Jordan Lewis, left, and Kenny Zacher are two of the fighters training at the North Georgia Hayastan MMA Academy. The gym, run by Leonardo Lechuga, trains fighters for professional fights, teaches self-defense and provides a welcoming place for people to work out. Lewis and Zacher are expected to compete as part of a kickboxing card later this month in Dalton.

DALTON, Ga. — Some go to hone their fighting skills, while others are just trying to lose weight. But no matter what the motivation, several have found a place where they feel at home.

That is the common sentiment among several members at the North Georgia Hayastan MMA Academy. The gym used to be in downtown Dalton, but has moved just outside the city on Morris Street. And whether someone is aspiring to become a state champion wrestler, like Northwest Whitfield High School senior Jordan Lewis, or is a 32-year-old just looking for a good place to compete with good people, like Kenny Zacher, the mixed martial arts facility has the answers.

“Our number one goal is teaching self-defense,” gym owner Leonardo Lechuga said. “Not everybody wants to compete. We don’t just have fighters, we want people who will embrace martial arts and leave here feeling confident they can take care of themselves.

“We get a lot of athletes, but we also have people that have never thought about competing that get a lot out of it and see it’s not as bad as people think. A lot of women come whose sons train here and they will come and take part in classes as well. So it’s a family environment.”

That type of atmosphere is what drove Zacher to the facility. He has been attending North Georgia Hayastan MMA for about two years after hearing about the facility from what he considered to be reliable sources.

“A couple guys I knew had trained here previously, and I posted something on social media saying, ‘Hey, I want to try MMA and where should I go?’” Zacher said. “A couple people who had been here previously recommended it and I think it says a lot about the place when someone who is no longer training there still tells you to go there. Tells you a lot about the character of a place and that’s where I want to be, the best gym I can be at so I can become a better fighter, person, whatever.”

Zacher had some setbacks last year as he battled injuries that limited his training. But David Lewis Sr., who is the head striking coach and helps train the fighters, says no one at the gym trains as hard as Zacher. While he began looking for a place he felt comfortable, Zacher found more than he hoped for.

“Other than getting in shape, I just like to compete. It’s a unique feeling when you can punch somebody in the face and they don’t get mad at you for it,” Zacher said. “It’s fun. It teaches discipline, and it’s a lot better than a lot of things you can be doing. I want to be a better person and this is the avenue I took to doing it a couple years ago.”

Jordan Lewis, the youngest of David Lewis’ three sons who train at the facility, uses martial arts to help keep him in shape for his high school wrestling season. Lewis won area and sectional titles and finished third at the state tournament, wrestling at 195 pounds for the Bruins. But he is hoping for an even better result in his senior campaign and thinks MMA might help him get there.

“I just want to become a champion,” he said. “Doing this helps keep me in shape and keeps my upper body strong. When I’m hand fighting, people have a tough time hanging with me because of the training I do here. Hopefully next year I can win state and place high at nationals and go to a (Division I) college.”

Lewis and Zacher are among fighters from North Georgia Hayastan that will be on the card for a kickboxing event on June 25 hosted by United Karate Studios in Dalton. Others that will be on the card include Josh Lewis and Erik Rojo.

Rojo is one of the longest tenured fighters at the gym, having been training there for nearly five years. When he started he said he weighed 240 pounds, but is now cutting weight to try to fight at 175. He still has a long way to go, but is motivated to reach that goal, as evidenced by his very first experience at the gym.

“I didn’t know anything when I started and the first day I actually got my ribs crushed in,” Rojo said. “There was a wrestler and he asked me if I wanted to wrestle him. I hadn’t played any sports, no football or basketball, wrestling or mixed martial arts or anything. So he grabbed me and just kind of spiked me into the ground three times and crushed my ribs in. I couldn’t breathe well for like a week, but I still kept coming.

“I don’t like giving up. I’m a very stubborn guy. I could be losing (a fight) or they could be beating me on the mat, but I won’t give up. It’s just the kind of person I am. I don’t like giving up.”

Lechuga thinks there are several fighters at the gym who have a future in professional MMA, particularly those who have been athletes in other sports.

“Definitely, becoming a pro fighter is not as hard as people think, and there is a lot of talent in this gym,” Lechuga said. “We have some of the best wrestlers in the area with the Lewis brothers and my son. That complements everything we do. That’s one thing I’ve found, it doesn’t matter what sport you play, getting into mixed martial arts is an easier transition because you’ve already been an athlete of some sort, whether it’s football or baseball or other mixed martial arts.”

But as Lechuga is quick to point out, the facility isn’t just for athletes or people looking to become an MMA champion. Eddie Lara has been attending the gym for a little more than a year despite having never been interested in sports or in pursuing a fighting career.

“I just wanted to lose weight and be a little more athletic, I guess,” Lara said. “I’ve never really done sports. I played a little bit of soccer but I didn’t really enjoy it. This is the first sport I’ve really enjoyed. It’s just a good place to meet good people and learn how to fight. I might do (a professional fight) one day, but I don’t think so.”

North Georgia Hayastan is running several specials throughout the summer. For instance, two children ages 6 to 12 can train for the price of one when they sign up together. Adults can currently train three months for free after signing up, and a family plan is $150 per month. For more information, call (603) 301-1743 or visit www.teamhayastan.com.