MMA for kids returns to the news, this time in my local paper, the Boston Globe. This article, by Keith O’Brien, was a bit better than one addressed in a previous post, as the reporting was much more balanced. The main unresolved issue was the lack of regulation in the state since it was determined that the Boxing Commission had no jurisdiction.
It was kind of fun to see Tim Gillet (a student of Kenpojoe) featured, as well as the folks at Nexus Martial Arts where a middle school student I worked with is now enjoying Muay Thai.
Despite the concerns that Dr. O’Brien of the Children’s Hospital Sports Injury Department voiced about the culture of MMA, I don’t think he’s got an accurate grip on the culture. Real gyms don’t want injured fighters. When these kids train, tapping is part of the process. When I took Judo (briefly, as a kid) we did chokes and armbars. When we were caught in an armbar, we tapped. Refusing to tap meant lost training time. I think the fact that he works at Children’s Hospital Boston, but mentions that it is mainly adults receiving minor injuries that are reported doesn’t support his point, but rather bolsters the safety record of MMA.
MMA is only one of many sports children may choose. Boxing is sanctioned at age 8 (including head shots) with headgear, and pee wee football at age 5. Both are fine sports, but I would favor MMA’s serious injury record, especially for kids, against theirs in a heartbeat.
The point that there is not a sanctioning body is a valid criticism put forth by the article. Unfortunately the quote by Dana White of the UFC is likely to be taken out of context. When he says, “it’s incredibly dangerous”, he’s referring to the lack of oversight, not the sport itself. The promoters have done a pretty good job so far, but I think a central agreement on requirements might make the sport more mainstream, make securing locations easier, and will diminish liability concerns. Additionally, a common selection of rulesets should make training for events easier. An added bonus would be the possibility of a UFC event in Boston. Most likely a Kenny Florian vs. Joe Lauzon rematch would be a pretty big seller in this area.
One final point was the fight by 16 year-old Scott Nichols against 18 year-old John Morrissey in Brockton last April. The article mentions that Scott fought (using a restricted rule set and more protective gloves) at age 16. Morrissey won in a unanimous decision, but the fight went the distance. The injuries reported involved a black eye (for the winner) and a report of some vomiting due to overexertion by Nichols. This technically isn’t an injury, and is more of a representation of effort – much like the vomiting I have observed at a college track and field class, and have had reported to me regarding basketball practices at the middle school level.
Nichols now 17 hopes to become a fighter when he graduates from high school this year. As a senior at Somerville High School, by the rules of his town, he would have started the school year at age 17 by August 31, so the absolute youngest he could have been at the fight was 16.5. This would have made him 6 months from eligibility to box in the Olympics against 17-34 year olds, or to serve in Iraq. He’s now eligible for both. Will he choose something safe like that or something dangerous like a MMA bout?
