The Cellar Gym | Roseville, MN | 612-355-2259 https://thecellargym.com Minneapolis-St Paul's Best Gym for Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Kickboxing, Boxing, and MMA Classes, Training, and Fitness Wed, 29 Oct 2025 18:37:45 +0000 en hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.3 https://thecellargym.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/cropped-tcg_favicon-32x32.png The Cellar Gym | Roseville, MN | 612-355-2259 https://thecellargym.com 32 32 Ritsu Fight https://thecellargym.com/event-results/ritsu-fight Wed, 15 Oct 2025 16:52:17 +0000 https://thecellargym.com/?p=12362
Another competition to add to a solid weekend! Our Cellar athletes competed at Ritsu Fight on Sunday, October 12th and showcased some good performances against tough competition.

Ben Postman placed 2nd in his weight division and 5th in intermediate absolute. Even with the tough competition, Ben showed great composure and skill!

Gabe Pesch placed 3rd in his division. Gabe secured a win by a signature Rear Naked Choke.

Max Gianni placed 3rd in a 5 man bracket. He went 3-1 with 2 of his wins by submission!

Khalid Diriye placed 2nd in his division with one other opponent. Khalid show cased strong attacks from guard that led to a win by triangle!

Great work by these guys, on to the next one!

]]> Uncommon Classic https://thecellargym.com/event-results/uncommon-classic Mon, 13 Oct 2025 16:46:34 +0000 https://thecellargym.com/?p=12357
The Cellar’s BJJ team had four athletes in action at the Uncommon Classic event on October 11th. This exciting event highlighted some strong performances from our Cellar athletes.

Tim Leung opened the night against a skilled black belt. He controlled the pace in every exchange, transitioning smoothly between leg entanglements and upper body submissions before securing the win in overtime through strategy and composure.

Solomon brought high energy and confidence to his match, attacking continuously until finishing with a signature kneebar. It was a decisive win against a tough purple belt and a standout performance of the night.

Tim Loutchko accepted a match on less than 24 hours’ notice against a heavyweight. He maintained dominant top control throughout, showing consistent pressure and poise from start to finish.

Liam faced an opponent with significant reach and size. He established an early lead through takedowns and passing but was ultimately caught in an inverted triangle. Despite the result, it was a composed and technical performance.

We’re proud of the way each athlete represented The Cellar! Awesome work!

]]> Hykeem Green Wins Big at FAC https://thecellargym.com/event-results/hykeem-green-wins-big-at-fac Mon, 06 Oct 2025 16:41:39 +0000 https://thecellargym.com/?p=12352
Cellar MMA fighter Hykeem Green brought home a huge win at FAC in Independence, Missouri on October 4th. Hykeem took this fight on a week’s notice, traveling all the way to Missouri with Coach C.J. Hykeem showed he’s game and dominated until he found himself a 3rd round finish via rear naked choke! Congratulations, Hykeem!

We had a great experience with the FAC promotion as well. They were incredibly professional and put on a spectacular show! The commission and promotion ran a smooth process from weigh ins to fight night. A big thank you for the opportunity to showcase our skills on this highly professional show, at a gorgeous venue (Cable Dahmer Arena). One of the smoothest running shows we’ve been a part of!

]]> WAKO North American Century Cup https://thecellargym.com/event-results/wako-north-american-century-cup Wed, 01 Oct 2025 18:27:40 +0000 https://thecellargym.com/?p=12371 The Cellar Gym brought two fighters to compete in the WAKO North American Century Cup tournament in Markham, Toronto on September 25th through 28th. We’re very proud of our fighters for bringing their best performances and representing Team USA.

In his first fight of the weekend, Javier showed skill, composure, and grit against a slick opponent from Mexico and came away with the unanimous decision to advance to the finals. Javi showed great understanding of the scoring system along with vicious low kicks and range awareness. In an unfortunate situation on finals day, Javier won by way of disqualification, becoming the new North American Champion. However, this doesn’t take away from his performance in the semifinals’ Javier earned this belt with the way he fought, regardless of how the tournament ended. On to Abu Dhabi in November! We’re proud of you, Javier. Congratulations, champ–on to Abu Dhabi in November!

At this tournament, Ava Kehrer stepped onto the international stage for the very first time. She faced an aggressive opponent from Turkey and ultimately lost by TKO in the first round due to the three 8-count rule. We felt the first count came a little early, and from there it was tough for Ava to fully regain her composure. Ava handled herself like a professional, gained valuable experience, and now has her sights set on Pan Ams in December. This was just the beginning. We’re proud of the way she represented her team and herself.

Congratulations to our fighters!

]]> Class Schedule Updates for September 2025 https://thecellargym.com/the-cellar-gym/class-schedule-updates-for-september-2025 Thu, 28 Aug 2025 20:13:22 +0000 https://thecellargym.com/?p=12264 We are updating our class schedule, effective Tuesday, September 2nd. These changes primarily affect our BJJ program and are intended to provide better training opportunities for our students.

  • Our Monday, Wednesday, and Friday classes at 5:30 PM will become Intermediate level classes. These classes are open to 2-stripe white belts and above.
  • Our Tuesday and Thursday No-Gi classes at 6:30 PM will become Fundamentals level classes. Students of all levels are still welcome and encouraged to attend!
  • Our Tuesday and Thursday Gi classes at 7:30 PM will become Open Mat hours. Any attire is permitted, and we hope these training times will offer opportunities for students of all levels to work on skills at their own pace. *These Open Mats are open to Cellar members only.

The format of each class (Gi or No-Gi) will remain the same as our current schedule. Please refer to the new schedule linked here if you want to double check the required experience level for a particular class.

** In addition, our Advanced Muay Thai classes at 4:30 PM on Mondays and Wednesdays will become a varying Hybrid format (pads, drills, clinch, bag work, etc.) that will focus on higher-level fight concepts. Advanced students are advised to come prepared with all of their sparring gear and pads.

If you have any questions regarding the new schedule, please send us an email at info@thecellargym.com, or speak with a coach or staff member.

]]> Ignite Fights 109 https://thecellargym.com/event-results/ignite-fights-109 Mon, 18 Aug 2025 20:00:50 +0000 https://thecellargym.com/?p=12242 The Cellar Gym fight team had three Muay Thai and three MMA fighters in action at Ignite Fights 109 on Saturday, August 16th. We had a couple great wins, plus a lot of valuable learning—just as important!

Yekuno Yilma stepped into the ring for his first Muay Thai fight and showed incredible composure and skill. His footwork, head movement, and feints looked like those of a seasoned fighter. He controlled range well and demonstrated sharp timing throughout the fight. Despite a strong performance, Yekuno was caught in the second round and suffered a technical knockout. The fight game is unforgiving—no matter how prepared or technical you are, moments like this can happen. We are proud of Yekuno for the way he represented himself and our team. This is just the beginning of his journey, and we can’t wait to see him grow from this experience.

Michael Franz made his return to the ring and walked away with a unanimous decision victory. It’s been a few years since his last fight, but you would never know it from the way he performed. He showed composure, patience, and technical skill throughout the fight. After being knocked down in the first round, Michael came back stronger in the second—scoring a knockdown of his own and taking control of the pace. His discipline and fight IQ carried him through the third, securing a well-earned win. He also earned Muay Thai fighter of the night!

Cody Johnson returned to the ring after two years away and put on a Muay Thai performance we are proud of. He faced a very skilled opponent and came up a little short. Cody showed power especially in the third round when he pushed the pace and left it all out there. This is only the beginning of his return! We’re proud to have Cody representing our team and can’t wait to see what’s next for him.

Chinemerem Eze-Sika made his MMA debut and showed a lot to be proud of. He had strong exchanges on the feet and displayed impressive submission defense and composure when put into tough positions. The result didn’t go his way this time, but it was a great debut and a valuable first step in his journey. We’re excited to see him build on this experience and come back even stronger. On to the next one.

Sam Bailey won via TKO in the 3rd round of his MMA fight. His opponent was technical and made it a strong back-and-forth battle, but Sam stayed composed and in control. He showed patience and balance throughout the fight, managing the action both on the feet and on the ground. In the third round, Sam turned up the pace—landing a clean punch that opened the door for a finishing flurry, forcing the referee to step in. Way to go Sam!

Hykeem Green came up short in his title defense, losing in the second round by guillotine. It was an off night in the cage, and sometimes that’s just how the fight game goes. Just like in training, there are good days and tough days, and competition is no different. He’ll take the lessons from this experience, make the adjustments, and move forward.

Fighters step into the cage alone, but they never walk in there by themselves. Every sparring round, every pad session, every word of encouragement, and every ticket bought adds up to moments like these.

This weekend showed once again how strong our Cellar family is. To everyone who trained with our fighters, came out to support in person, commented online, or simply cheered from home…you are part of this journey.

Thank you for being in our corner. These fights belong to all of us.

]]> Summer 2025 Belt Promotions https://thecellargym.com/brazilian-jiu-jitsu-bjj/summer-2025-belt-promotions Mon, 18 Aug 2025 19:54:23 +0000 https://thecellargym.com/?p=12235 Congratulations to our Jiu Jitsu students on their promotions at our summer belt promotions! We welcomed 5 blue belts, 1 purple belt, and 1 brown belt to our team. Congratulations as well to our newest youth grey/white and grey belts, and an additional thanks to our BJJ team who showed up to celebrate our new belts. Your dedication shows and is honored, keep up the great work!

We were also honored to celebrate Professor Kenn Glenn, who has been a true leader on our mats for many years. Outside of the Cellar, Kenn serves as a firefighter and Captain for the Minneapolis Fire Department in addition to being a full-time father and husband. Kenn recently passed his test to become a Fire Chief and expects to move into this role within the next couple months.

Alongside these future responsibilities, Kenn is also looking forward to finding more opportunities to spend time with his wonderful family. With such a full plate, Kenn will be transitioning out of his permanent coaching role at the Cellar by the end of this month. However, Kenn will always remain a part of our team – we’ll still be seeing him around the gym as a substitute coach, leading seminars, and even training alongside our BJJ students!

We are so grateful to Professor Kenn for all of his wisdom, expertise, and contributions to our team. He will continue teaching his youth and adult BJJ classes through the end of August; please be sure to congratulate him and wish him well!

]]> August 2025 Grappling Industries https://thecellargym.com/event-results/august-2025-grappling-industries Mon, 11 Aug 2025 20:15:03 +0000 https://thecellargym.com/?p=12247 Our Cellar Jiu Jitsu Team showed up and showed out at Grappling Industries on August 9th! With just 8 adult athletes and 2 youth athletes, we battled through some seriously stacked brackets—many with over 10 competitors each—and came away with 1st place in Adult Overall Team Points!

Medal Count:
5 Gold
2 Silver
1 Bronze

Every match showed grit, composure, and technique. We are so proud of everyone who stepped on the mats. Big thanks to our teammates, coaches, and supporters who make this possible—this win belongs to the whole Cellar family!

]]> SubSpectrum Victories https://thecellargym.com/event-results/subspectrum-victories Thu, 26 Jun 2025 21:03:36 +0000 https://thecellargym.com/?p=12178 Our Jiu Jitsu team had a strong showing at the SubSpectrum BJJ tournament in Des Moines, Iowa on June 21st. Our competitors brought home a collection of medals and valuable experience.

Tim Leung earned silver in his division and bronze in absolute. He picked up three wins, made it to the finals in his weight class, and battled through the absolute consolation bracket to earn a spot on the podium.

Lowell Wolfe took silver in his division with two solid wins before falling in the finals.

Solomon Lankow secured silver in both his division and the absolute. He racked up four wins total and fought hard in both finals.

Kaci Kopf brought home silver in her division, winning her first match and advancing to the finals.

Thank you Coach Pam Sorenson for leading this team! Great work everyone!

]]> 2025 TBA Classic https://thecellargym.com/event-results/2025-tba-classic Thu, 26 Jun 2025 20:55:56 +0000 https://thecellargym.com/?p=12171 The Cellar Gym brought a team of 14 adult and 13 junior Muay Thai fighters to the TBA Classic tournament on the week of June 19-22. After four long days of fighting, making weight (twice!), and supporting each other through every high and low, our team brought home the Team Trophy for the third year in a row! We finished the weekend with 41 fights, 21 wins, and 6 championship belts.

This was our toughest year yet. The level of competition at TBA continues to rise, and we felt it in every matchup. We brought a relatively fresh team this year with many athletes competing at TBA for the first time or stepping up in experience level. There were heartbreaks and close calls, but also incredible breakthroughs, powerful performances, and a whole lot of growth.

Continue reading for a recap of each fighter’s journey through the weekend.

Adults

Javier Huerta

Javier is the new Men’s A-Class Lightweight Champion! This was Javi’s third time competing at TBA, and he finally walked away with the title. He dominated his first two fights with constant pressure and volume, even defeating an opponent that he lost to last year. In the finals, he used his boxing and movement to set up big scoring kicks in a well-rounded, composed performance. We’re proud of the work he’s put in and the growth he’s shown—this win was well deserved.

C.J. Hays

CJ Hays started off Saturday with a BIG win! CJ controlled the fight with precise boxing and use of timing/range. He won via TKO (overhand) in the 3rd round to advance to the finals.

CJ lost in the finals against a tough opponent from Maximus Muay Thai. He was caught with a clean shot and knocked out in the first round. It was also CJ’s final fight. After nearly a decade as a dedicated athlete, training partner, and leader at The Cellar, he’s hanging up the gloves. It was an emotional day for all of us, but we’re incredibly proud of everything CJ has accomplished inside the ring. We’re even more excited for what’s ahead—CJ will be stepping into a bigger role as a coach, and we can’t wait to see the next generation benefit from his knowledge, experience, and heart. We love you coach CJ!

Ezra Gaim

Ezra is the new C-Class Flyweight Champion! Ezra won his first fight of the tournament with solid clinch, boxing, and great adjustments between rounds. In the finals, he delivered a dominant performance from start to finish, winning by a landslide on the scorecards. We were honestly surprised the fight wasn’t stopped—Ezra controlled every exchange and showcased beautiful clinch work throughout.

Orion Sorrell

Orion accomplished a rare achievement that very few fighters will claim — he fought five times in one weekend! Orion dominated his first four fights of the tournament with vicious side knees, powerful kicks, and beautiful movement and pressure. He lost in the finals against a very tough opponent. He dug deep and gave it everything he had, but came up just a little bit short. He walks away with a well-earned silver medal and a performance to be proud of. We’re proud of his grit, growth, and the heart he showed all weekend.

Peder Aalgaard

Peder brought insane power and put on a clinic against his first two opponents, securing his route to the semi-finals. In his third fight of the weekend, Peder stepped into the ring against an incredibly strong and powerful opponent and was unfortunately knocked out. He had a great tournament overall, showing toughness, skill, and composure throughout.

Eh Kuh Htoo

Eh Kuh won his first fight via unanimous decision and moved onto the semi-finals. Unfortunately, Eh Kuh’s win in the semi-finals was overturned after an official review. A scoring error involving a potential groin shot led to the result being changed. In the third round, Eh Kuh scored an 8-count that was removed at the time due to what was thought to be a low blow. After reviewing the footage, officials determined there was no foul and reinstated the 8-count—which ultimately cost him the fight on the scorecards. We’re disappointed with how the situation was handled, but we’re incredibly proud of Eh Kuh’s performance. He showed heart, composure, and skill in a tough matchup. He’ll be back better than ever.

Antonio Davis

Antonio displayed great boxing to win his first fight of the tournament via unanimous decision and moved onto the semi-finals. He lost his second fight by decision. Antonio landed excellent combos, but his opponent outworked him with volume and forward movement. He will take this experience back to the gym and be back stronger!

Gabriel Pesch

Gabe won a close unanimous decision against a tough opponent in his first fight. Gabe did a great job controlling the pace and mixing up the tempo with his attacks. He landed some mean right hands! He lost his second fight against a game opponent. We are proud of his performance!

Nick Jackson

Nick Jackson went to work and won his first fight via unanimous decision. Nick was able to keep pressure on his opponent and scored 3 knock downs in the fight. Next, Nick fought someone even taller than him! Both fighters had similar game plans; unfortunately, his opponent was able to edge the score cards in his favor and take the win. Nick will learn a lot from this and be back better than ever!

Lucy Berman

Lucy Berman lost a very close decision. We thought that Lucy did enough to win the fight but the judges saw it the other way. Her opponent came out with volume but Lucy scored the more damaging strikes. We are proud of you Lucy!

Liam Whitney

Liam Whitney lost a tough fight. It was a great fight and Liam had moments of turning it around but just wasn’t quite enough this time. He has a great attitude and will learn a lot from this experience!

Logan Sahlen

Logan Sahlen lost a super close decision against a much taller, bigger opponent. Logan showcased his ability to push the pace as well as setting up devastating low kicks with his hands and footwork. This fight could have gone either way and we are excited to see Logan grow from this!

Asher Cohen

Asher Cohen lost a decision. His hands were HEAVY and showed lot of patience and good timing. It was his first Muay Thai fight and it was an excellent learning experience. He’ll be back soon!

Ken Tran

Unfortunately, Ken Tran got hit hard right out of the gate and wasn’t able to continue. We are so proud of the work Ken put into this fight camp! We know he will be back!

 

Juniors

Johnny Lee
Johnny “The Cookie Monster” Lee is your new Junior Boys B-Class Light Middleweight Champion! Johnny came out with hard, heavy hands and dominated the clinch from the opening bell. Big win for Johnny and a huge step forward in his development.
JoJo Um

Jojo Um is the new Junior Boys C-Class Flyweight Champion! He closed the show with a first-round technical knockout in dominant fashion. Jojo came out sharp, aggressive, and made a statement—this boy is a problem. Big things ahead!

Kaliy Um
Kaliy Um is the new Junior Girls C-Class Featherweight Champion! She won by TKO in the first round with relentless leg kicks. This was Kaliy’s third time competing at TBA, and she finally got the win she’s worked so hard for. We’re so impressed by her determination and growth—this victory was well earned.
Scarlett Doo
Scarlett Doo is the new Junior Girls C-Class Lightweight Champion! Scarlett is the definition of perseverance. This was her third time competing at TBA, and she finally brought home the belt. She threw an incredible 125+ low kicks in her fight and never let up. We’re so proud of her!
Lawyer Fentress

Lawyer Fentress won his first fight via unanimous decision. What a fun fight! Lawyer fought a super tough opponent and both boys showed a lot of grit and heart. In the finals, Lawyer lost a razor-thin decision to a very tough opponent. It was a close, competitive fight from start to finish, and we’d love to see these two run it back in the future. We’re incredibly proud of Lawyer— at only 7 years old, he showed incredible heart!

Liam Doo
Liam Doo lost his fight in the first round via TKO. He faced a tough, aggressive opponent and took a knee in the clinch that knocked him out of the ring, causing him to hit his head on the floor. Liam got back in and kept fighting, but dizziness affected his ability to perform. He took two more 8-counts from knees before the bout was stopped under the 3 8-count rule. It was an unfortunate situation—sometimes things happen in a fight that you just can’t prepare for. We’re proud of Liam and know he’ll come back stronger.
Isaiah Jones-Pranis
Isaiah Jones lost his fight in a close match. This was Isaiah’s first time stepping into the ring, and while we don’t typically debut fighters at TBA, he earned the opportunity with the work he’s put in at the gym—and he did not disappoint. The competition at this tournament is no joke, and Isaiah held his own every step of the way. He pushed hard, landed solid shots, and stayed in the fight. In the end, his opponent’s composure swayed the judges, but we’re proud of Isaiah’s performance and excited for what’s ahead.
Luna Philipp

Luna Philipp lost a close fight by decision. Luna fought her heart out and showcased beautiful elbows! Unfortunately, she took a questionable 8-count in the first round that set her back on the score cards. We are very proud of you Luna!

Ava Kehrer

Ava Kehrer lost a close decision against a tough opponent. Ava showcased beautiful clinch knees and elbows, but got edged out just a little on the scorecards. Great performance from Ava; we are so proud of her and we’ll get back to work soon!

Jozi Rydeen
Jozi Rydeen lost her fight, but this was the best we’ve seen her. She stuck to the game plan, fought with confidence, and overcame a lot of fear after injuring her rib in her last fight. She came up short in the clinch this time, but we’ll make the right adjustments and be back stronger.
Athena Men

Athena Men lost her fight in the finals. She fought hard, stayed composed, and gave it everything she had, but wasn’t able to secure the win this time. We’re proud of her performance and the progress she’s made. This is just one step in a much bigger journey.

Eli Feyen

Eli Feyen lost his fight by decision. Eli dominated the clinch, displaying excellent control with knees and dumps. Unfortunately the judges’ decision went the other way, but we’re super proud of Eli! He will continue developing his skill set and come back even stronger.

Jaxon Kehrer
Jaxon Kehrer lost his fight by TKO after a tough battle. This was his first head contact fight, and it was a big step up in competition. He showed heart and courage, and there’s no doubt he’ll take a lot away from this experience. Big respect to Jaxon—we’re proud of him and excited to see his growth from here.

 

 

 

One of the biggest highlights of the weekend was watching our veteran fighters step into leadership roles—coaching, cornering, and guiding newer teammates through every step of the process. The way this team shows up for each other is something truly special. We were also incredibly grateful to have Coach Justin back at TBA this year after a hard couple of years in recovery. Seeing him in the corner again meant the world to this team.

To every fighter, coach, teammate, parent, and supporter, thank you. We’re proud of the wins, but even more proud of the heart behind them. We can’t wait to get back to work!

P.S. We miss you, Coach Chris… Visit us soon! 🙂

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