HANAPEPE — When brothers Nohili Kahepu‘u and C.J. Kahepu‘u were growing up in Kekaha, they sparred with each other constantly.
“If it wasn’t fighting, it was wrestling each other, like WWE,” said C.J., the younger brother, now 25. “We would get kicked out from school almost every morning.”
All the brawling paid off for the pair, who both took home belts at the Southeastern Elite Combat promotion in Florida earlier this month after winning back-to-back MMA fights.
“It feels good, not just for me, but also with my brother getting the title,” said Nohili, 27. He was training for his bout in the locker room when he heard that his brother had won his fight.
“I was all teary, and I was like — that’s my brother, y’know,” Nohili said.
Both are stand-up fighters, relying on their boxing to take down opponents.
C.J. described Nohili as a “sprawl-and-brawler,” while he saw himself as more of a “puck-shot-player.”
In Florida, C.J. competed in the 155-pound weight class, while Nohili competed in the 170.
The younger brother made quick work of fighter Tyler Moore, whom he knocked out 24 seconds into the second round with a strong head kick.
“The game plan was basically to go in there, work off the jab, feel him out a little bit. I knew I wanted to press the issue a bit,” said C.J. “I decided to throw the leg kick and it ended up landing. It was unreal, like a shot of dopamine.”
Nohili controlled three rounds against fighter John Connor, dodging what he called his opponent’s “iron hit,” and wearing him down with jabs and crosses to the point where Connor’s face was bright red by the match’s conclusion.
In between rounds, the brothers supported each other. C.J. was first to get into the ring, getting Nohili water and encouraging him.
After the wins, they celebrated with a family meal at Waffle House.
Both brothers gave credit to Espresso and Juice in Port Allen, and Ainofea at Kukui Grove Mall for sponsoring the trip — and to their coach, Sifu Joe Solis, for their wins.
“At first we didn’t like doing certain things that he made us do, like the jabs,” said C.J. “But we became better because we ended up listening.”
Solis has run the Hawaiian Fighting Arts Gym, where the brothers train, for five years, and has worked as a trainer for about three decades. The gym was alive with activity Wednesday afternoon as Solis supervised a group of four younger fighters training in the ring.
“We’re all here because we’re learning how to mentally take care of ourselves, channel our energy, bad days, good days,” said Solis, watching the students run shadowboxing drills while ducking under ropes stretched across the ring. “Being a champion in the ring is secondary to being a good person in real life.”
This was both brothers’ first time traveling out of state for a fight, and their first title shots. The wins bring each of their records to 5-1.
“It was a proud moment, not because they won, but because of how they won,” said Solis. “They won with class and dignity. When the fight was over, the first thing they did was check on how their opponent was. They represented the state well.”
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Guthrie Scrimgeour, reporter, can be reached at 647-0329 or gscrimgeour@thegardenisland.com.
