UFC Champion Tries Hapkido

UFC Champion Tries Hapkido: What Happens When an MMA Legend Visits Our Lineage in Seoul

What happens when a heavyweight mixed martial arts legend steps out of the cage and onto the traditional mats of South Korea? You get a fascinating look at the hidden depth of practical self-defense.

Recently, retired UFC and PRIDE Heavyweight Champion Antônio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira traveled to Seoul to film a martial arts documentary. His destination? The world-renowned Kyung Mu Hapkido dojang, headed by Grandmaster Kim Nam Jai.

If that name sounds familiar, it should. Kyung Mu is the exact dojang from which we at Evoke Martial Arts draw our Hapkido lineage. We are incredibly proud to be the only Canadian affiliate of this prestigious South Korean headquarters.

Watch the incredible exchange between the UFC icon and our lineage headquarters in the video below:

A Champion’s Respect for a “Hidden” Art

Minotauro Nogueira is widely regarded as one of the greatest submission artists in MMA history. Having spent decades trading strikes and locks with giants, he is not easily impressed. Yet, his experience at the Kyung Mu dojang left him deeply captivated.

During his training, Nogueira expressed immense appreciation for how practical, adaptive, and brutal the joint locks and throwing techniques of Hapkido truly are. He noted a common paradox in the modern martial arts landscape: despite its immense real-world utility, Hapkido remains vastly underrated and relatively unknown to the general public compared to mainstream combat sports.

While the casual fan focuses on sports highlight reels, a true master like Nogueira quickly recognized that Hapkido holds the missing pieces for real-world self-defense. It doesn’t rely on weight classes, rules, or matching an opponent’s raw athletic power. Instead, it turns an attacker’s own momentum against them.

Connecting the Traditional to the Modern

At Evoke Martial Arts, we frequently discuss the differences between various combat styles on our blog. Whether we are analyzing Hapkido vs. BJJ for Real-World Self-Defense or detailing what to expect from high-energy Muay Thai Workouts in Toronto, our goal is always functional fitness and authentic protection.

Seeing a BJJ black belt and UFC champion train under Grandmaster Kim highlights exactly why we keep our curriculum rooted in the Kyung Mu lineage.

• It’s Hybrid by Nature: Just as modern MMA blends styles, classic Hapkido seamlessly integrates the dynamic deflections of traditional arts with the heavy joint-manipulation and ground compliance found in modern grappling systems.
• It’s Built for Everyone: You do not need the physique of a UFC heavyweight to execute these moves. Hapkido utilizes circular motion and leverage, making it the ultimate equalizer for smaller individuals facing larger aggressors.
• It’s Ego-Free: Just like the master instructors in Seoul, our Midtown Toronto academy focuses on safe, structured progress where the absolute beginner can learn without fear of injury or intimidation.

Train Like a Champion in Midtown Toronto

You don’t have to book a flight to Seoul to access authentic, elite-level Hapkido training.

As the sole Canadian affiliate of the Kyung Mu dojang, Evoke Martial Arts brings this exact lineage, methodology, and philosophy directly to the Leaside and Yonge-Eglinton community. When you step onto our mats, you are learning the exact same principles that earned the respect of a world champion.

Whether you are looking to build unshakable confidence, master practical self-protection, or simply find an engaging workout that challenges both mind and body, our doors are open.