Steven Eargle founded Empire MMA & Fitness in Cedar City in October 2014, originally under the name Cedar City Jiu Jitsu and MMA. It is Iron County's anchor for combat sports training — the primary facility where amateur fighters in the Cedar City-Parowan corridor train, and the program that has produced amateur champions across multiple weight classes and a professional welterweight fighter under Eargle's coaching.
The program covers MMA, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai, kickboxing, and wrestling — the complete submission grappling and striking curriculum that competitive mixed martial arts training requires. The gym is at 890 W Industrial Road in Cedar City, in the commercial-industrial west side of the city, which is the address profile typical of a working training gym rather than a boutique fitness studio.
The Cedar City location matters as much as the programming. Washington County has multiple martial arts options; Iron County's population is smaller and the competitive sports ecosystem is thinner, which means Empire MMA functions as the de facto training ground for serious combat sports athletes in the county. The gym's competition record — multiple amateur champions and a professional — is the performance signal that distinguishes a serious coaching operation from a recreational martial arts program.
**Verification notes** Website live; Steven Eargle confirmed as founder and head coach; October 2014 founding confirmed on About page; address 890 W Industrial Rd Cedar City confirmed; phone (435) 586-1343 confirmed.