The sounds of punches and kicks hitting pads echoed in the gym.
Two established fighters in the Sultanate born out of Khalifa Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) – Eazy Anuar, 38, and Hadi Bakar, 32, move in unison to demonstrate their self-defence skills.
Over the years, they have seen their fair share of colourful individuals joining their MMA community.
Standing out for their unwavering support and guidance as coaches, they’ve firmly rooted themselves as prominent figures in their self-defence disciplines.
In an exclusive interview, Hadi and Eazy opened up about their own personal experiences and the transformative power of martial arts as a form of self-defence.
FROM RAMBUNCTIOUS CHILDHOOD TO HEAD HONCHO
In the tapestry of his personal journey, Eazy recounted his childhood struggles with self-esteem. As a heavy-set boy, he was bullied by a teacher during the early days of schooling.
“It was a difficult chapter in my life that had a lasting impact as it was pretty extensive. To this day, I still remember that teacher,” said the 38-year-old.
Drawing on that experience, Eazy underwent various developmental stages including a period where he adopted a rather rowdy persona.
In hindsight, he said his actions and behaviour during the period were offensive, and he has regretted it to this day.
“I understand that it was peer pressure, the need to feel like you belong somewhere.
“As I grew older – and when we set up this facility – we knew that people were seeking to be a part of something.”
Eazy’s venture into the realm of martial arts originally spurred from their fitness benefits, but as an individual driven by strong determination, his thirst for knowledge fuelled his desire to master and refine his techniques and skills in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, boxing and kickboxing.
“When I picked it up, I just wanted to find out more about it. I started competing and winning, and it became addictive.”
Cage after cage, the MMA fighter kept competing, until one day, the opportunity came to compete on a professional level.
“It was the whole build-up in a sense. This whole journey opened up doors and it made (me) discover a lot of things along the way.”
As Eazy progressed, he became aware of the opportunity to serve as a positive role model by combating societal prejudices in the country and questioning the belief that a nine-to-five job should be the only acceptable career path.
“If you can’t really find happiness where you are, it’s not that good for your mental health.”
By establishing his own training facility alongside Hadi and his cousin, Eazy found the means to pursue his true passion and derive fulfilment from mentoring others, particularly youth, as they strive towards Brunei Vision 2035, in tune with the broader community.
RIGHT-HAND MAN
“Martial arts have allowed me an outlet for my aggression,” said Hadi.
Planting himself as Eazy’s personal punching bag and right-hand man, the 32-year-old who coaches Muay Thai, boxing and kickboxing shares a similar past to his drill partner.
Being bullied by his own cousins growing up, Hadi described how he felt unsafe even in his own home.
His performance in school was also lacking and did not seem to improve over time. Out of frustration, Hadi became a bully himself.
However, as time went on, he found a way to overcome those challenges, and it was these difficult experiences that motivated him to embark on the path he is on now.
Like Eazy, Hadi was also a “big boy” who wanted to lose weight. Finding the right sports to excel in was difficult for him, until he joined a Muay Thai class at what was once Busiido MMA.
“Eazy lifted me to another level. It changed me a lot, and (now) it puts rice on the table as it has become my bread and butter.
“It gives me a sense of discipline, a sense of structure in life.
“Martial arts are usually individual sports. When you compete, you fight alone, but what people don’t see is the camaraderie and teamwork that we actually have in the gym.”
SENSE OF COMMUNITY
Martial arts, while nurturing self-confidence, also make for a humbling experience. Routine creates discipline, and accumulated experience moulds an individual’s character.
Addressing a bullying video that went viral nationwide in June, Eazy reflected on the complexity of human behaviour.
“You can’t always look at people’s negative side. You’ve also got to understand what drives them to unleash that anger.
“Maybe they don’t have an outlet or it’s possibly a lack of guidance from the environment they grew up in.”
Typically, individuals displaying aggression are those who have yet to face significant challenges, Eazy said.
However, when placed in an environment where they can interact with others who possess similar abilities, it reinforces the notion that being part of a community can be an incredibly humbling experience.
Eazy recognises that both the bullies and victims require guidance and believes that martial arts would play a crucial role in redirecting their aggression and providing discipline.
“Give them an outlet to release whatever is bothering them,” he said.
Eazy added, “Community builds camaraderie, and this, in turn, creates an understanding of the value of having friends, peers and a group they can trust to break the barriers of loneliness.”
Hadi, similarly, believes that a community gives people a sense of home, comfort and safety, which a bully may not have.
IMPORTANCE OF SELF-DEFENCE
It can be immensely empowering to possess the ability to defend one’s self, as it instils a profound level of confidence.
Hadi said that acquiring a basic understanding of martial arts and knowing how to protect one’s self contributes to a heightened sense of security, allowing practitioners to feel more comfortable in their own skins, regardless of the situation or environment they find themselves in.
Similarly, Eazy believes in the knowledge to protect oneself and their loved ones, especially in unforeseen circumstances.
“The world is evolving fast, and you never know what may happen to you. Being able to have (self-defence) skills should be a default.
“(Martial arts) teach us to think on the fly, under pressure, solve problems,” he said.
Both coaches hold the belief that age doesn’t matter when it comes to learning self-defence.
“What matters is your ‘coachability’, whether you can drop your ego and be able to receive instructions, information and be told what to do.
“The main part is to be able to walk through the doors, be a blank canvas and accept the fact that you are trying something new,” said Eazy.
According to the head coach, it’s best to be well-versed in all forms of martial arts because each one has its own benefits.
“There will be a time and place to use a specific skill-set,” he said.
Presenting a viewpoint that examines attacks that could potentially escalate into rape scenarios, or situations akin to the viral bullying video, wherein the victim becomes immobilised by the attacker, Eazy feels that jiu-jitsu would be the best martial art to learn.
“Statistically, when someone attacks you, the first thing that will come into mind is to close the distance to get a hold of you,” he said.
By mastering the fundamentals of jiu-jitsu, the learner will acquire the skills necessary to remove themselves from such a predicament.
LOST AND FOUND
When asked to share success stories at Khalifa, one individual stood out in the eyes of the two coaches. Although they did not reveal his name, they said the person went through a huge transformation after joining them a few years ago.
“He came to us a bit lost because he was facing issues as a student abroad, which prompted him to abandon his studies. He came here and opened up to us and he’s been with us since,” said Eazy.
Not only have the two witnessed the progress in his martial arts skills, but also his role as a responsible son, brother and human being.
The individual experienced losses during his initial boxing fights against more experienced opponents. The setbacks served as a “rude awakening” – a critical turning point.
His refusal to give up was remarkable, they said. Despite struggles abroad, he managed to complete his studies and received his degree – a testament to his tenacity.
“He took that stubbornness somewhere else, and we just helped redirect and channel it into somewhere positive,” added Eazy. – Izah Azahari
