Ultimate Fighting Wins Kid Converts

Kids As Young As Six Are Participating In Pugilistic Sport With Their Parents' Approval

(AP)  Ultimate fighting was once the sole domain of burly men who beat each other bloody in anything-goes brawls.

But the mixed martial art sport often derided as "human cockfighting" is branching out.

The bare-knuckle fights are now attracting competitors as young as 6 whose parents treat the sport as casually as wrestling or soccer.

The changes were evident on a recent evening in southwest Missouri, where a team of several young boys and one girl grappled on gym mats in a converted garage.

Two members of the group called the "Garage Boys Fight Crew" touched their thin martial-arts gloves in a flash of sportsmanship before beginning a relentless exchange of sucker punches, body blows and swift kicks.

No blood was shed. And both competitors wore protective gear. But the bout reflected the decidedly younger face of ultimate fighting. The trend alarms medical experts and sports officials who worry that young bodies cannot withstand the pounding.

Tommy Bloomer, father of two of the "Garage Boys," does not understand the fuss.

"We're not training them for dog fighting," said Bloomer, a 34-year-old construction contractor. "As a parent, I'd much rather have my kids here learning how to defend themselves and getting positive reinforcement than out on the streets."

Bloomer said the sport has evolved since the no-holds-barred days by adding weight classes to better match opponents and banning moves such as strikes to the back of the neck and head, groin kicking and head butting.

Missouri appears to be the only state in the nation that explicitly allows the youth fights. In many states, it is a misdemeanor for children to participate. A few states have no regulations.

Supporters of the sport acknowledge that allowing fights between kids sounds brutal at first. But they insist the competitions have plenty of safety rules.

"It looks violent until you realize this teaches discipline. One of the first rules they learn is that this is not for aggressive behavior outside (the ring)," said Larry Swinehart, a Joplin police officer and father of two boys and the lone girl in the garage group.

The sport, which is also known as cage fighting, has already spread far beyond cable television. Last month, CBS became the first of the Big Four U.S. television networks to announce a deal to broadcast primetime fights. The fights have attracted such a wide audience, they are threatening to surpass boxing as America's most popular pugilistic sport.

Hand-to-hand combat is also popping up on the big screen. The film "Never Back Down," described as "The Karate Kid" for the YouTube generation, has taken in almost $17 million in two weeks at the box office. Another current mixed martial arts movie, "Flash Point," an import from Hong Kong, is in limited release.

Bloomer said the fights are no more dangerous or violent than youth wrestling. He watched as his sons, 11-year-old Skyler and 8-year-old Gage, locked arms and legs and wrestled to the ground with other kids in the garage in Carthage, about 135 miles south of Kansas City.

The 11 boys and one girl on the team range from 6 to 14 years old and are trained by Rudy Lindsey, a youth wrestling coach and a professional mixed martial arts heavyweight.

"The kids learn respect and how to defend themselves. It's no more dangerous than any other sport and probably less so than some," Lindsey said.

Lindsey said the children wear protective headgear, shin guards, groin protection and martial-arts gloves. They fight quick, two-minute bouts. Rules also prohibit any elbow blows and blows to the head when an opponent is on the ground.

In most states, mixed martial arts is overseen by boxing commissions. In Missouri, the Office of Athletics regulates the professional fights but not the amateur events, which include the youth bouts. For amateurs, the regulation is done by sanctioning bodies that have to register with the athletics office.

The rules are different in Oklahoma, where unauthorized fights are generally a misdemeanor offense. The penalty is a maximum 30 days in jail and a fine up to $1,000.

Joe Miller, administrator of the Oklahoma Professional Boxing Commission, said youth fights are banned in his state, and he wants it to stay that way.

"There's too much potential for damage to growing joints," he said.

Miller said mixed martial arts uses a lot of arm and leg twisting to force opponents into submission. Those moves, he said, pressure joints in a way not found in sanctioned sports like youth boxing or wrestling.

Back in the Missouri garage, Bloomer said parents should not worry about kids becoming aggressive from learning mixed martial arts. He said his older son was picked on by bullies at school repeatedly last year but never fought them, instead reporting the problem to his teachers.

And fighters including his 8-year-old son get along once a bout is over, Bloomer said.

"When they get out of the cage, they go back and play video games together. It doesn't matter who won and who lost. They're still little buddies."

[fightforfun]

I really don't understand the problem w/ kids fighting, it's nothing more than a recreational sport, it doesn't affect us any differently if we didn't do it. I'm a teen myself and my friends and i fight for the fun of it, but it doesn't change whether or not we're friends b/c we just do it for fun and when we're finished, yes we may shed some blood or have bruised bones, but we're still buds

[cbsguest6]

I''d rather make love to a woman than kill a man...

[theren11]

MMA has made a lot of changes since it was called "human cockfighting." Rules have been put in place to protect the fighters including gloves(which means no bare nuckles). Its as safe as any contact sport like boxing, wrestling or even football. these kids shouldnt be fighting in a garage they should have a proper ring or wrestling pads to make sure they are safe.

[haikumonk]

This is child abuse, pure and simple. The last thing we need in the USA is "***-fight" style matches between children at ages of six! It''s disgraceful: it''s illegal (child abuse). And the parents... should be charged with "child endangerment" and sent to prison.

There are many other things children of that age should be learning besides how to pound each other into dust.

This is shameful....

[aross1--2008]

There are plenty of outlets--martial arts, wrestling, etc. This particular sport is untested and has no protocols by age and weight. Ick. I had my sons in karate and, later, wrestling and running (along with soccer, baseball and flag football). This isn''t an athletic discipline. It is preparation for bar brawls at a later age. Get a grip folks.

[iknowbest-2009]

This should be encourage - parents, train them while you can, before the libs pass a law requiring them to surrender rather than fight back.

[docadams3]

There are civilized alternatives.

[howdeedoo]

i didn''t see that, that''s in a whole new light for me now i hope other people read your comment for some are very fixed on their first thought. (and won''t give it a rest)

[Devans0]

When I was young, I started learning TaeKwonDo. I had a ball, got fit and learned a sport that enjoyed. Now, the popular thing is MMA. It combines wrestling, judo, juijutsu, karate, Thai boxing and western boxing into one sport with many components. I still work out, though I am way past competing age. I also see youngsters learn this sport. Except for some wrestling, it is very similar to TaeKwonDo as that is taught all over the world. If you read the original article, notice that one parent with the daughter and son who are enrolled, works as a police officer. Does anyone think that he is trying to teach his children to be thugs! Get perspective.

[howdeedoo]

ok i think this is a sport good as long as they have strict rules, and accepting peoples limits go for it! i do understand the emotional problems and bad influences there are at stake but that is for the childs parent to consider.

[therealbd]

I think most of you are right... I mean why you would want your young child out releasing some stored up energy, learning about self discipline, self confidence, self defense, getting exercise, making new friends and have an activity they look forward to?
You really should just keep you youngsters at home right under your wing so they won''t get hurt (because YOU can protect them from ever getting hurt and getting hurt will never happen to them during there life). Instead, when they are running around the house, all filled with energy, take them to the doctor IMMEDIATLEY! There they will prescribe some Ritalin, force these pill down there through, put them back in there plastic bubble, have them sit in front of the TV and watch all that youthful energy (which we all wish we still had) evaporate into nothing. Just think, in just a few short years of this, there bellies will grow to be as big as mommy and daddies. That%u2019s much much safer and so much healthier...
I cannot believe that we''ve gotten so soft that we make a huge issue out of little boy rough housing with one another under expert supervision.

[timdgrim]

Coming soon to the ALL NEW SPIKE JR. CHANNEL!

[excoachken]

Do these kids really have parents? How moronic!

[mjvw2]

I didn''t know George Bush had such an effect on children.

[xraytwonine]

it is only human nature; let those who seek blood gets it.

[andrew0120]

USBrit, I agree with you on your concerns over the age of these kids and their level of development. I do however, feel that with proper supervision, rules and safety equipment, this can be a safe and fun activity for these youngsters. The article makes this sound like they are in someones basement and that these kids are just rolling around cranking on eachothers'' arms. I think it is a little more organized than that. You do raise some reasonable concerns.

[nycsense]

I really don''t know how letting 6 year olds fight in all out brawls has any remote connection to a politition picking up prostitutes. I don''t know how a subject about children engaging in high levels of violence has any bearing on who anyone did or will vote for. What we are talking about has nothing do do with politics! In the Ultimate Fighting Championship matches, these are adults who trained in some form of martial arts and go to these compititions. They are ADULTS, who are fully aware of the consequences. Does a child really know how hurt they can get? I also understand that some of you THINK that this all-out, bare-knuckle brawl is a safe sport. But let me remind you that boxing and football may be rough sports too, but Mohamed Ali didn''t get Parkinson''s from picking daisies. Also, most old football players are plagued with chronic pain for the rest of thier lives years after playing football. Now imagine the injuries from getting kicked in the head repeatedly, with no padding. Does anyone still think this is good for their child? If you do, that says alot more about you than your child, and maybe you need to get kicked in the head repeatedly to knock some sense into you.

[usbrit-2009]

OK Andrew - maybe I was a little judgemental - what you say about brain injury does sound reasonable. I still don''t think it''s a good idea to put 6-year-olds in. England doesn''t start teaching any sport until 8 or 9 because 6-year old bones are not ready to take the torques involved in soccer (or even cricket for that matter) - so I don''t see how this can be safe for ones that young. They''re also susceptible at that age to fatherly "encouragement" so more damage could be done on account of trying to please dad.

[andrew0120]

USBrit, All of the stuff on Spike that you think is so "Brutal" is not nearly as bad as you think. Almost all of the injuries are superficial cuts and bloody noses. There is no lasting damage. Occasionally there is a broken bone such as a nose or a hand from punching. Boxers have lasting brain damage in some cases as well as broken jaws and when a boxer gets knocked down they get ten seconds to recover and then pummeled again. In mma because the fight continues on the ground, as soon as a fighter cannot intelligently defend him or herself the fight is over. There is no repetitive brain trauma. The only reason you think it is more brutal is because it is more bloody when you flip through channels. Doctors are on hand and as soon as it is deamed unsafe for a fighter to continue, the fight is over. Less injuries than football, soccer, and boxing. It is just more common to have a cut so all of you assume that this is the most brutal sport in the world and people are being treated like gladiators. That line of though is just ridiculous.

[usbrit-2009]

What information do you need - two guys (sometimes) in a cage beating the *** out of each other. Maybe I''m misjudging the newer, cleaner ulitimate fighting, the one with rules, but what they still put on Spike looks pretty *** brutal to me. Andrew - I''d sure like to see a flyer where Dr. Brutus O''Slugger is up against Fred "the Masher" Gormless, Ph.D.