Fight Kids: The Future of Mixed Martial Arts or a Detriment to America's Youth? A Call to Regulate Children's MMA

• Date: 01 October 2013
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/fcre.12063
• Author: Daniel Neyra
• Published date: 01 October 2013

FIGHT KIDS: THE FUTURE OF MIXED MARTIAL ARTS OR

A DETRIMENT TO AMERICA’S YOUTH? A CALL TO

REGULATE CHILDREN’S MMA*

Daniel Neyra

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is a full-contact combat sport that has been labeled the “fastest growing sport in the world.”MMA

consists of hand-to-hand combat between two fighters trained in various forms of martial arts. Typical MMA bouts consist of

punches, kicks, elbow and knee strikes, joint manipulation, and strangulation techniques. MMA bouts end in a submission

(a “tap out”), knockout, or by a judge’s decision. MMA is well known for its violence and brutal nature, with many fighters

suffering lacerations, concussions, and broken or manipulated joints and bones. The Ultimate Fighting Championship, the

largest MMA promotion company, has become immensely popular, landing itself on the FOX network and increasing its

viewership by the millions. Manyviewers include children who now practice and compete in MMA. The problem, however, is

that there are no laws or rules that govern or regulate underage MMA competitions. This has led to unregulated MMA

competitions featuring children fighters, which poses a serious health risk to the children.A longstanding debate exists whether

children should participate in MMA fights or whether MMA should be banned entirely.This Note balances the competing views

and rejects the proposal for banning MMA and instead calls for the regulation of children MMA competitions. This Note will

offer three proposals in which regulating children’s MMA can be accomplished.

Keypoints for the Family Court Community

• Addresses an ongoing and unaddressed problem of underage children competing in mixed martial arts (MMA)

• Educates the reader as to what is MMA, giving a brief background and information as to this sport which has exploded

in popularity over recent years

• With the inconsistent regulation of MMA in this country, this is a problem that will worsen without giving it the

necessary attention

• Helps to dilute the misconceptions and misunderstanding of MMA as a whole

• Addreses the health concerns and risks to underage children participating in MMA

• Discusses and suggests several alternatives to help resolve this issue

Keywords: Athletic Commissions;Children;Encroachment;Federalism;Fight;Fighters;Fighting;Mixed Martial Arts

(MMA);Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC);and Underage.

I. INTRODUCTION

Mixed Martial Arts, popularly knownas “MMA,” is a full contact sport that encompasses a mixture

of techniques from a variety of different fighting disciplines, such as collegiate and international

wrestling, judo, sambo, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, boxing, and muay thai kickboxing.1MMA competition

involve two contestants, inside a locked cage or a ring and wearing minimal protective equipment,

who unleash a myriad of full force punches, elbow strikes, knee strikes, kicks, neck chokes, arm and

leg manipulations, body throws, and other grappling and striking techniques against each other.2As

in other contact sports, there is the potential for significant injury in MMA.3Common injuries include

abrasions and lacerations, concussions and trauma to the brain, facial injuries, and fractures and other

orthopedic injuries.4There are several reported deaths of adult MMA competitors, but no reported

deaths of children MMA competitors.5

Jones Ultimate Mixed Martial Arts,6a MMA school that specializes in “Jerry Jones Free-Style

Jiu-Jitsu,”7teaches its students MMA and self-defense and focuses particularly on submission

Correspondence: Danneyra@gmail.com

FAMILY COURT REVIEW, Vol. 51 No. 4, October 2013 727–741

© 2013 Association of Familyand Conciliation Cour ts