Getting a first amateur fight

Discussion in 'MMA' started by Dizzyj, Dec 28, 2011.

  1. Dizzyj

    Dizzyj Valued Member

    I've been training in a variety of arts for quite a time, and over the last year have been training for the mma format. For a while now I've been itching to get a chance to have my first amateur fight, for the experience if nothing else.

    However, my issue is that I do not have a regular mma club. I train at an FMA club, and at a university club which trains essentially mma but doesn't have any connections to the fight world. Does anyone have any idea how one could attempt to arrange a first fight without the backing of an established gym?

    I understand that, without a proper mma gym behind me, I could be kidding myself that my skill level is high enough to compete even at the amateur level. However I have on occasion had the chance to train with an mma gym in america (where I am currently), and I'm able to happily spar and match the lower members of their fight team. I'm confident that I shouldn't embarrass myself at least; and since I am doing it for the experience I'm not worried about losing if that is how it goes.

    Do I have any chance of being able to do this? Or should I just try to attach myself to an established mma gym, and get a fight from there? Advice would be greatly appreciated.
     
  2. Osu,


    I see you are in London... I hear that in Liverpool or Manchester, there are spontaneous amateur matches on each street corner on Friday & Saturday nights... :D:D
    Might be worth taking the trip there...


    OSu!
     
  3. Teflon

    Teflon Valued Member

    Check around online and ask around at your gyms, there are amateur MMA nights in the UK that you can enter for a small entrance fee, I recall seeing some advertised in places like Cage Warriors forums. Quite sure my own gym ran such an event in Birmingham earlier this month. .
     
  4. Southpaw535

    Southpaw535 Well-Known Member Moderator Supporter

    Some mma clubs run open sparring clinics which might be a good place to start just to test yourself. Other than that feel free to click the link in my sig and contact them. Run a local promotion called Shock and Awe and I imagine they can find a few people at our gym for you to fight at ammy.
     
  5. Master Betty

    Master Betty Banned Banned

    you should at least have a few interclubs and preferably some interclubs in thai or boxing as well as a bit of competition rolling done before entering the ring.

    Not a hard necessity or anything but if you can handle all them then u can usually bring them together for some entry level amateur fights.

    The issue with having no established gyms backing you is the possibility of the promoter using you as whats called a "smoker". That means essentially putting you in against someone who's likely to smash the living daylights out of you. The reasons the promoter might do this are varied but usually its a variation on the guy being a member of the promoters gym etc.

    an established gym basically makes that much less likely to happen as using one of their fighters as a smoker tends to have consequences.
     
  6. belltoller

    belltoller OffTopic MonstreOrdinaire Supporter

    Liverpool especially....but then to the north there's highly ranked Newcastle and top-billing Glasgow ;)
     
  7. Mushroom

    Mushroom De-powered to come back better than before.

    Picadilly Circus would be closer. That and University College Hospital is closer.

    Further to finding a fight at amatuer. You need to do further research. (sorry if this is asking you to suck an egg). Its easier to find fights with a backing of a team, is because there are a lot out there who wont take you on, unless you're with one. Its like screening process so they dont get random psycho's on their card as well as possible insurance issues. (usually a waiver is signed).

    Also kind of what Master Betty has said, they may just throw you into the wolves which is also a very high possibility. (ie "Oh its my first MMA fight" says the BB BJJ guy with a MT record of 11-0)

    Nevertheless...good luck!
     
  8. Thanks guys :)
    You should ALWAYS get your information from the locals :D:hat:


    Osu!
     
  9. illegalusername

    illegalusername Second Angriest Mapper

    This happened to me. Went to my second amateur fight (About 8 months of training behind me) against a guy who had an ridiculous record and an amateur title in muay thai.
    Didn't come out looking pretty from that one.
     
  10. belltoller

    belltoller OffTopic MonstreOrdinaire Supporter

    Yeah, I've heard also that they do that (mismatch) to inflate a fighter's record - obviously at your expense. It seems like the local match-making process and personnel can be very dodgey - or worse; depending on the area and the ethics/reputation of the promotions running

    I've had to learn painful lessons on taking things at face value and the big no, no - assuming those around you are on the up and up and have your best interests at heart :lowblow:, but I think the idea of walking into very localised old-boy, competitive MMA events without having some very solid, experienced and ethical people behind me would cause even the rash and impulsive to think twice.

    That kind of a bad beating doesn't give you experience or strength or test your mettle, it probably just takes the spirit and will out of you - my guess.
     
    Last edited: Dec 29, 2011
  11. belltoller

    belltoller OffTopic MonstreOrdinaire Supporter

    Where abouts in the States are you now? Our MMA school is developing a good amatuer programme and as there are is good team of experienced pro's involved in it at the outset, being thrown to the wolves it at least one worry a potential could put behind 'em. They do exist out there.
     
  12. belltoller

    belltoller OffTopic MonstreOrdinaire Supporter

    LOL...you know its bad when all you can hear are tea-kettles going off and someone has your face in their hands, silently mouthing "CAN YOU HEAR ME? CAN YOU HEAR ME?!?"
     
  13. Dizzyj

    Dizzyj Valued Member

    Thanks for all the advice guys. I'll check out the possibility any amateur MMA nights that I can find; that was actually my original plan but the only place I knew that runs then stopped literally at the point I decided I wanted to look for a fight.


    This would be ideal for me, unfortunately since I don't train at an established MMA branded club it would be hard to arrange a proper interclub. If I can't find a fight in the next 6 months I will probably investigate some sub-grappling tournaments to get some experience in.

    In response to all of those people who warn about being set up to get crushed, that is definitely a concern. Although without a club backing me I am unsure how I can avoid the possibility completely unfortunately. Is this something that would become less likely after I got a fight under my belt, or will it be a constant issue unless I join a proper MMA gym with good contacts?

    Appreciate the thought, but I'm the other side of the states from you, in Oregon. If this doesn't work out I am likely to be back in the states next summer, and might try to arrange a fight through the team I train with here. However I'd prefer to get to do one before then, as well as not impose on a coach who I only train with a few months a year.
     
  14. Mushroom

    Mushroom De-powered to come back better than before.


    A backing of an MMA school would protect you from horrible mismatches (at times) is also due to the fact that the school itself would not benefit from being a victim of a squash/jobber.
     

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