From the moment John Parreira stepped through the doors of Alpha Fit - Fitness & Education in west Turlock, he felt a sense of comfort.

Parreira was only seven years old when his grandfather walked him in. They made the visit for Parreira to participate in a children’s self-defense class, but the youngster quickly learned that he enjoyed packing a punch.

“I had so much fun doing all of the training,” Parreira said. “I wanted to keep doing it. It was never boring.”

After walking across the graduation stage at Joe Debely Stadium on Friday, Parreira will now turn his attention to pursuing both a nursing degree and furthering his career in mixed martial arts, thanks to a unique opportunity from Sacramento State University.

Parreira, 18, has blossomed into a youth national champion in Point Muay Thai and Youth Pankration MMA, and his dedication to fighting and nursing has made him just the second person to earn a scholarship from Sacramento State’s Combat Sports and Martial Arts University, better known as Combat U.

Combat U, created in part by UFC Hall of Famer Urijah Faber, was launched in the fall of 2024. It is intended for students of all levels to receive professional-level instruction and competition opportunities in boxing, wrestling, Muay Thai and jiu jitsu while providing a pathway to a four-year university education.

“I love fighting,” Parreira said. “And as much as I love that and competing, I like to help others, and I’d love to be an RN. I’m not sure how the dynamic will work with fighting and nursing at the same time after school, but Sac State will give me the chance to pursue both at the same time, which is a great opportunity for me.”

Of the hundreds that participate in Combat U, many do it recreationally, either to stay in shape, pursue a healthier lifestyle or simply have fun. Nevertheless, it can serve as a high-level collegiate training ground for students who want to actually pursue a future in competitive MMA or in specific combat disciplines.

Parreira is determined to be one of the first to see the program through and turn it into a successful professional career.

“I eventually want to become a professional fighter, put on some good fights and make a name for myself and get some fame,” he said.

Parreira has already made a name for himself in the youth circuit under Team Maquina Combat, the fight team out of the Alpha Fit gym under coach Carlos Becerra.

At the age of 13, he dove into Point Muay Thai, and has primarily competed in MMA over the past two years. In the last nine years since he began competitive combat sports, he has won three United States Fight League Youth Pankration national titles, four full-contact Junior Muay Thai championships with an undefeated 4-0 record, an International Kickboxing Generation Point Muay Thai state title with an undefeated 7-0 record, and has medaled three times since stepping into boxing last year.

Parreira turned 18 on March 20 and made his amateur MMA debut the very next day with a knockout just one minute into the action against one Mohammed Ali. On May 8, he improved to 2-0 at Sacramento State’s Battle at the Hive 4 event, knocking out Bakhtyar Ahmadzai in only eight seconds.

“I would say I'm a pretty complete fighter,” said Parreira, who stands five-foot-10 and fights at welterweight (170). “I prefer stand-up. Throwing and kicking is kind of my thing, but I’m working on my ground game at Alpha Fit as I lean more into the MMA universe. I’m comfortable on the ground, too. I'm ready to go out there one day and just wrestle somebody.”

His early success as an amateur martial artist is even more impressive considering he took a complete pause in training from September through the new year as he navigated his senior year of high school and began taking steps towards the nursing career.

A member of Turlock High’s HOSA chapter, Parreira spent hours after school completing a certified nursing program and completing service hours at a local nursing home. He ultimately became a licensed CNA.

“I’m excited for the nursing program at Sac State,” added Parreira. “I’m excited, in general, to get there in August and start working with the Combat U team and be at the campus. It’s a beautiful place.”

The Combat U program is not NCAA sanctioned. The teams compete at the club level and each will be under the governing rules of their respective organizations, which means Parreira will stay as an amateur through his collegiate tenure.

It’s not a problem for him, he said, as he is embracing the opportunity to be a student in the classroom and in the cage.

“It’s been a fun experience, and I’m looking forward to more over in Sacramento.”