GRANITE FALLS, Minnesota, March 13, 2025—Pioneer PBS is set to launch Next Up MN, a new digital series focusing on the sports culture of the Upper Midwest. The series aims to connect with the community by highlighting inspiring stories from local athletes. The inaugural episode will feature Aaron Sears, a mixed martial arts instructor. The episode will drop online and air on Thursday, March 20, at 8 p.m. on Pioneer PBS.
Entitled "Unleashing The Fighters: The Rise of MMA In Southwest Minnesota," this episode is an action-packed look into the world of something fresh, fierce, and full of energy—mixed martial arts! At the Kilowatt Community Center in Granite Falls, MN, Sensei Aaron Sears showcases his dedication and passion for the sport and the transformative power that comes from it.
Individuals in Pioneer PBS’s viewing area can livestream this episode at pioneer.org/live. All episodes and segments can also be viewed on the PBS app and online at pioneer.org/digitalstudios/, video.pioneer.org/show/pioneer-digital-studios/, and youtube.com/@PioneerPBS/.
About Next Up MN
Next Up MN is a local sports program produced and created by A’ja Nauden, who also handles the videography and editing. The series is made possible by funding from Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies, and members of Pioneer PBS.
About Pioneer PBS
Established in 1966, Pioneer PBS is an award-winning, viewer-supported television station dedicated to sharing stories from rural Minnesota with the world. Pioneer PBS is headquartered in Granite Falls, Minnesota, with towers in Appleton, Worthington, and Fergus Falls. Pioneer PBS reaches more than a million people in rural areas and small towns in western Minnesota, the eastern Dakotas, and northern Iowa. Pioneer PBS is honored to be your television station—the only station in western Minnesota telling your stories and raising your voices into the media landscape. Our members help make programs like this possible with their generous support. For more information about Pioneer PBS or how you can help us make these stories a reality, visit pioneer.org/support or call 800-726-3178.