MMA fighters that started training purely mma at a young age.

[what-wut]

The heavyweight champ and his challenger only started training mma a few years ago. Which is not a good look for the sport imo.
If you compare it to boxing for example where the overwhelming majority of champions Start training from a very young age.

When I first started following the sport around 2006 we used talk about the age of the complete fighter. When fighters will start training mma since the age of 10 or whatever, it hasn't really materialised which is disappointing tbh. Obviously weak pay is probably the main reason for this.

Anyway what fighters do we know of today that started training mma from a young age let's say 13 and below?

 

[OriginMMA]

I think Rory?

 

[TempleoftheDog]

Yeah Rory was one of the first. But give it 20-30 years. It’ll get there. There is generally some kind of MA base to most of it.

 

[Twc]

AJ McKee - trained by his dad Antonio
Aaron Pico

 

[PlasticFishBowl]

Edmen Shabazyan. And he already has regressed at age 25 lol.

starting too young is probably a negative.

 

[Ares Black]

Erin Blanchfield started training BJJ at 7 years old and decided to be a pro fighter when she was 12.

 

[what-wut]

Edmen Shabazyan. And he already has regressed at age 25 lol.

starting too young is probably a negative.

Only if you are thrown to the wolves early. Young fighters need to be built up slowly.

 

[Sweater of AV]

Jordan Mein

 

[Holli]

Rory Mac comes to mind, prob the first guy I heard about that started training MMA with no other experience. Still can't believe he fought robbie for peanuts. That fight was an all out war.

 

[Wizzlebiz]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with only training mma for a couple of years and being elite.

Some people have the ability to absorb knowledge fast and put it into action.

 

[CerebralKnievel]

AJ McKee - trained by his dad Antonio
Aaron Pico

Aaron Pico is a decorated wrestler and golden gloves boxer.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

The thing with MMA is that if you're training in a combat sport then you're already training MMA, you're just getting better at that aspect of MMA first. Most coaches I know think kids should just do karate or judo or whatever when they're young to get used to movement and contact and then move into other sports as they get a bit older.

 

[AmericanMMA]

Jordan Mien is a great example

 

[Super Grover]

Yeah Rory was one of the first. But give it 20-30 years. It’ll get there.

No it won't. Wrestling has been around alot longer than MMA and is even offered as part of high school sports. It's still a niche sport.

MMA will never be something that lots of kids do.

 

[Ogata]

Modern example is Rory MacDonalds.

Ken Shamrock did Shootfighting which is early MMA but later he focused on grappling due to grappling being his favorite component of Shootfighting. I believe he got his start in MMA/Shootfighting through pro wrestling.


Also, MMA is EXTREMELY expensive to learn and most MMA gyms have recreational programs. Their legit fighters are those who already proved themselves from wrestling, boxing, and different kickboxing styles like thai style or karate/taekwondo. Those fighters learned from a respectable mentors, masters, coaches, sensei's on what it takes to be winners.

Most MMA gyms and trainers have no idea how to turn wimps in to winners. They recruit existing martial artist and provide a place to train and get them fights. Their money comes from MMA fans who train recreationally. They also never invest nor do they believe in what they teach since its just cookie cutter stuff for 99 percent of the gyms that do MMA.

 

[Pierced7681]

Frank Shamrock. Ken taught him mma right after he got out of prison.

 

[TempleoftheDog]

No it won't. Wrestling has been around alot longer than MMA and is even offered as part of high school sports. It's still a niche sport.

MMA will never be something that lots of kids do.

There are actual mma gyms in every city. Just use your imagination and a little bit of extrapolation. Especially in countries that don’t give a fuck about wrestling.

 

[Cameron]

The thing with MMA is that if you're training in a combat sport then you're already training MMA, you're just getting better at that aspect of MMA first. Most coaches I know think kids should just do karate or judo or whatever when they're young to get used to movement and contact and then move into other sports as they get a bit older.

I think Gymnastics is the best. Get kids to develop their overall body awareness and train all the generalized athletic components that a foundational to every and basically all sports.

Then at around 10-12 start them in martial arts and stick to that one art for a few years. At 15-16 start the mma training.

Then you will have a great general athletic base that will help you pick up new skills quickly. You will have a base art to be the foundation of your game. And start the MMA training young enough that by the time you come into prime years from 24-32 you will be an absolute monster with decades of martial arts training under your belt.

Someone that did that would be a monster.

 

[Sweater of AV]

Frank Shamrock. Ken taught him mma right after he got out of prison.

Yeah but Frank was a grown man when Ken started training him.

 

[Skandal]

I was supposed to be GOAT
but I ate duck hearth on Christmass 2011.
(our cousins from village gave us duck).
So I ducked my whole carrier at once.