# NEWS AND VIEWS: MMA turns into freak show with amputee Maynard on the card



## Bill Mattocks (Apr 22, 2009)

Weird:

http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/article/20090422/SPORTS/904220371/1002/SPORTS



> News: Kyle Maynard will become the first quad- amputee to fight in a mixed martial arts event on Saturday at Auburn. He's featured on a 10-bout card with tickets going for $20 in advance and $25 on day of the event.
> 
> Views: Maynard is an inspirational story. The Suwanee, Ga., native was born with a congenital amputation disorder. He has no elbows and no knees yet competed in the 2004 Georgia High School wrestling championships.He posted a 35-16 record at Collins High School and graduated with a 3.7 GPA.


----------



## crushing (Apr 22, 2009)

This punk that puts the freak in "freak show", Kyle Maynard, doesn't know his place in this world yet. It was cute when he was in sports in high school, but now that he has been out a few years he should just motivate people by talking about his wrestling glory days. Right Brad Zimanek? Also, MMA = combat and MMA consumers are *******s.


----------



## shesulsa (Apr 22, 2009)

Hm.  I wonder how he'll do.


----------



## celtic_crippler (Apr 22, 2009)

Seems to me he'd have an unfair advantage. Can't put a knee-bar on someone with no knees. Gonna make arm-bars hard too since he doesn't have elbows. Guess his opponents will just have to knock him out.


----------



## Nolerama (Apr 22, 2009)

The author's a poor writer, and really has no factual base to back up his story in terms of how good/bad Kyle Maynard is at fighting (outside of his record), or how he's training. From some Youtube vids I've seen, he's a good wrestler.

So what if he enters a MMA fight? His opponent's going to have to play Maynard's game, which is wrestling. I'm sure Maynard is fighting because he wants to test his skills against another opponent. What's wrong with that?

He might surprise some people. He certainly looks like a slippery opponent, and I agree with Celtic: he certainly has a grappling advantage.


----------



## Gordon Nore (Apr 22, 2009)

The video clip is impressive -- the guy can really move and has used his disability to his advantage. But I just picture someone pounding him, and the prospect makes me ill.


----------



## astrobiologist (Apr 22, 2009)

If this guy wants to fight, I say let him.  

I don't think he'll have a chance, but I think he deserves the right to fight if he wants.  The thing is, his physical ability makes it so that he will easily get knocked out.  He has no blocking distance, he has no reach to get at his opponent, and in wrestling the game ends at a pin.  MMA is not high school wrestling.


----------



## Tez3 (Apr 22, 2009)

crushing said:


> This punk that puts the freak in "freak show", Kyle Maynard, doesn't know his place in this world yet. It was cute when he was in sports in high school, but now that he has been out a few years he should just motivate people by talking about his wrestling glory days. Right Brad Zimanek? Also, MMA = combat and *MMA consumers are* ********s.[/*quote]
> 
> We're what exactly?


----------



## crushing (Apr 22, 2009)

Tez3 said:


> crushing said:
> 
> 
> > This punk that puts the freak in "freak show", Kyle Maynard, doesn't know his place in this world yet. It was cute when he was in sports in high school, but now that he has been out a few years he should just motivate people by talking about his wrestling glory days. Right Brad Zimanek? Also, MMA = combat and *MMA consumers are* ********s.*
> ...


 
I was making a statement about Brad Zimanek's blurb/blog or whatever it is, including how easy it was for "MMA to make a buck" from this "freak show".  Doesn't that say something (or make an accusation) about the demand side of the equation?  Anyway, Nolerama came right out and said it.  My apologies if my sarcasm didn't come across well. I'm an MMA consumer and love the sport.


----------



## shesulsa (Apr 22, 2009)

astrobiologist said:


> MMA is not high school wrestling.



As a student with a GPA of 3.7, you'd think he might know what he's getting into.

Let's all take *just a moment* to remember that just because his limbs are affected that this doesn't mean he's retarded.

Is there anyone else here who thinks this guy might have a clue what MMA is and what the difference between high school wrestling and MMA might be?  Gee, I think my 10-year-old does.

I guess the philosophy that you can control some fast opponents by controlling their elbows is out of the running for consideration; so might be the importance of the inside game.

Sorry - I'm not making any assumptions until I can *SEE* what this guy can do in the MMA world.


----------



## Gordon Nore (Apr 22, 2009)

astrobiologist said:


> If this guy wants to fight, I say let him.


 


			
				shelusa said:
			
		

> As a student with a GPA of 3.7, you'd think he might know what he's getting into.
> 
> Let's all take *just a moment* to remember that just because his limbs are affected that this doesn't mean he's retarded.


 
Quite so. He's a smart, accomplished athlete who's willing to take the risk. I was seeing the enterprise as highly exploitive, conveniently forgetting that the young man himself is quite capable of deciding. Thanks for the cold buck of water.


----------



## Xue Sheng (Apr 22, 2009)

freak show&#8230; no

sensationalism&#8230;. maybe

do I care&#8230; not really

why not just wait and see what happens


----------



## AoCAdam (Apr 23, 2009)

I think he will probably win his first fight. As far as his career goes I am not so sure, but hes knows what he is getting into and if he wants to try it let him. The worst thing that is going to happen is hes going to get punched in the face. I am sure hes been training for it very hard and hopefully will put on as much as a good fight as he can.


----------



## FeralKenpo (Apr 23, 2009)

How would he win? Can he still apply any locks or submissions? His strikes can't be to powerful right?


----------



## Omar B (Apr 23, 2009)

I wish him and his opponent all the luck in the world.  I know personally I would feel liek a heel punching that guy.  Imagine getting submitted by him though?  LOL.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/news?slug=mmajunkie-Maynard_road_to_MMA_debut&prov=mmajunkie&type=lgns


----------



## Gordon Nore (Apr 23, 2009)

The MMAJunkie story provides a lot of details about the fighter and his long battle to get a fight license. The story is ripe for exploitation from those who see his presence as a threat to the sport to those who hope his participation gets the sport banned to those who, sadly, look forward to a spectacle.

Hat's off to this young athlete. I still have reservations about it, but this is something he has sought.


----------



## Carol (Apr 23, 2009)

Like MMA has never seen a blowout before.  Didn't a very capable and very able bodied Mr. Chuck Liddell just get his *** handed to him on national TV?   Mauricio Lua was hammerfisting the bejeezus out of him before the ref called it.

This isn't going to be two dudes fighting behind someone's barn in the country, right?  This is going to be an MMA fight with standard rules, a cage, and an official to stop the slaughter if either fighter gets to the point where he can't defend himself...and from the looks of the article in the link that Omar posted, they have a darn good ref to keep an eye on the bout.  



> "My arms go from shoulder to elbow; it's not like I have no arms at all," Maynard said. "Five weeks ago I did a 420-pound butterfly press, so I have the power in my arms to deliver strikes. If I had to guess, I'm probably stronger than a lot of 135-pounders."


Did anyone mollycoddling this young man notice that he does a 420 pound fly??????      


Let him fight already.


----------



## arnisador (Apr 23, 2009)

There was a student at another H.S. who wrestled and who had only one full limb (an arm). He was very strong and did OK.

But MMA? I don't think this is a safe fight, even with extra restrictions (can't kick/knee his face, etc.).


----------



## celtic_crippler (Apr 23, 2009)

It doesn't matter what any of us thinks really. 

It was his decision to fight. He knows what's at stake. He knows his limitations. He knows his strengths. 

He made his decision; therefore, he made the decision to accept the consequences of his decision to fight in the world of MMA. 

As long as the fight abides by the current rules then let them fight. 

If he gets his butt handed to him on a silver platter then that is a result of his decision. 

If he wins the he stands to make a lot of money. 

So be it. 

Regardless of whether the results of his decision are negative or positive it is ultimately the result of a decision that he made. 

Personally, I think he's insane for wanting to fight in MMA but again that doesn't matter. He's a grown man and can make his own decisions. If one chooses to put oneself at risk then one accepts that risk.


----------



## astrobiologist (Apr 24, 2009)

shesulsa said:


> As a student with a GPA of 3.7, you'd think he might know what he's getting into.


 
Agreed.  I wasn't saying the guy is stupid.  With my 3.85 GPA while earning two degrees in the sciences, I still admit that there have been times where I should have thought more before acting.  

I'm not saying the guy doesn't know what he's getting into.  I'm sure he's training and knows exactly what MMA is all about.  

I just don't personally think he'll have the physical ability (reach, weight, leverage, torque, etc.) to take the fight from wrestling for a pin to fighting for a knockout/submission.  I know that might sound mean.  But that's just the truth.  People are not created equal.  We are not created at all.  We're born of the natural world, a genetic recombination between our parents DNA, and we're all different in some way or another.  We all have to learn how to work with our flaws.  Mr. Maynard obviously has done that well, but that doesn't mean he can do anything.

Like I said before, if he wants to fight, let him.  That's his choice.  Even if I don't think it's a good idea, it's not my decision to make.  But since this is an online forum, I'm just sharing my view on the situation.


----------



## shesulsa (Apr 24, 2009)

As am I.


----------



## elder999 (Apr 24, 2009)

> Even though *the rules won't allow him to be kicked or kneed in the face,* many wonder how he can protect himself from blows, and how could he expect to win a fight except for decision?


 
Seen here

I say let the guy have his chance, and good luck.


----------



## Carol (Apr 26, 2009)

They fought...and it was most certainly NOT a blowout.  

Kyle Maynard lost his bout to Brian Fry by decision, 30-27.  Fry won by staying upright and evading multiple takedown attempts by Maynard.  The crowd seemed clearly on Maynard's side.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/mma/2009-04-26-1567400868_x.htm


But...truthfully...were their any losers in this match?   I don't think so.  Well done by both.  :asian:


----------



## Archangel M (Apr 26, 2009)

Who wants to be the first opponent to either KO an amputee....

Or loose to one?


----------



## Thems Fighting Words (Apr 26, 2009)

He gave his dreams a shot. Good on him.


----------



## shesulsa (Apr 26, 2009)

I wonder how he'll do over time and after some more matches? I wonder if he'll be able to get a sparring partner?

Three point decision.  I wouldn't call that half-bad.


----------



## astrobiologist (Apr 26, 2009)

I'd like to see the fight.  I'm gald he gave it a shot.  I wonder if he'll continue.


----------



## Gordon Nore (Apr 26, 2009)

A clip of Maynard's weigh-in before the fight...






His appearance on Larry King...


----------



## Ronin74 (Apr 26, 2009)

Gordon Nore said:


> A clip of Maynard's weigh-in before the fight...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I think something interesting to consider is him making weight. If he's weighing in at 135 lbs, at basically half the size of his opponent, that must mean what muscle mass he has is probably incredibly strong.


----------



## Carol (Apr 27, 2009)

I heard something else about the fight.  His trainers were unable to secure gloves on his hands, due to the high humidity.   As a result, the officials said he would be unable to throw any strikes.

Makes me wonder what he'd be able to do when he can throw a strike.  I hope he fights again.  :asian:


----------



## JadecloudAlchemist (Apr 28, 2009)

His fight is on Youtube already.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O09y--0m0Wg&feature=related

It is a really boring fight.

Kyle seems to only charge like a 4 legged animal.

The other guy seems to just push him off balance and move.

The guy has difficulty throwing strikes at Kyle but in some cases they do land. Kyle does seems to leave himself open for possible submissions when he is thrown off balance but the guy seems to use the advantage of stand up.


----------



## KELLYG (Apr 28, 2009)

I am of two minds on this.   One I found watching the fight extremely disturbing.  Two I am grateful that the guy had a chance to fulfill one of his dreams.


----------



## Gordon Nore (Apr 28, 2009)

The fight was one of the more unusual things I've seen. Maynard being precluded from striking tells me that it's not really an MMA fight. So now, to me, it becomes a question of practicality.

That said, he can move, and I hope he continues to grapple and wrestle. He got me thinking about the type of rolling I'm learning to do in Systema. He has some gifts that would make him a formidable training partner. Whether or not an MMA future is in the cards, he has a lot to contribute on the mats.


----------



## arnisador (Apr 28, 2009)

That's...just not what I'm looking for in MMA.


----------



## IcemanSK (Apr 30, 2009)

I just tried to view it on youtube & found it unwatchable. I get that it's a dream of his to do & I think it's great that he trains. But competing is another story. IMO. 

As has been said, It's not why I would watch MMA.


----------



## Carol (Apr 30, 2009)

He appears to be a much better grappler.  However, I'm glad he pursued his goal.  Personally I'm a huge believer in not letting different abilities stop a person from being what and who they want to be.


----------



## IcemanSK (Apr 30, 2009)

Carol Kaur said:


> He appears to be a much better grappler. However, I'm glad he pursued his goal. Personally I'm a huge believer in not letting different abilities stop a person from being what and who they want to be.


 

I agree with you that it's fantastic that he's not letting his disabilities get in the way of what he wants to do. But against an opponent wthout a similar disability it's uncomfortable for me to watch.

I don't think we're on terribly opposite sides of this issue Carol, but we do have different perspectives on it. Which is what makes the world go around.


----------

