The last time Chase Gibson went through a drug relapse, his twin brother Cooper pulled him into the gym and out of the depths of addiction.
For years, the two trained together in mixed martial arts (MMA) and fought professionally in Los Angeles, a far cry from their youth days spent in between juvenile hall and jail cells. And when Cooper relapsed and later passed away in 2020, Chase knew he had to keep their dream alive of using MMA to help kids like them.
Gibson started the Fighting Chance Foundation in 2021 with the goal of offering at-risk youth mental, physical and nutritional guidance while instilling them with discipline and the confidence they need to overcome struggles.
“The connection of mind and body and what you put in your body, it’s very much the lifestyle that goes along with training,” Gibson told the Signal Tribune. “Mentally there’s an awareness, being in the moment and being present and the positive effect of that. And to help people understand they can apply that outside of the gym as well.”
With the help from local nonprofit Can-Do, Gibson opened his first gym in Los Angeles’ Little Ethiopia district near Downtown in 2021. The foundation has since helped over 250 youth ages 14 through 24 with “holistic development, nurturing both the mind and the body” in a free after-school program, according to the Fighting Chance website.
Gibson is now bringing his free mental and physical training program to Long Beach. Fighting Chance MMA gym is hosting its grand opening Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and will immediately be open to train local youth.
When Gibson spoke to the Signal Tribune on Feb.18, he had just wrapped up a training session for a fight he has scheduled March 1, and was headed to prepare for the grand opening.
“It’s hectic but it’s good. We got a team of us so everybody does their part. I’m used to it. I also have a newborn daughter,” he added with a chuckle. “And two other girls. It’s all blessings though, I don’t have to fight for the motivation to do any of it.”
For Gibson, MMA is more than a sport. It’s what drew him and his brother Cooper to a better life. Growing up in LA, the two spent their teen years getting into trouble on the streets, bouncing between juvenile halls, then rehabilitation centers as they got older.
Cooper was the first one to get clean, and showed Chase that a better life was possible with the right people around and the discipline to keep showing up for yourself. Although the brothers had been “naturals” at sports their whole lives, MMA was the first thing that kept their attention.
“I think it’s the purest form of sport — a fight. It’s either you win or you lose, and it’s nobody else’s to blame, nobody else gets the credit,” Gibson said. “There’s a lot of respect involved in a fight. You’re putting something on the line and nothing is promised, so there’s humility.”
Cooper was the first one to get into MMA and quickly had the skill to go professional. He soon brought Chase with him and the two spent years training and fighting professionally, all the while dreaming about using their opportunity to help kids like them.
They had often talked about starting a foundation once they left the professional fighting world, but when Cooper passed away in 2020 Chase chose to honor his brother by bringing their dream to fruition.
“It’s been harder,” Chase said about continuing their dream without his brother. “It definitely reminds me of the seriousness of what we’re trying to help others deal with — not that we’re only trying to help people who struggle with addiction, but with the mental health side of those things, the solution is the same, it’s a real reminder of why we want to do this and just living that out.”
Countless studies have concluded that regular exercise has a positive impact on sleep, depression, anxiety and other stressors.
Because of his brother and the team they had to support them, Chase got the chance to train for free, a rarity in fighting culture. Now, he pays that opportunity forward.
Gibson already has four years of experience under his belt helping youth in Los Angeles. Fighting Chance gym in Los Angeles has conducted over 46,000 hours of training with local youth, emphasizing self-respect, resilience, confidence and discipline.
When his lease expired this year, he saw the chance to help another community, and Long Beach’s athletic ties and proximity to his personal life called to him. His main priority — to be near a high school — was delivered when he found the perfect location across the street from Poly High.
“There’s definitely a need for it, and we felt like we had a lot to offer in that area with experience and the passion for it too, to help reach people and open their eyes to a sport that can really change lives,” Gibson said. “For me it’s not only about the sport, there’s a bigger purpose for me and it’s really like pointing people to God but the avenue I have is MMA and just sharing that with people and being a blessing no matter what or where they come from and who they are.”
A Fighting Chance aims to remove as many barriers as possible for at-risk youth looking for different avenues of expression. Removing the barrier of commute was a huge priority, Gibson said. “It just gives people more access, and parents will know where their kids are going to be.”
Starting as soon as next week, Long Beach youth can learn from trained professionals in a variety of disciplines, such as Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, wrestling and boxing. Participants will not be thrown into fighting or doing anything they don’t want to, as many classes will focus on conditioning and strength training.
Honing in on the mind-body connection, youth will also learn how to take care of themselves through nutrition and mindful practices. Trained professionals will teach classes on sports science, nutrition, athletic performance and more.
“It forces you to be in the moment, it forces you to humble yourself and learn and show up for yourself and work through the pain and struggle in a healthy way,” Gibson said. “Some of the most beautiful friendships you have are with people on the mat, there’s a strong bond with the people you sweat with in that way. There’s very much a family atmosphere so it really addresses a lot, it addresses mental health and community.”
Gibson said he hopes to create a familial and supportive atmosphere for youth that come to train in Long Beach as well. The main goal of the after-school training is not for kids to become professional fighters, he said, but to learn the skills of perseverance and experience growth in a healthy manner.
A Fighting Chance Gym will host its grand opening on Sunday, Feb. 23 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at its new location of 1022 E. Pacific Coast Highway. The ribbon-cutting will take place at 11 a.m. and participants can enjoy free food, raffles and giveaways, health and wellness workshops, a photo booth, a live DJ, special guest speakers and more.
Fifteen percent of proceeds from donations and sponsorships raised during the event will be donated to the YMCA to families and businesses affected by the LA fires. The foundation will also offer free fitness classes to those directly impacted, and will be distributing Comfort Cases backpacks to families who have lost their belongings.
