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http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-327ultimatefightingkids,0,5066399.story
I read this article and figured I would post this for some thoughts.
I want to know what you guys think and what you feel should be done. They have a poll asking if UFC style of competition should be monitored by lawmakers.
Re: UFC kids
UFC monitored by lawmakers? Ugh. I’d say no. Wasn’t it McCain who coined the term “human cockfighting”? As for kids competing, I guess it’s no more dangerous than boxing, Muay Thai or BJJ. They should definitely be allowed to train in it and any competition should be monitored to assure it’s safe for younger kids (minimal risk of injury). Once they get a little older, maybe around 12 or 13, I suppose they can start to go a bit harder.
On the notes of kids in MMA by the way, this makes me think of the opening celebration of Legends MMA gym in Hollywood. Several big name fighters were there, such as Randy Couture and Bas Rutten.
They have a big Octagon outside on the patio and there were two little kids (looking like 6 or 7) sparring like pros, hitting, takedowns, submissions, pretty impressive. Later it turned out, those were the kids of Rampage Jackson!
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GiantkillerRe: UFC kids
Hmmmm… I have mixed feelings about this. I love MMA, but i think that their is a certain amount of maturity needed to compete in an MMA match. On the other hand, I don’t think that a more traditional MA such as Judo, Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai, or even Boxing needs that same amount of maturity. MMA in and of itself is a new sport. At this point, it is lacking the tradition that helps to instill a sense of discipline in a very young (8 to 12 year old) competitor.
My opinion: Have a child train in a traditional MA or 2. BJJ or wrestling for the grappling skills. Kickboxing, or junior boxing for the stand up. Have them do their respective competions in each MA. Traditional MAs have a stricter rule set and more safety precautions in place. This will also teach them how to be competitors. When they are ready and mature enough, they can make the transition and put all of it together for MMA.
I hate to say it, but MMA hasn’t been around long enough to fully understand the “long term” effects it will have on the body. At least in the mainstream media. Our children’s generation will sort of be the test subjects for that I suppose.
That is only my opinion…
Re: UFC kids
I took a very similar approach.
I was thinking that there are alot of other ways to enjoy martial arts and learn from them. To put an 8 yo in a ring against another kid maybe older, doesn’t strike me as responsible adults. I’m sure is some cultures it’s done and all good, but I don’t think they should be competing like that. Protective gear is only so protective. It doesn’t protect against a torn muscle or an applied choke gone wrong.
When these kids get 16 or 18 years old and take wrestling in high school there have enough time to torture each other and I sure half of them are probably taking martial arts as well.
Re: UFC kids
I think BJJ tournaments or wrestling may be okay, because there may be less fear of serious injury. But if they punch and kick each other in the head (such as in Muay Thai, Boxing or MMA), that could cause serious cuts or concussions and doesn’t seem to be safe for a young child, at least not at a competition level.
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GiantkillerRe: UFC kids
Junior Boxing is pretty safe as well. There is very rarely a knockout since their is a strict ref, head gear, and several safety rules. Most refs call standing counts if a fighter doesn’t defend after 3 punches or so. I’m not sure about muay thai though…
Re: UFC kids
I cannot see a public demand for “prize” fighting for children. Even if parents are pushing their children into the ring for a full contact bout. The public by and large doesn’t have the stomach to see children beaten in such a manner.
This is a far cry from the MA matches, as mentioned, were strict rules are enforced. I can see MMA following suit in its own venture to gain acceptance in the market.
As for congress! They need to keep their noses out of public business and stick to the real crimes like steroids in baseball :rolls eyes:
Re: UFC kids
5 year olds fighting full contact
http://youtube.com/watch?v=yggldJs73lERe: UFC kids
When i was a kid i took TDK. Granted it was a highly reputable school, Tae Ryong TKD, they have an Olympic team and stuff, from 3rd grade till i started playing high school sports, but even as a kid, i always wanted more out of it. I spared as much as i could and did a bunch of tournaments, but it was never enough. I just wanted to take people down and always wondered why you couldnít.
I think “UFC Style” MMA is totally safe for kids. I mean it is by far the fastest growing sport, why not teach kids how to fight the right way, and in the right environment. Plus, with its growing popularity, there are bound to be some bully kids who train and use it to their advantage, so if you don’t know how to fight, they would be at such a disadvantage.
MMA is changing schools like MySpace changed schools, all the kids have a MySpace, and now many are learning to fight.
Re: UFC kids
quote corEy Marsh:MMA is changing schools like MySpace changed schools, all the kids have a MySpace, and now many are learning to fight.Soooooooooooo….. what are you saying? Are we bound to have little half pint ninjas roaming the united states under the influence of raging hormones, guzzling mt. dew at will, with an apocalyptic goal of collecting all the pokemon trading cards? 😛
Re: UFC kids
Ok, maybe my views are skewed because there was a lot of fighting at the high school i went to. Our lunches ended up being less than a half hour because things were getting out of hand, and they always had a cop on campus and all that. That was when i graduated, now my step brother goes there and says it hasnít changed much.
What i mean is it ups the stakes. For instance, before MySpace kids hang out in groups of friends, write notes and put pics on their lockers and notebooks, after MySpace, your friends are defined, in or out, and ranked none the less. and collecting comments to look popular becomes a full time job.
Im comparing it to mma in the sense that high school kids didnít know how to fight very good, they just go at it, but now instead of shoving matches you have kids TRAINED to beat the snot of out eachother. You dont have to have a whole lot of training or experience to totally have the upper hand on someone who has none.
Re: UFC kids
Hey guys, first post. I train in kansas city and there are a good number of teens who train at our center. As far as maa training goes I haven’t heard anything about childrens mma in kc. I will say that it is mind blowing for me to think about based soley on the logistics. In the kc metro it is almost impossible to get mma fights in all but a few cities. and even more difficut to get youth compititions. An example of which being, back in march we had 2 fighters from the center fight amature fights. Not one of the fights had any fighters under 18. and after looking up the regulations on most of the sactioning bodies/ promoters sites, I could not find 1 that allowed fighters under 18 even in exhbition fights. so, point being, it might exist in training out in the boon docks, but can’t see it happening here.
Re: UFC kids
Kind of makes you think about what it must have been like for Karate back back when; when it got started for youngsters. I wonder if parents worried their kids would be tossing smoke pellets and disappearing when it was yams and broccoli for dinner?!?!
From then till now we have (judging from my sons karate assoc.) a very structured, well planned, and well organized Karate association. I would say that is does everything to take prize fighting out of the events, every flipping kid gets a medal, and safety is stressed, restressed, and then over stressed.
Dare I say that American football (middle and high schools) takes more advantage of children then any current martial arts (MMA?) organization has ever done.
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