Amputee and his MMA debut

[KarateEd]

Check out this article that ran in local newspaper about an amputee that is kicking off his MMA career in my hometown.

Part of me says "what a great story," but another part has some serious questions, such as the following:

• How will he protect his head when someone strikes it?
   
  I would think that he has limited ability to strike, is this not an unfair advantage for his opponent?
   
  His lack of elbow, knee, and ankle joints seems to be an unfair advantage for him in that there are no opportunities for his opponent to manipulate these joints?
   
  Wouldn't his lack of lower legs make it difficult for his opponent to tie up one of his legs in order to avoid this guy getting side control?

I looked on YouTube for videos of him doing any sort of MMA training/competition, but just found vids of him wrestling and lifting weights.

What do ya'll think?

[JusticeZero]

OK, so you listed two 'unfair advantages' for the opponent and two for him? Wouldn't they kind've, you know, cancel out to some degree? =)

I dunno. Let the guy fight. MMA people aren't sadistic brutes, and people with disabilities don't deserve to be babied and belittled.

[bushido_man96]

I don't question his heart, but I don't see how he won't take a beating. It appears that he has Wrestled, and claims that he can protect himself in some way. I wouldn't want to short-change anyone on their dreams, but this one worries me a bit.

I wish him the best, though.

[JusticeZero]

Well, if he takes too much of a pounding then the ref can call it, just like the ref might call it if anyone else was getting hammered too much without actually submitting or getting their defences working.

[Truestar]

Well, I can't say I will give any sympathy if he ends up injured or seriously beat down. We'll see what he's made of I suppose.

[KarateEd]

Here is the write up about the outcome of the fight. Reading the article, it sounds like there was not much action. Maynard's opponent stayed on his feet and avoided any grappling and it seems as though Maynard was not able to get his opponent down on the mat. Maynard had a good attitude after the fight, though, pretty humble guy.

[bushido_man96]

I wonder if he will continue?

[pittbullJudoka]

Search youtube now someone tapped the fight and put it up there. He was a great wrestler in highschool and apparently a pretty good at submission wrestling but that's diffrent. I'm torn on how I feel about this too.

[JusticeZero]

In my eyes, he went searching for an unbiased test of his skills; he got it; he seemed to go away satisfied with that, and I am glad he was given that opportunity.

[bushido_man96]

In my eyes, he went searching for an unbiased test of his skills; he got it; he seemed to go away satisfied with that, and I am glad he was given that opportunity.

I think you nailed it here. Perhaps this was what he was searching for. I'm glad that he had the opportunity to find it, too.