MMA fighting group for high schoolers?

Um NO! First of all 18 years can already fight in MMA they’re legally adults. Even though MMA is very popular parents, politicians, religious groups, etc. would never let children compete in MMA. Their still growing physically and mentally and don’t need the risks.

I love MMA but kids should be focusing on careers with much better futures. Most MMA fighters aren’t living the good life like Chuck Liddell or Randy Couture or Tito Ortiz. Most MMA fighters are barely scraping by and still have full-time jobs.

Many don’t even have health insurance. MMA fighter Jessica Bednark fell into coma several weeks ago after an artery ruptured in her brain. She is currently in a medically induced coma. Bednark did not have medical insurance and now her family is asking for donations to help with her bills.

Another fighter without insurance was 20 year old Zach Kirk.who after a botched takedown attempt fell break his neck and is permanently paralyzed.

I’m not saying every fighter will end up like them but there is a chance. Like I said before not all MMA fighters get lucky like Liddell, Couture, Ortiz, and a handful of others making the big bucks.

High schoolers should truly be mixing their martial arts. Meaning, they should take up some Judo and/or Wrestling, some TKD/Karate, some Boxing, some Kung Fu. They should be learning what they want to be their base art and cross training. Since most high schools have wrestling teams, that is a great place to start.

If you really want an MMA career,
a) go to college and get a degree in something that pays good money. Something technical, like computer science or accounting.
b) get a black belt in a striking art, then a black belt in a grappling art
c) wrestle for your college

MMA is supposed to mean Mixed Martial Arts, meaning you are taking at least two complementary martial arts disciplines and merging them for effectiveness. Since you are young, you have the time and energy to actually learn some disciplines and truly blend them.

One more thing: I’d take Judo first, then BJJ. I’ve never formally taken BJJ but I have tapped guys who are just BJJ because they do not know any Judo throws and they are too insistent on mat work. Judo has mat work AND standing throws. The guys who beat me at Judo are typically guys who train BJJ AND Judo. Why? Because if the ground thing is not working they will switch it back to standing throws. If I know you are just BJJ (and it’s easy to find out because BJJ guys will brag about being BJJ guys before they fight you) I’ll frustrate you by not letting the fight go to the ground, then when you get frustrated, you do your takedown incorrectly, and when you do that I pin you. If I know you are just BJJ, when you go for your flying armbar (or whatever it is called, and why do people who weigh over 200 pounds try that thing anyway, they’re too slow at it) I neutralize it. That’s where the Bruce Lee criticism of “styles” comes in handy. You put yourself in a box and thereby become predictable.