Dynamite Kickboxing is coming home. 🧨
My wife and I moved to Greenville back in 2020 due to COVID. The City of Chicago was a mess during that period of time, so we made the difficult decision to pick up and move to a city we had never even heard of before, Greenville, South Carolina.
Greenville has been such a blessing for us. I was able to reopen my gym here, my wife and I were able to purchase our first home here, I was able to launch my own fight promotion here, and much more. We’ve brought seminars to the city from some of the best fighters and coaches in the world here, we’ve hosted Spar B Ques here, we’ve held smokers to help develop the next generation of fighters. We did our best to build the martial arts community in the Southeast and I’m proud to say we made an impact in doing so. I love Greenville, I love the Southeast, and I’m so thankful for it.
With that said, life has a way of calling you back home. Due to private family matters, my wife and I have to move back to Chicago. That’s where we are needed, and we have to do what’s best for our families.
So what does that mean about the future of Dynamite Kickboxing? We built Dynamite over the course of 6 years in Chicago, and we have spent the last 5 years in Greenville. It’s time to write this next chapter in our journey and bring our explosive brand of Kickboxing back to the Windy City.
What does that mean for the future of Ascend? We are going to continue to keep all of our event dates this year in the Southeast along with additional expansions to new markets, including Chicago itself. To all of my friends in the Southeast, you’ll still be seeing me monthly (you’re stuck with me 😅). I will also be able to provide additional opportunities to get you guys fights in new areas such as Chicago, the Dominican Republic, and more.
Greenville, from the bottom of my heart—thank you. Four years ago, I took a leap and brought my passion for kickboxing to this city. I built something from nothing, met incredible people, and had the honor of coaching fighters who gave their all inside the ring. You welcomed me, supported me, and made this chapter unforgettable.
But now, it’s time to go back home.
Chicago is where my journey began, and it’s where I’m meant to be. This isn’t the end—this is a return to my roots, a chance to build something even greater. To my fighters, students, and supporters in Greenville, I love you all more than words can say. And to my Chicago people—get ready. Dynamite Kickboxing is coming back, and we’re coming to blow the game up.
Stay tuned. This is just the beginning. Thank you for everything Greenville, see you again very soon Chicago.
- Coach Raul Diaz
My wife and I moved to Greenville back in 2020 due to COVID. The City of Chicago was a mess during that period of time, so we made the difficult decision to pick up and move to a city we had never even heard of before, Greenville, South Carolina.
Greenville has been such a blessing for us. I was able to reopen my gym here, my wife and I were able to purchase our first home here, I was able to launch my own fight promotion here, and much more. We’ve brought seminars to the city from some of the best fighters and coaches in the world here, we’ve hosted Spar B Ques here, we’ve held smokers to help develop the next generation of fighters. We did our best to build the martial arts community in the Southeast and I’m proud to say we made an impact in doing so. I love Greenville, I love the Southeast, and I’m so thankful for it.
With that said, life has a way of calling you back home. Due to private family matters, my wife and I have to move back to Chicago. That’s where we are needed, and we have to do what’s best for our families.
So what does that mean about the future of Dynamite Kickboxing? We built Dynamite over the course of 6 years in Chicago, and we have spent the last 5 years in Greenville. It’s time to write this next chapter in our journey and bring our explosive brand of Kickboxing back to the Windy City.
What does that mean for the future of Ascend? We are going to continue to keep all of our event dates this year in the Southeast along with additional expansions to new markets, including Chicago itself. To all of my friends in the Southeast, you’ll still be seeing me monthly (you’re stuck with me 😅). I will also be able to provide additional opportunities to get you guys fights in new areas such as Chicago, the Dominican Republic, and more.
Greenville, from the bottom of my heart—thank you. Four years ago, I took a leap and brought my passion for kickboxing to this city. I built something from nothing, met incredible people, and had the honor of coaching fighters who gave their all inside the ring. You welcomed me, supported me, and made this chapter unforgettable.
But now, it’s time to go back home.
Chicago is where my journey began, and it’s where I’m meant to be. This isn’t the end—this is a return to my roots, a chance to build something even greater. To my fighters, students, and supporters in Greenville, I love you all more than words can say. And to my Chicago people—get ready. Dynamite Kickboxing is coming back, and we’re coming to blow the game up.
Stay tuned. This is just the beginning. Thank you for everything Greenville, see you again very soon Chicago.
- Coach Raul Diaz