A Healthy Mix
David Dunn and Sidekicks Academy
s a new presence on Sierra Highway, David Dunn Dunn lives in Canyon Country with his wife, Jada Ashe-Dunn, a
of Sidekicks Academy is mixing it up. Not only has teacher at Sulphur Springs Community School. His life seems to
Ahe brought a new kind of business to the historical never slow down, as his free time is fi lled with surfi ng, camping,
thoroughfare, his enrollment is expanding, partly due to the riding motorcycles and spending time with his team at fi ghts.
popularity of his specialty – mixed martial arts. This combat One of his students, 24-year-old Jeff Martin of Canyon Country,
sport combines kick boxing, wrestling, judo and jiu jitsu, is preparing for a competition at the Total Fighting Alliance on
gaining popularity since the rise of the “Ultimate Fighting November 15. “Jeff is the most successful professional mixed
Championship” shows. What’s a new sport to the public, martial arts fi ghter in the Santa Clarita Valley,” says Dunn.
however, is an old game to the 41-year-old martial artist. “What
became popular is what I’ve been doing for 14 years,” he says. In addition to teaching, Dunn has been involved in mixed martial
arts on many levels. He penned a movie about heavyweight
Dunn has been able to watch the shift in awareness of the sport. champion Randy Couture, “which is now a top 20 selling book,”
“Ten years ago we had fi ghters, now we have stars,” he observes. he says. “My movie script was the outline for the book.” Couture
“We have our own guys who are mainstream and are multi- even used the title conceived by Dunn: “Becoming the Natural.”
millionaires.” An ultimate fi ghting event on Spike TV three
years ago brought it to the forefront, and Dunn has watched his The Sidekicks owner also teamed up with a friend and wrote
clientele grow as a result. “Thirty-six months ago I was in a 900- a movie, in which Dunn starred. “I found my niche, I fi nally
square-foot building,” he explains. “I went to 2,500 now – simply produced my movie,” he recalls. But he chose to walk away
because of the demand in mixed martial arts.” from the sometimes twisted reality found in moviemaking for
the clear-cut values of martial arts. “This is an industry of truth,”
Dunn’s new location on Sierra Highway has proven to be a Dunn explains. “The fl oor doesn’t lie. It tells the truth of your
boon to business. “I love it up here,” he says. “I couldn’t be game and tells you who you are.”
more pleasantly surprised at how many walk in the door. I have
as many stop by here as I did when I was on the main road.” The values of jiu jitsu are a big drawing card for Dunn. “I eat
Sidekicks moved from its location near Baskin-Robbins on better, I sleep better, my relationship with my wife is better,
Soledad Canyon Road three months ago. The majority of his new my business does better,” he says. “If I improve in Jiu Jitsu, I
students are from Acton, Agua Dulce and Palmdale. “I’ve had a improve in life…it’s much deeper for me than for most people.”
good 90 days in a slow economy,” he says.
David Dunn (left) with Jeff Martin
Sidekicks Fight Academy
17750 Sierra Highway
661-251-0761
40 Canyon Country Magazine November 2008
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