The first rule of underage MMA fight club is no cameras

The first rule of underage MMA fight club is….wait, who brought in the video camera?  Greenland’s Labour Club is a pub/entertainment complex in England.  MMA is Mixed Martial Arts; it’s a little bit of boxing with a whole lot of Steven Segal and Chuck Norris.  An 8 year old is that little boy that should be studying in the living room right now.  Combine all of them, add a bikini ring girl and 250 observers ginned up on beer and you get this.

When Toddler Mojo is older I would like to enroll him in some form of martial arts.  Perhaps Tae Kwon Do, Karate or Krav Maga, we’ll pick a discipline once he gets older-if he seems to like it.  Personally I believe it would help him with focus, patience and improve his balance, both physically and spiritually.  I’ve seen enough episodes of Kung-Fu to know that martial arts are a form of self defense and avoiding conflict.

In high school I was on the wrestling team for one season.  The intensity and physical exertion needed to be successful just didn’t mesh with my lazy teen attitude.  I also didn’t like the close contact with other guys, not that there’s anything wrong with that, and I lacked discipline.

As much as I disliked wrestling I knew that there was a method to it.  When this happened you try that, if that didn’t work then you try this.

The fight club that they caught on video in the U.K. had unprotected fighters as young as 8.  They were quick to point out that fighters can’t punch or kick their opponent until they turn 14.  Club owners said that all of the parents were in attendance and asked if it would be better if these kids were on the streets with guns and knives.

British police looked into the matter and found that nothing illegal had occurred.  They were quick to call the activity “barbaric”, but stated that there nothing had happened outside of the law.

I’m all for kids’ getting exercise and learning a sport, but MMA is something for adults.  To be clear, what the kids were doing was Greco Roman Wrestling and not MMA.  However, the way that the event was organized, with the ring girls, octagon cage, entry from the locker rooms all felt like an MMA match.  That’s the problem with it.

I would also question the judgment of the parents.  That’s awesome that you’re taking part in your child’s extracurricular activities, but a soccer match or school fair might prove to be more impactful in the long run.