The University of Manitoba recently made headlines around the world including a brief mention on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon with stories that a bare-knuckle fight club had been discovered on campus.

Media outlets reported that a fight club was being operated in squash courts located in the Frank Kennedy Centre, the university gym.

According to Leah Janzen, U of M spokesperson, 87 names were identified on a Facebook.com page dedicated to a group called “K.Y.O Fight Club.” She said that of that number, only five individuals have been identified as being directly involved.

“We were alerted to the Facebook page [at the end of November]. We had no idea the extent to which it was on going.”

In response to the incident, Janzen said that extra security measures have been put in place.

“Staff at Frank Kennedy have been made aware so they’re doing additional tours of the area, monitoring it more closely,” she said.

“We’ve also alerted Security Services, so they are doing additional patrols and we’re trying to keep an eye out for additional Facebook pages [ . . . ] that might indicate something is going on.”

According to Edwin Dela Cruz, U of M student and founder of Knock You Out [K.Y.O.], the incident has been exaggerated in the media.

“People like to use the word fight, but the term is sparring. There is a big difference. [ . . . ] Nobody really goes all out,” said Dela Cruz.

“It started off with my friend and I. We’ve been participating in martial arts for a long time.”

Since June, Dela Cruz said he and his friend would spar in the squash court every other weekend.

“It picked up more in September. We had a regular max of five [people].”

He said that as the group grew more popular come September, they met four to five times a month, usually once a week.

“They wanted to do some sparring, so we got together. There never was any bleeding or bare-knuckled punching. We had equipment, [ . . . ] our own equipment,” said Dela Cruz.

In response to claims that proper gear was worn, U of M spokesperson Janzen said, “It was a violation of the use of the facility policy. It’s a squash court. It’s for playing squash.”

It was during September that Dela Cruz said he started a Facebook group dedicated to K.Y.O. where members could contact him if they were interested in getting together to spar in the squash courts.

“I’ve seen people use the squash courts for things other than squash. I’ve seen people break dance in them,” said Dela Cruz.

“We used to [spar] right in the Gold gym in Frank Kennedy Centre. We were getting in peoples’ way, the people playing basketball or badminton. Instead of being in their way, we chose the squash courts.”

According to Janzen, when university officials became aware of K.Y.O. and its affiliated Facebook group, all 87 individuals who were members of the online group had their gym memberships suspended, out of concern for public safety.

“[We] ultimately determined that of the 87, five had been directly involved in the situation. The other 82 were reinstated immediately,” she said.

Janzen said that individuals might have also been suspended at first because they were referenced on the Facebook page.

According to Youcef Soufi, U of M wrestling club president, he and his wrestling club had their memberships suspended because Dela Cruz had joined the wrestling club.

“They thought that we were using wrestling club as a ploy to run his fight club,” said Soufi.

Soufi said that he and his wrestling club were suspended for about two and a half weeks until university officials determined they were not a part of K.Y.O.

“Granted the circumstances that were going on, I feel their reaction was warranted. [ . . . ] If they had suspicions that [wrestling club] was involved, I can see their actions being justifiable. In the end, it all worked out.”

According to Dela Cruz, he joined the wrestling club because he cannot afford extracurricular activities and the wrestling club is free.

“They immediately assumed the whole wrestling club was behind this, but I clearly said that wrestling club was not behind this what so ever,” said Dela Cruz.

“The wrestling club had nothing to do with this. It just so happens I’m part of the wrestling club.”

Despite allegations that individuals were seen leaving the squash courts with bloodied noses Dela Cruz said, “For the record, nobody was bleeding. [ . . . ] We never go all out or go crazy like that.”

According to Dela Cruz, he and his friends have not gotten together since the university discovered the group in late November and their gym passes were suspended.

“Now everyone is like, ‘Look you’re on the news.’ I’m just being made fun of now. Even Jimmy Fallon is making fun of me.”