Brigade”, formed in 2005, is a testament to the hard work ethic put forth in practices such that often required the use of a bucket. He tries to instill this work ethic in our fighters.