# Too old to start MMA?



## Tironci (Oct 15, 2011)

I'm 16 years old (Jan. 5 17), 5" 11" and 154 pounds.
I've been playing basketball for about 6 years now and started gym 2 weeks ago.

Do you think I could start MMA and then compete as an amateur or a pro depending my level?


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## HaVoK (Dec 31, 2006)

Tironci said:


> I'm 16 years old (Jan. 5 17), 5" 11" and 154 pounds.
> I've been playing basketball for about 6 years now and started gym 2 weeks ago.
> 
> Do you think I could start MMA and then compete as an amateur or a pro depending my level?



Are you kidding? You are 16 kid! 16! Too old? Please...stop.

You got the world at your fingertips. If you are already thinking you are too old to achieve things, I wonder how you are going to feel when you are 35.

There are plenty of successful fighters who didn't start training till well in their twenties.

Stop thinking about it, and go do it!:thumbsup:

Too old...lol that's funny.


***Edit*** I just got Trolled didn't I?


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## Drogo (Nov 19, 2006)

HaVoK said:


> Are you kidding? You are 16 kid! 16! Too old? Please...stop.
> 
> 
> 
> ***Edit*** I just got Trolled didn't I?



I don't think you did, it isn't as ridiculous as it sounds to say 16 is too old. What would you say if someone came to you and said they intended to play soccer/baseball/hockey/football as a pro but they were 16 and had never done it before? I don't know about you but I'd laugh my balls off. It would be basically impossible, the pool of people you are competing against is so large that the talent level required means if you haven't started by age 10 you can forget it.

MMA isn't at that point yet, it is still a young sport. You can definitely start at 16 and still potentially get skilled enough to make it as a pro. However as MMA keeps growing the age you will have to start at is going to keep getting pushed back. It won't be long before 16 is too old.


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## BrianRClover (Jan 4, 2008)

You're difinitely not too old but you need to jump now! As stated in the post above mine MMA is young enough still to where you can be a late bloomer and still have a chance, ten years from now when you watch the build up shows for UFC events you're going to see footage of kids rolling at the age of 4.

What you really need to do is find a good gym, and make a choice as to what weight you want to fight at. Right now, weighing 155 you should probably aim for featherweight (145). If you weighed 155 at 24 I would say aim for 135, but cutting 20 pounds at the age of 16 is very unhealthy. Start now and look at Featherweight, as you get older you will likely move into Lightweight, and then most likely Welterweight... by the time you're 25/26 you might even be looking at Middleweight. You will grow a lot over the next ten years.

Once you find a gym and a camp you are comfortable with, take as many amature fights as you possibly can. A lot of people make the mistake of winning 2 or 3 amaeture fights then jumping into pro level... you will be shocked at the competition jump in most cases. If you start training now, and start competeting at say 17, try to get at least 10 amaeture fights in... and see how you do. If you're feeling comfortable find a refferable organization to take a pro fight, and make sure you have strong representation. Then go for it.

** I do coach youth here in Saint Louis in Kickboxing... this is the most common and successful route, at least in my experience.


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## Tironci (Oct 15, 2011)

Good news, I just started kick-boxing (free) at my gym.
As soon as I earn some money, my parents don't support me for this, I will start wrestling and mma.

Any advice of what kind of training should I do until I start mma?


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## Budhisten (Apr 11, 2010)

I'd say you're plenty young - Jon Jones started training just 3-4 years ago when he was 20 years old... Look where he's at now 

Of course he had a wrestling background - but at your age, you can do whatever the hell you set your mind to 

Oh and welcome to the forum mate


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