From World Champion to Gym Owner: The Story Behind Fit and Fight Gym

Fit and Fight Gym, established in Chicago in 2020, offers a range of martial arts training programs including Muay Thai, Jiu Jitsu, wrestling, and MMA. The facility features spaces for multiple classes at once and provides entry-level to advanced instruction for both kids and adults. With a focus on practical self-defense and skill-building, the gym welcomes new members to try free trial classes in each discipline and supports their growth in a supportive, structured environment.

📍9517 N Milwaukee Ave, Niles, IL 60714
📞 224-284-2911

In this episode, Alex Cuevas visits Fit and Fight Gym in Chicago to meet Artur Gasanov, a two-time Muay Thai world champion and the gym’s founder. Artur shares how his passion for martial arts, inspired by his family and upbringing in Dagestan, led him to open the gym to help kids build mentality, courage, and confidence, not just train fighters. The gym started with Muay Thai but expanded to offer Jiu Jitsu, wrestling, and MMA, quickly becoming a community hub, especially for children.

Artur and discusses how adopting Gymdesk has streamlined their operations—from payment collection to member communication—citing its user-friendly, fast interface as a major improvement over previous systems. The story highlights Artur’s dedication to growth, community impact, and building a supportive environment, with expansion plans focused on maintaining quality and personal touch rather than just scaling up.