Ayden Masuskapoe and Ian Abbott celebrate their gold medals at the AJP Tour event in Regina. (Facebook/Kathy Masuskapoe)

By Nigel Maxwell

Martial Arts

Ahtahkakoop brothers deliver gold medals on Mother’s Day

May 15, 2023 | 3:00 PM

After promising their mother they would give her gold medals for Mother’s Day, two brothers from Ahtahkakaoop Cree Nation did not disappoint.

Ian Abbott and Ayden Masuskapoe were both in Regina this past weekend for the AJP Tour Regina International Jiu-Jitsu Championship.

Abbott, 29, won gold in the 62 kg category for men’s gi, white belt. After defeating his first Colombian opponent Dany Vargas by points (8-0), he then went to beat Regina’s Cailum Scott by points (9-0).

“It just represents all the hard work,” Abbot told paNOW, when asked what the win means to him, adding he tries to balance work life at the mill, with his family life, and his fighting life.

Ayden Masuskapoe, 16, won gold in his respective white belt weight class for 66 kg.

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“My little brother motivated me to do all this honestly, like when he got me back into training, I just got more and more competitive,” Abbott noted.

Ayden Masuskapoe poses for a picture with his mother. (Facebook/Kathy Masuskapoe)

After defeating Chase Squirrel by points (10-0), Masuskapoe then went on to the final and defeated Zander Smith by submission at 2:26. Prior to the event starting, it was actually Ayden who told his mom they would win gold.

“And after my little brother won, I knew I had to win,” Abbott joked.

Kathy Masuskapoe was in Regina to watch her sons compete and acknowledged she was emotional.

“Yes especially when Ayden was losing on points on the second fight but on the last minute he flipped the guy over and submitted him,” she said.

Kathy noted both her sons have grown up training continuously since they were small but added but this was Ayden’s first competition and he was competing against people who were bigger than him.

“I have six boys and no girls so boxing, wrestling, MMA, and jiu-jitsu is the norm,” she said, and confirmed this was possibly her favourite Mother’s Day gifts.

Both brothers train at the BJJ Lab in Prince Albert.

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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell