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UFC 87: Seek and Destroy

Date: Aug. 9, 2008 Location: The Target Center, Minneapolis Read more

MMA grabs area and nation by chokehold

It's Saturday night, and All Stars Sports Bar and Grill in Deerfield Beach is packed with fans watching Anderson Silva beat Dan Henderson with a rear naked choke submission in UFC 82. A few years ago, the mere mention of submission, choke or ultimate fighting probably wouldn't have been the topic of conversation in any sports bar, let alone featured on wide-screen televisions. But that's all changed thanks to the mixed martial arts league called the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Read more

Parents advocate their kids involvement in MMA and are not concerned about too much violence

Written by Sharon Robb
Sunday, 04 May 2008 00:00
COCONUT CREEK - Gina Alvarez ran over to her father for a congratulatory high-five after beating her cousin, T.J. Vazquez, at the Alex "Bada" Andrade Mixed Martial Arts Memorial Tournament. Louis Alvarez, Steve and Joy Erched, and several other parents sat along the grappling mats at American Top Team Coconut Creek watching their kids compete Saturday while several ATT pros, including Antonio "Big Foot" Silva, worked out in the nearby practice cage. Between kids, parents and coaches, it was hard to figure out who was enjoying the three-hour tournament more. "They are having fun with it," said Steve Erched of Coconut Creek, a firefighter who has his sons, Stephen, 7, and Joshua, 4, involved in mixed martial arts. "I am encouraged to see so many kids out. In the past few years this sport has exploded and really just taken off. "It creates a lot of physical activity from a very young age. It's a positive environment and culture. Everybody shakes hands after they compete. They know they win, they know they lose, but the most important thing they learn from a very young age is you have to compete in whatever you do in life. "This is a positive instead of having them fighting on the streets or in school. This is a positive way to release energy. They are just normal kids. It just depends on the perspective. Some people look at it as, 'What are you doing?'" Mixed martial arts came under scrutiny in southwest Missouri for allowing full-out fighting similar to UFC and other pro events among children as young as 6 in a converted garage. Medical experts and sports officials voiced their concern that young bodies can't withstand the pounding. ATT Coconut Creek head instructor Ricardo Liborio, a world champion in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, is encouraged at the increase in mixed martial arts at the youth level due largely to the sport's exposure at the pro level and more academies sprouting up. Liborio is not an advocate of young kids getting involved in full-out mixed martial arts fighting. "The kids MMA fighting is too much just like I think it's too much with boxing and kick boxing for kids," Liborio said. "I am not a big supporter of the punches in the face or real sparring for little kids. "Here they learn striking, takedowns and ground work, the three components of what is necessary to know MMA. We are teaching life and social skills first. After that, when the right time comes, they will be ready for the sparring." Gina Alvarez started mixed martial arts three years ago. "First my dad got me involved for self defense because he is a police officer," said the Coral Springs Charter seventh grader. "I started getting interested in it more because I like the sport and I like competing." Alvarez was thrilled that she beat her cousin on points. "A lot of people think girls can't win because we're girls, but we can fight boys," said Alvarez, also a cheerleader. "At first I was scared when my dad asked me to do it, but I love the sport now. "This is a very safe sport because if the trained refs think you are going too far even, if you don't want to give up, they will stop the fight because they don't want you to get hurt." Tom Malloy, executive director of the Florida Boxing Commission, said Friday night that amateur MMA sanctioned cards were recently approved and waiting only for Gov. Charlie Crist's signature. Florida and 36 other states already sanction pro MMA cards. Much like amateur boxing, that has an age range from 8-year-olds and up, the cards will be closely regulated and monitored by licensed officials and referees. Malloy said MMA amateurs will be required to have at least five amateur fights before being allowed to turn pro. Set as favorite Bookmark Email This Trackback(0) TrackBack URI for this entry Comments (0) Subscribe to this comment's feed Write comment Name Email Website Comment smaller \| bigger Subscribe via email (Registered users only) I have read and agree to the Terms of Usage.

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