Mugabi is one of only 16 contestants in his category to earn an invitation to the national finals.
By Josh Batchelor, WVUA 23 Digital Reporter
The T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas has hosted some of the biggest names in martial arts over the past decade, with the likes of Conor McGregor, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Canelo Alvarez, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Jon Jones and Deontay Wilder all competing at the 20,000-seat venue.
It would take decades for many of these fighters to get the chance to fight in Las Vegas, but one promising Tuscaloosa martial artist, Mugabi Makorogo, achieved the same honor at just 10 years old.
Mugabi will be heading to Las Vegas to compete in the ADCC Youth Championships on Aug. 16. He was one of 16 participants selected for his division based on his success in jiu-jitsu and wrestling competitions around the country.
The Makorogo family immigrated to the United States from Uganda in 2018 when Mugabi was just 5 years old. Mugabi's father, Barugahare Makorogo, knew a professor at the University of Alabama, which played a key role in the family's move to Tuscaloosa.
Makorogo had studied martial arts in Uganda as a youth, but didn't have as many opportunities as he did in the U.S. In 2021, he decided to enroll his son in kickboxing classes with coach Moises Carrasco.
“Mugabi attended one kickboxing class, and a few days after the first session, he came and sparred with me,” Carrasco said. “The martial arts he had done up until then had been like playing games. Mugabi and his father wanted something more serious. They were excited to see real people fighting.”
After honing his kickboxing skills, Mugabi also took up wrestling and more recently began training in jiu-jitsu under the tutelage of Carrasco at American Top Team, where he has developed a strong love for the sport.
“He started wrestling at our gym,” Carrasco said, “and then he started doing jiu-jitsu, and he got beat up by some girls and other kids who had been doing jiu-jitsu for a while, and that's when he got into jiu-jitsu.”
At one point, Mugabi was thinking about quitting Coach Carrasco's classes because he couldn't find a ride to practice. Coach Carrasco couldn't let his super-talented kid quit, so he offered to drive Mugabi to the gym.
“Coach Moises puts a lot of effort into coaching Mugabi,” Makorogo said. “He is so committed to Mugabi's success and improvement that he even drives Mugabi to training sessions.”
Carrasco not only took Mugabi to practice sessions in Tuscaloosa but also to local and national tournaments, trips that Carrasco said have only strengthened the bond between the two.
Tech Fall Wrestling Club coach Mike Brantley noticed Mugabi's wrestling prowess six months ago, and Mugabi arrived at Tech Fall to begin training after recently completing jiu-jitsu training with Coach Carrasco at American Top Team.
Brantley praised Mugabi for all the hard work he's put in in the gym, saying it's not only paid off in the tournament but also in the opportunities he'll have in Las Vegas in a few months' time.
“Las Vegas is a big opportunity for Mugabi,” Brantley said. “It's one of the most prestigious jiu-jitsu tournaments and it's like he's competing in the Youth Jiu-Jitsu Olympics. He had to place highly in regional tournaments to get here. He also placed in the top three in Dallas and Atlantic City.”
Martial arts training requires a lot of discipline and hard work, especially at Mugabi's age, and both coaches stressed that Mugabi is committed to losing weight and dieting, something not many kids are willing to do.
Mugabi's parents expect their son to work hard and give his all. They expect a lot from him, but they make sure to let him know they support him.
“At home, we expect him to train,” Makorogo said. “He is disciplined and that is what is expected of him in his home environment. He loves martial arts and working with coach Moises. Training is a joy for him and he is very dedicated. We support him in every way possible.”
