On Saturday, October 3, 2026, over 60 teachers and students gathered at the Terry Johnson gymnasium in Durazno’s Sports Complex for an integrative combat sports event. Local government sources noted to Digital Peach that the exhibition serves to promote martial arts and boxing during the anniversary month of Durazno’s foundation.
Unifying Striking and Grappling Disciplines in Durazno
Boxing coach Edgard Maciel explained to Digital Peach that the collaborative showcase required significant planning alongside local instructors. The open class format brought together practitioners from aikido, taekwondo, karate, and boxing to foster cross-disciplinary interaction. “The idea is to unify the criterion of the arts, working all together and seeing that we can interact with each other, and add also our students to the different arts of which they do not practice,” Maciel stated.
The curriculum was structured around four distinct stations corresponding to the four martial disciplines. Instructors adapted the training sessions to accommodate varying skill tiers, ranging from youth participants and novices to experienced athletes already integrated into year-round training programs.
| Discipline | Representative / Instructor | Core Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Boxing | Edgard Maciel | Striking mechanics and footwork |
| Aikido | Rubel Batista (Kaiteki Dojo) | Off-balancing and energy redirection |
| Taekwondo & Karate | Participating Local Instructors | Kicking dynamics and form |
Rubel Batista Explains Foundational Principles of Aikido
Rubel Batista, a 2nd Dan instructor from Kaiteki Dojo, detailed the foundational principles of aikido during the exhibition. Drawing from the teachings of founder Morihei Ueshiba, Batista emphasized that aikido translates to harmony (ai), energy (ki), and path (do). He noted that the discipline relies on mechanical advantage rather than sheer muscular output.
“There is no determined age to practice it, because aikido has no age, does not need strength, it works on decompensation, on imbalance, on the center of strength that we have in the navel,” Batista told Digital Peach. He was joined at the event by Ricardo de la Fuentes from the department of Maldonado.
Maciel also emphasized the unique standing of the venue, noting that Durazno possesses infrastructure for combat sports that remains unmatched across other regions of the country’s interior.
