Today we’d like to introduce you to Mike O’Laskey. They and their team shared their story with us below:
Mike O’Laskey began his Martial Arts Career at the age of 2. Where his father, a Green Beret, who began teaching him self-defense. At the age of 8, Mike made big news by winning Japanese Jiu-Jitsu throwing competitions in the 11 to 13 age category.
Winning against bigger and older kids caught the eye of Hollywood where Mike was cast to play the Red Power Ranger and Colt from the 3 Ninjas franchise.
As an adult, Mike entered the world of Mixed Martial Arts becoming the #1 ranked amateur in the State of Utah and 3rd on the West Coast. While contracted to fight at an MMA Local Venue, Mike noticed that Utah only had two options when it came to Beginners learning Martial Arts. They could either join a Traditional Karate school and learn an outdated system of self-defense or they could go to a Fight Gym… and risk getting their butt kicked by a Pro MMA Fighter!
So Mike, and his wife Nikki, decided that they were going to be the change they wanted to see and they opened up the OMA: Ranger Academy in Pleasant Grove Utah. Their progressive program can take anyone from an absolute beginner into a Kickboxing or Grappling Superstar in a fun engaging way with little to no risk of injury.
The Crown Jewel of the OMA: Ranger Academy’s program is most likely the kid’s program. It contains everything Parents Love about Traditional Martial Arts (Things like Discipline, Respect, and Confidence) and throws out some of the more antiquated aspects like Long Karate forms and Screaming at the top of your Lungs. Kids are engaged with extra activities like Culture Seminars where kids explore a Martial Art from a different country and try their food. OMA Even has movie nights where kids can come together and build forts to watch a movie projected on the wall of the Martial Arts School.
Mike says “The Goal of the Program, and why kids stick with it, is we create strong, confident, athletic martial artists… While not losing the fun and magic that makes kids so interested in the First Place. Probably doesn’t hurt that I was a Power Ranger though.”
Mike has dedicated his life to Martial Arts and has racked up quite a list of credentials:
4x Welterweight MMA Champ
1x Lightweight MMA Champ
Former Ranked #1 Fighter in Utah
Former Ranked #3 Fighter on the West Coast
World Muay Thai Council Kru
Mars Muay Thai Instructor
Inosanto Lineage Kali Instructor
Bruce Lee Lineage JKD Instructor
4th Degree Degerberg Blend Black Belt
Koryo Tae Kwon Do Black Belt
Tang Soo Do Black Belt
DEA Knife Instructor
Karate Forms Champion
Japanese JJ Throwing Champion
Brazilian JJ Purple Belt
Certified Personal Trainer
Certified Supplement Nutritionist
With all these accomplishments to his name, Mike still teaches nearly every class at the OMA: Ranger Academy.
Ensuring that every student gets quality instruction.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road hasn’t always been easy. OMA: Ranger Academy opened its doors just as the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Where they thought that they would be teaching classes full of people… Suddenly, the Martial Arts School was empty.
Luckily, Mike’s experience in Hollywood paid off. He created a “Mr. Rogers Style” internet television show that ran online throughout the pandemic closure. Complete with interactive games to end each lesson.
Not only did it help keep the doors open, but it ended up helping a whole host of cooped-up kids expend some energy and give them some sense of normalcy in an uncertain time.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about OMA: Ranger Academy?
The OMA: Ranger Academy is Utah Valley’s best Martial Arts school with the Highest Caliber instructors. Led by a REAL Power Ranger from the TV Show, we get kids excited to learn Martial Arts. The once they’re in the door, we teach them the Hard Work, Confidence, and Discipline it takes to become successful. Not only in Martial Arts but in life!
Parents can watch their child’s confidence soar as their kids work through the Ranks and even begin leading aspects of class and helping other students become their best selves. At the OMA: Ranger Academy, we don’t consider ourselves a sport or a hobby in the way you might consider Soccer or Baseball. The ability to protect yourself and your loved ones is a life skill. That’s why all our apprentices shine at real-world self-defense skills that are tried, tested, and true in Combat Sports Competition all over the world by their instructors. We know what we teach your kids work… because we’ve used them for real!
You can give us a try for 3 classes for just $29, Kids get. a FREE Power Ranger T-shirt just for trying. Just fill out the contact form at: RangerAcademyUtah.com.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
One of the best most interesting times of my childhood was while I was on the set of 3 ninjas. Stunt Men from all around the world that specialized in different styles of Martial Arts were employed by the production. Between filming and on-set school… I got to hang out with all of these amazing people learning different styles.
Everything from “Drunken Kung Fu” to “Filipino Boxing”. It was so much fun to discover other people’s cultures through Martial Arts, that I incorporated that experience into our kids’ program so that kids who have never left Utah can still learn to be tolerant, curious, and respectful of other cultures due to their Martial Arts Training.
Pricing:
- New Student Trial 3 Classes for $29 + FREE Power Ranger T-Shirt
Contact Info:
- Website: RangerAcademyUtah.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bigbangmike_/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BigBangMikeRocks
Image Credits
OMA: Ranger Academy
