The Influence of MMA upon Our Youth

My grandson Cody is in the picture accompanying this article because he exemplifies my thesis. Cody is the fourth from the left and in fourth place.

Sports can be a very influential experience in the life of America's youths.

It can be positive and help a young person to find acceptance with his peers, increase his confidence in himself, and also be the impetus to attempt to progress and build upon his successes to achieve greater rewards in the future.

After reading "Fighting for Acceptance: Mixed Martial Artists and Violence in American Society" by David T. Mayeda, PH.D. and David E. Ching, M. A., I have  started to evaluate the experiences which demonstrate that sports such as MMA can have either a very positive or negative impact on the outcome of young people who are under its influence.

First, witness the sudden spate of YouTube videos made to show beat downs that are occuring frequently now in our society.

The most famous example would be the unprecedented rise of Kevin Ferguson, more commonly known as "Kimbo Slice" in the sport of MMA.

Suddenly thrust from homelessness into the spotlight of MMA fighting and headlining the Elite XC debut on CBS, Kimbo Slice has become the idol of today's teenagers.

These teens want to emulate  their idol's quick rise to fame and are trying to follow his route by posting videos of themselves beating down various male and female victims to achieve instant notoriety ala Kimbo Slice and become rich and famous.

Needless to say this is an extremely negative influence that has serious consequences for both the individuals involved and society equally.

Now Kimbo would never be my pick for a role model for anyone to emulate, let alone an impressionable adolescent.

My grandson Cody comes from Clinton, Illinois, a town with a population of maybe 8,000.  Cody has been wrestling since the age of five and has had excellent coaches and good role models. 

Cody was drawn to MMA and greatly influenced by the UFC's most dominant welterweight of all time, Matt Hughes.  The fact that Hughes comes from Hillsboro, IL., (population in the range of 4,000), and has a background similar to Cody's has really been a motivator for him to strive to become a success as a wrestler, and then follow Hughes' path into the world of MMA.

Of the two instances I have cited, I would rather have the youth of today find a popular fighter in the UFC, or another organization, with a background similar to theirs and then follow that fighter as an example, instead of following someone like Kimbo Slice. 

In the book I cited at the beginning of this article, "Fighting for Acceptance," there are many interviews with popular fighters of varying backgrounds who would make much better role models than Mr. Ferguson, like Randy Couture, Rampage Jackson, Guy Mezger, Frank Trigg and Travis Lutter, to name just a few.

Why? Because any fighter who has come up through the UFC, whether educated beyond a high school education or not, has had to work very hard and train with dedication to achieve their stardom. Their paths have not been easy, but after arriving in the UFC their awards have been great.

No, not the instant gratification most teens would hope for, but training under a skilled mentor who understands the dynamics of the sport, the necessity for proper conditioning and nutrition, and someone who loves the sport and understands the trials and tribulations a young person must encounter would be better.

It will not be a quick or easy journey, but with a good initial foundation and careful guidance it will be a goal that can safely be achieved.

In my opinion, the mark of a successful adult is to have been a positive influence and make a difference in the life of a child.