how would a 17 y/o go about pursuing MMA as a career?

by brandon rendon
(la porte, tx, US)

I'm a 17 year old male and i want to try and pursue MMA as a career. I know that's probably common among my age but I have dedication and determination. I'm not just another teen looking to fight but I do love it and my main area of focus is grappling and tea kwon do. I have previous training in both and a little hapkido. Just wondering what I could do or if there's anything I could do right now to get exposed to the career. Thanks for your time.


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Hey Brandon, thanks for the question. It's rare to find someone with that kind of drive and dedication, so I can say that you are definitely off to a great start. The most important thing you can do to get involved and become exposed to the Mixed Martial Arts community is to find a reputable MMA academy and begin training there. There's no way to duplicate the experience of training MMA and understanding what it takes to excel in the game without being directly involved in a realistic training program.

Another great way to become exposed to the MMA world and get involved to MMA and grappling is to attend seminars where you will meet other martial artist with similar goals and other instructors. Once you have developed a solid base (perhaps you already have) I would highly recommend competition in both striking events (kickboxing, boxing, Muay Thai) as well as grappling competitions (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Submission Wrestling). These events will help you prepare for future Mixed Martial Arts competition.

The world of MMA competition is one that requires as much or more discipline as any other sport out there. If you are serious about pursuing a career in Mixed Martial Arts you must be prepared to treat it as a business. You must manage your time in a way that will allow you to become well conditioned, physically, mentally and emotionally as well as technically proficient. Your first step, however, should be to begin training at a well established MMA/BJJ academy and spend your time focusing on technique.

I have seen way too many people start off gung-ho, working out constantly and too eager to jump into competition too soon. This leads to burn-out and many people quit. This would be a shame, because as you know, there are an infinite number of benefits associated with martial arts training outside the competition world. I hope this gives you a good perspective on where you should start and I wish you the absolute best of luck in your future in martial arts.