Get to know Power Ranger, MMA fighter and Pleasant Grove resident Mike O’Laskey

PLEASANT GROVE, Utah — Mike O’Laskey comes off surprisingly unassuming in his Hawaiian print shorts and sci-fi nerdy t-shirts, hanging out in his PG martial arts studio before classes with his dog. In contrast, the walls of the studio lobby are covered in masks, movie posters, certificates, and championship belts, all representing his acting roles, Martial Arts Instructor credentials, and MMA titles. With credits to his name like being part of the Power Rangers, 3 Ninjas, Star Trek, and Star Wars franchises, as well as a number of MMA titles, one has to wonder: how did a Power Ranger end up in Pleasant Grove?

Having grown up with a green beret father who considered self-defense a life skill like math or religion, Mike says, “My dad would no more raise an adult that couldn’t defend themselves than he would an adult that couldn’t read. With that mentality, it’s safe to say I remember my first kicks about as much as I remember my first words.”

At age 10, Mike was noticed and cast in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers as Young Rocky, the last original red ranger. He earned his black belt at age 12, then turned 15 on the set of 3 Ninjas: High Noon at Mega Mountain playing “Colt,” who he credits as his spirit animal.

Six years later, he was cast on Star Trek: Enterprise. “As a Sci-Fi nerd I was stoked to be able to die in the Star Trek Franchise. That was a really cool experience. I was a little bummed to find that I wouldn’t be wearing a “Red Shirt,” so I wore one under my ‘military uniform’ wardrobe just for myself.”

A frequent question he gets is if he would change anything about his childhood stardom. He says, “My childhood was spent driving to auditions and practicing martial arts, my teens and early 20s were spent on movie sets and traveling teaching martial arts, and my adulthood has been spent teaching military and law enforcement as well as in MMA gyms and MMA Cages.

“I missed out on Proms, Spirit Weeks, and Homecoming games, sure. But I also got to see the world, work, and train with celebrities and legends, as well as other experiences that are equally as memorable for me. So I don’t think I would have changed it.”

As an adult, Mike became drawn to MMA fighting, which brought him to Utah. He would travel here for weeks at a time to acclimate to the altitude before fights. While in competition, he fell in love with Pleasant Grove and its location relative to nature nearby, and recalls, “PG seemed like the perfect place. Safe, relaxing, and far enough from the city to not be tempted by its indulgences. Perfect for someone that has a fight in a few weeks. So when it came time to open my Martial Arts School, PG was a natural fit!”

Mike and his wife Nikki live with their Seppela Husky, Bodhi, and are waiting to find the right Pleasant Grove house to buy. Nikki is a functional fitness athlete, fitness competitor, and strength coach, all while working for a local sports uniform company. They don’t have any kids of their own, but claim their students as family.

O’Laskey says the life cycle of a martial artist is “Student, Warrior, Teacher.” When asked what he loves about teaching martial arts, he responds, “Watching kids grow through experience rather than mantra. Seeing them do something that scares them and then watching them succeed or helping them persevere through failure is a true honor.

“Helping teenagers understand that all the “success” they see on social media comes with a whole host of hard work and failures done in the dark that they have never seen.

“But mostly, I like showing people of all ages that Martial Arts is more than just kicking and punching. You get to learn about history and other people’s culture – without buying flights and taking a few weeks off work.”

Martial Arts and entertainment are two of Mike’s biggest passions. He opened the OMA: Ranger Academy in 2020 just as the pandemic hit, so things have grown differently than expected. Once he’s reached his enrollment goals, he hopes to pursue live theatre here in Utah. “Most of my experience in entertainment has been on the screen, so doing work in front of a live audience and that instant feedback sounds fun!”

In the meantime, when he’s not teaching live at the academy, Mike is often found making Martial Arts education videos for social media. “I love learning about science and philosophy and being pulled by my husky down snowy trails in the Uintas. I like traveling to new places and hunting for Martial Weapons of the past. I have an antique collection of swords and daggers from other areas of the world that make it fun to reminisce about my travels. My wife and I like to pick up local guides to an area’s best restaurants, sample food, and indulge in an occasional craft cocktail. I tend to think the best way to learn about a new area’s past is through their food and their fighting.”

We’re glad for the wealth of experience Mike O’Laskey brings to our community and look forward to hearing about the next adventures of our local Power Ranger.

Bonus Q&A

You recently did a stint on “The Book of Boba Fett” on Disney+. How was that getting back on screen?

Mike O’Laskey: When I was asked to appear as a Tusken Raider in the Book of Boba Fett I jumped at the chance. When it comes to a huge, epic franchise like Star Wars how can you say no? BoBF wasn’t very glamorous, but working in Hollywood rarely is. We had to work in the desert sun with masks on you can hardly see out of and swing a stick around. And the wardrobe was so complicated to take off and put on that it was just easier to keep it on the whole time, even during breaks. The discipline of my Martial Arts training and the hard work, “Embrace the Pain” mindset of my MMA training really paid out dividends on that production. But that’s part of the fun of creating. You put in sweat and pain and it comes out as art.

Acting, Martial Arts, stunt work, MMA – what’s the most fun?

O’Laskey: They all have their fun parts and their lame parts. Their Yin and Yang if you will.

I tend to like to work with the “Stunties” (Industry lingo for Stuntmen) the most because most of them have a personality that I gravitate to. They are athletic and hardworking, but don’t take themselves too seriously. You sometimes can’t say the same for actors and MMA Fighters. It’s not their fault really, just part of the job they have.

Martial Artists are the best though. Being part of a like-minded group of people all training together to get better, rather than competing with each other is so much fun. It’s why I set up my own Martial Arts School in Pleasant Grove – to provide a type of Martial Arts environment I didn’t see in Utah in all my travels.

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