Amputee Makes MMA Debut

by jmjinks on Apr 21, 2009 4:16 PM EDT

via www.mmafighting.com

Kyle Maynard, born with his arms at his elbows and his legs at his knees, is now less than a week from his mixed martial arts debut set for Saturday at "Auburn Fight Night" at the Auburn Covered Arena in Alabama.

The event is being promoted around his long-awaited debut and will be streamed online for $14.95 at www.kylemaynardfight.com.

His opponent for the amateur bout will be announced at the weigh-ins on Friday.

Maynard had been previously denied a license by the Georgia Athletic & Entertainment Commission two years ago, and is only now able to fight since Alabama does not have an athletic commission.

I'm all for equal rights, but this cries of bad taste and seems inhumane. While Maynard may have faired well in either high school or collegiate wrestling, MMA is a different beast entirely, and he will face a more severe disadvantage.

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Thanks for the reminder.

Extensive discussion on this topic here for those who may have missed it.

I’ll definitely try to post up video of the fight soon after it goes down.

by Chris Nelson on Apr 21, 2009 4:23 PM EDT reply actions

Thank you for not liveblogging this.

by Derek Suboticki on Apr 21, 2009 4:35 PM EDT up reply actions

In all seriousness...

How is he suppose to fight??…I’m utterly and truly confused. He doesn’t have hands or feet…so is it just a wrestling/bjj match?

by MikeD32 on Apr 21, 2009 4:24 PM EDT reply actions

I would like to know what person thought this was a good idea. I would then like to meet that person and beat the crap out of them.

"A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on." - Sir Winston Churchill

by FlyByKnight on Apr 21, 2009 4:39 PM EDT reply actions

So… Kyle Maynard? Sounds like they haven’t found an opponent yet, maybe you can get in there.

by Chris Nelson on Apr 21, 2009 4:45 PM EDT up reply actions

I’ll fight him.

by szucconi on Apr 21, 2009 4:45 PM EDT up reply actions

Good thing he’s not Japanese – he’d be a perfect freak show opponent, and since they allow knees, some ground kicks, etc, he’d die.

Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better. -Samuel Beckett

by Scott C. Broussard on Apr 21, 2009 4:47 PM EDT reply actions

Bob Sapp Vs. Kyle Maynard..

by Storeo on Apr 21, 2009 6:35 PM EDT up reply actions

What weight class is that at?

Creator of the FightMatrix rating system.

by JCS_FM on Apr 21, 2009 4:54 PM EDT reply actions

The closest thing I can find to disclose his weight was a MySpace blog posting from 2007 that said he was competing at 145lbs.

Due to the negative publicity they could receive, I don’t suspect we’d see him in the fighting Mike Brown or Urijah Faber in the WEC any time soon. Japan would be a different ballgame though.

by jmjinks on Apr 21, 2009 5:10 PM EDT up reply actions

No offense intended, i mean good on him for wanting to compete. But wouldn’t it be better to compete at something where he acctually has a chance of winning? I mean i would be interested to hear how he thinks he can win? He can’t kick, he can’t punch, he definitely can’t submit anyone and he can’t even hold someone down for a lay ‘n’ pray. Maybe he is just a really masochistic guy and can’t wait to get beat up.

by MMAussie on Apr 21, 2009 6:56 PM EDT reply actions

His offensive options are really limited. Since he wrestled, I assume he is proficient in taking down opponents with legs. But what happens after that, some sort of leg lock?

by Jahbulon on Apr 21, 2009 8:44 PM EDT up reply actions

“The first question that I receive from everyone is do I fear for my safety while fighting in the cage? Absolutely not. Despite my lack of limbs I can protect myself just as much as the average fighter. I have been preparing for this fight for years and I cannot wait for Saturday, April 25 to arrive. There is no challenge and no goal that I have worked as hard for as this one. I would like to thank all of my family, friends and training partners for their support as I enter the last 30 days of my training camp.”

— Kyle Maynard

In an interview with Larry King, Kyle also says he can use his elbows/arm stumps “like daggers” and his training partners confirm that they hurt like hell.

by Chris Nelson on Apr 21, 2009 9:05 PM EDT reply actions

What I haven’t heard yet is anything on the sadistic SOB that is his opponent. That guy either has to be a complete scumbag to beat up an amputee or will just flick him on the nose constantly just to prove to Kyle he can’t defend himself from punches, making him reconsider MMA and saving him from some serious harm in the future.

by N. Rodriguez on Apr 22, 2009 5:19 AM EDT reply actions