Should MMA Be Offered As a College Degree?

These schools could offer financial add to ensure that they are getting the kind of training that they deserve, not just the kinds that they can afford. Many potentially great fighters get lost by the wayside because they can’t afford the bigger and better gyms and instead opt for the cheap gym that is more of a meat grinder than training facility.

Schools could offer a safe training environment and serve to set up amateur fights for students. Instead of participating in illegal “smoker” events, young fighters could be matched up in school regulated matches that pay professional referees to come in and ensure fighter safety, instead of just finding the guy that has seen the most UFC PPVs.

Not to mention that if this were a four year, or even two year degree, it would force the fighters to show a level of dedication to the sport. Instead of people thinking they could compete after doing 30 days of BJJ or muay thai, fighters would think twice before fighting someone with no less than two years of intensive experience.

All of this would actually serve to narrow down the talent pool of fighters. The fighters that train for the degree with have a more well versed knowledge and broader range of training (think about studying abroad for a semester in Sao Paulo), but the fighters that didn’t have the means to go to college could at least get better training.

The more narrow talent pool would increase the pay for fighters as well. Instead of being able to lowball fighters with weak pay, the fewer number of fighters would create a greater need and force promoters to pay more to get the more talented fighters.

Fighters would be able to make better a better living even if they weren’t able to earn contracts in the larger organizations.

For those of you that have made it this far in the article and still aren’t convinced, think about this: physical education is a degree. The people with these degrees become coaches and teachers. Why not specify MMA?

It may be too much to ask to see this at the state level, but community and technical colleges that specify in MMA might not be that much of a long shot. There is a lot of untapped potential and information out there that is not being utilized that could (and should) be put to good use.

The bottom line: MMA is dangerous. The more fighters that are in the sport that have little to no training just adds to the danger of stupid injuries. By giving fighters the opportunity to broaden and refine their knowledge and abilities we would be creating a safer environment to fight in with high caliber fighters that can no longer get by just with one skill set (*cough* wrestlers).

Keep in mind, the degree wouldn’t be necessary. Fighters can still compete and hope for the best, however, if there is anything that we can do to refine the sport, isn’t it an option to look into?

After all, these guys are going to be fighters anyway, why not see exactly how good we can make them?

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