For Behrang Yousefi, growing up in Bandar Abbās, Iran, wasn't the easiest experience.
The 30-year-old endured some rough times during his first 12 years—things like being picked on by kids in the neighborhood and even suffering physical punishment from educators at school.
"Childhood sucked. Teenage years sucked. There's a whole lot of suppressed memories back there," Yousefi shared during an interview.
"I hung a heavy bag in the backyard and hit it, just so people wouldn't pick on me."
At age eight, Yousefi and his family abruptly left Iran, hoping to flee the political turmoil surrounding the country and begin anew in Canada. His father went straight to Canada, while Yousefi and the remainder of his family stopped briefly in Sweden until his father sent word for them to head over.
Once they got the green light to travel to Canada, Yousefi and his family found themselves detained in Germany on suspicion of using fake names and identification. They spent four years in Germany—one of those years in a refugee camp—before finally reaching Toronto, Canada when Yousefi was 12.
While living in Toronto, Yousefi developed a deep fascination for MMA, simply by watching it on television.
"I never knew fighting could be a sport. I always thought fighting was just fighting," he recalled.
"As I watched old Pride footage, The Ultimate Fighter, and just random bootleg footage, I fell in love with what it was."
MMA Journey Begins
By 2008, Yousefi struck out on his own, relocating to St. Albert, Alta., to pursue MMA training while still working for a friend's flooring business.
Upon arriving in St. Albert, Yousefi started training at Pix Martial Arts Centre (now Complete Fitness and Martial Arts).
Two years later, Yousefi grew dissatisfied with the trajectory of his flooring career and his living arrangement under his boss's roof. He decided to move in with his jiu jitsu coach, Jarid Bussemakers, and take a different path. Shortly after making the move, Yousefi stepped into the cage for his professional MMA debut.
Behnam explained that their bond was built on genuine trust, knowing they could always count on one another.
"From day one, we've been each other's biggest supporters," Behnam shared.
"It didn't matter whether his peers were physically overwhelming him or if I was too little to protect myself—brothers look out for brothers."
Even now, Behnam remains a steadfast presence in his brother's life, standing in his corner for most of his MMA bouts.
Though the two now live a few hours apart, with Yousefi settling in Eckville and Behnam based out of Edmonton, Behnam insists distance has never been an obstacle.
"Edmonton or anywhere else, wherever he is, I'll show up if he needs me."
