Looking to prove he really is a heavyweight in the ring, local mixed martial arts fighter Devon Roper is training hard for his first official bout at the upcoming championships.
After training for the last few years at different gyms in the Okanagan, he's now at the Salmon Arm Jiu-Jitsu Academy.
Originally Intrepid Mixed Martial Arts, founded by MMA “legend” Rick Dubois, the business was reopened by current owners Shaun and Jessi Steiner in April 2024.
The academy is dedicated to coaching up and coming athletes in MMA. One of those is Roper, who first started in MMA under Dubois at the age of 12. He trained for a few years as a kid, and just got back into it four years ago with a new dedication to be the best fighter he can be.
Since then, Roper, who works at Tolko in Armstrong, has been training hard, wanting to get a fight in the heavyweight class of 220 pounds and up. Helping him get there is Logan Martin, who helps coach Roper and will be his corner man in the upcoming bout they finally secured at the All Martial Arts Championship in Vancouver on Feb. 22.
“He’s prepared himself really well, and this will be his first official amateur MMA fight,” Martin said. “The guy that we matched up against is from a really good gym in Abbotsford, so we feel like for the first fight we’re not taking a really easy fight. We’re taking on a very hard matchup, which I think Devon is totally capable of winning.”
The win would help gain Roper recognition in the MMA world which, in turn, would help him reach his goal of fighting professionally. While the UFC is the top MMA organization, there are a lot of others where fighters still get paid.
“But I’m not looking too far ahead; I’m just looking at the discipline in front of me,” Roper added.
Martin agreed, saying they’re just taking it “one fight at a time, with the ultimate goal to be a champion.”
Aiming for the top has seen Roper come a long way from a difficult childhood and self-described “troubled kid." He credits the sport and Dubois with getting him to this point.
“Martial arts is the only thing I really draw pride from, or ever have drawn pride from, and I believe that martial arts can change any troubled young man’s life… I was a troubled kid and MMA changed my life,” he said. “And we hope to inspire young men in our community.”
As Dubois got him and many others started in the sport and became a mentor to the MMA community, both have high praise for the award-winning athlete who is also “the friendliest guy.”
“Rick’s a legend around here and a leader,” Martin added. “He’s really helped a lot of young men find their way.”
Hoping to follow in Dubois' footsteps, Roper will be concentrating on the final weeks of training before the MMA bout, which will also be the first for his competitor, described as being very prepared and equally matched physically.
“So if we win it really proves that we’re practicing,” Martin said, with Roper adding “It really proves that we’re forces to be reckoned with.”
