Do any of you guys compete in MMA? (amateur or professional). Is it rewarding?

Getting punched in the face is gruelling and painful.

Are you the sort of guy who would trade getting his schnozz broken just so you can have the chance of breaking some other guy's?

If so, then you will find MMA rewarding.

 

I've never fought in mma, but I have some old friends who did. I've loved martial arts from a young age and grew up doing it. I did karate for over 10 years, wrestled al four years in high school and got my blue belt in jiu-jitsu before I got sick. There were times that I really considered doing it.

At the end of the day, though, the price that you have to pay is not worth it. If you could go magically recover from the injuries and brain damage that you sustained in a fight after you stepped out of the cage, then it might be worth it. But you can't. You have to live with those concussions, broke bones, torn ligaments, nerve damage and whatever else you might endure.

The crazy thing, too, is that this damage doesn't just occur to novices who don't know what they're doing. I remember watching the second Robbie Lawler vs Rory MacDonald fight. I was rooting for Rory. I had seen how impressive he had looked in the Maia, Woodley and Saffiedine fights and I thought it was finally his time to shine and win the title. And he got close about as close to winning a title and failing as you can get when he twice blasted Robbie with head kicks, backed him into the cage and started battering him. And yet he lost. Rory almost died in that fight with blood leaking down his throat into his lungs. His nose was completely shattered and has never been the same. He has undoubtedly suffered permanent brain damage and seems to have some type of neurological condition now where he regularly seizes up and twitches.

In the back of my mind, I always kept open the possibility of maybe trying it some day even though I had long since let go of the idea of trying to make it a career. But I remember watching Rory crumble to the ground and then see him collapse as the medical personnel tried to keep him upright and just internally realizing that I was never going to do this now. If a fighter as promising as Rory MacDonald could be crippled like that, it could happen to anyone and could definitely happen to someone far less talented like me. And what did Rory get for all that? I think he got paid like 59,000 dollars. And after all that sacrifice, he didn't even achieve his dream of winning a UFC title.

The scary thing is that it doesn't just happen as an accumulation of punishment over a long career. It can happen in one single fight. It can happen from one punch or kick.

If you do decide to do it, take it very seriously as you can be permanently hurt in there. You can even die in there. I agree with BCS8. It's just not worth it.

 

• 
  
  

  ---

  
  

  Click here to register a FREE forum account and REMOVE ADS

  
  
  

Unless you intend to take it seriously(compete) I never think MMA or even boxing is worth it. Grappling/BJJ with striking training(i.e. pads & bagwork) fair enough but any training requiring you to actually fight isn't worth it. You're damaging yourself for nothing.