At 45 years old, is it crazy to aim for an amateur Muay Thai or MMA fight?

[SeekerOfTruth007]

I've always wanted to fight professionally, and I even tried to arrange a fight a few yeears ago, but missed weight and couldn't qualify. Now that I know more about dieting and exercise, I want to try it again and see if I can make weight with enough notice ahead of time.

What do you think?

I have 6 years full-time training in Okinawan karate and Japanese Ju Jitsu

1.5 years full time training in Gracie BJJ.

I can still get my push kick to chin level with KO power, and still have a 1000lbs right cross punch and a 6000lbs right push kick. I've tested it and done calcs to back up the testing.

[goaded]

https://friends.fandom.com/wiki/The_One_With_The_Ultimate_Fighting_Champion

[NathanDavis]

it is not crazy...

it is absolutely stupid

[AI Opinion]

It’s absolutely not crazy at 45, especially with your background and current abilities 💪

The key is being smart about it. Get a coach with fight experience who understands age, recovery, and conditioning. Do a proper fight camp, medical checks, and lots of controlled sparring.

Aim for an amateur bout with fair matchmaking. One well-prepared fight can totally scratch that lifelong itch 🥊🔥

[ABC1x1x]

The only thing that's crazy is quiting on a dream. I had a friend from elementary that slogged in the minors until he was 37. He got called up to the UFC and had 2 fights. It was awesome. So proud of him.

[spartan55]

I don't man, getting hit at my age fucking hurts more and l feel it for much longer.

[msc545]

It's crazy to aim for this at any age, but the older you get, the worse the risk gets. You're going to get badly hurt.

[Staximus]

How’s your cardio though

[SeekerOfTruth007]

I can go 3 of 5 minute rounds for sure. My Cardio has never been my weakness. I can do an hour of advanced kickboxing on a heavy water bag. What I am concerned about is moving to my own left side, but moving to my right side should be fine. Will I be like I was when I was 20 years old? No, but then nobody ever really is after 20.

I plan on switching tactics several times in whatever fight they schedule me. I'll try something the other guys likely haven't seen, namely some legal joint locks after parrying punches or kicks, and if that doesn't work, I'll try to set up a clinched elbow or clinched knee scenario or something like that.

[SeekerOfTruth007]

Anyway, I can fight several different styles. I can pressure-punch, I can draw and counter-punch, I can fight switch, and I can submit other black belts both standing up and on grounded positions. So I think I'm well rounded. I know around 30 to 35 BJJ submissions well enough to do them against resisting opponents, and I know probably over 150 variants of japanese jujitsu submissions, although about half of those variants are actually banned in MMA, but still, you're looking at 110 ways to tap somebody, which most mma fighters apparently only know 10 or 15 ways to tap someone.

I can definitely still secure a tap with any of 8 to 10 standing wrist and elbow locks, and those are rare in MMA, because most people do not know how to do them correctly.

So I'm not going to be a punching bag. I might lose, that's a real possibility, but I can defend myself even against real 4th Dan level fighters.

[Staximus]

The problem with training for mma fights is that you are disciplining yourself to follow rules and not use certain techniques that could save your life in a street fight

[Anonymous]

Yes, I think so.

[SeekerOfTruth007]

Then I'm crazy. I'm going to try anyway, if the local promoter out of New Orleans will allow it. I have tapped out 2nd degree Gracie black belt pro fighters in the past starting from kneeling position. I'm more of a striker, but I do know how to grapple from many positions and i do have scores of locks memorized and muscle memory of how to apply them.

[Opinion Owner]

Good luck then.

[SeekerOfTruth007]

I just got off the phone with the local promoter, and he said he'd arrange an amateur fight for me in any of the three disciplines: boxing, Muay Thai or MMA. He said based on my martial arts history, I'm more than qualified.

I think I'll start with Muay Thai if they can find a fighter to weigh in at 205 to fight me. He said I need to be ready by May 8 bout date, which is only one month, but I can do that pretty easily.

I need to cut 13 pounds to make weight, which is doable in a month.

[In_Trance]

You'll get murdered

[SeekerOfTruth007]

Probably, but I used to fight my older brother for fun and we'd both be beat up. I'm actually used to getting hit, believe it or not.

When I was 20 years old, my reflexes and speed were super-human. Now that I'm 45, i'd need to rely on skills other than just reflex and speed. I need to be "in and out" and jockey for position until I can set up a decent submission, or I need to land good clean elbows and knees in the clinch.

I fight "Switch" and I can adapt to both striking styles and grappling styles, it's just realistically my age is going to be a big problem if I get matched against a 20 years old, but that's sort of why i WANT TO DO THIS, because I'd like to think my TRAINING is greater than that of the typical younger fighter.

[Jeff51]

I think so