Originally Posted by Crashsti

there has been quite a few threads on this subject lately. This news story made some good points but also missed the mark in some spots. First off, i see no reason why kids can't learn BJJ, boxing, kickboxing etc. Learning techniques in a controlled situation with a qualified instructor pose little to no risk of injury. The problems begin when you start allowing children to compete in MMA. MMA fighters peak around 30 and usually only have a career window of 3 to 6 years. What happens when you start allowing kids to start taking damage before the age of 16? Knee, neck, back and other injuries happen out of the blue and can ruin a fighters career. So kids in competition brings up the possibilty of talented fighters never getting to earn a living off thier abilities because they where hurt before they could be professionals.