Amateur fighters do not get paid for fighting. If you’re lucky the promoter will reimburse you for travel expenses. I don’t know about the U.S, but in Canada in order to fight professionally you have to buy fighters insurance. Unless you fight multiple times per year you may not even break even on that. Make no mistake about it, unless you are a top level fighter (GSP, Crocop, Fedor,etc) you will not get rich doing this, expect to have a real job as well. There are many top level fighters in Canada that never make the jump to the professional ranks because they can’t afford fighters insurance or cannot find sponsorship to help pay. There should be an organization in the State that you live in where you can apply for your pro card/insurance in order to get paid for a fight.
But like the above posts, you really shouldn’t bother until you join a decent muay Thai or MMA gym. Gyms usually organize fights so that it benefits the fighters. For example, putting two begginer fighters together to gain experience. I have seen independent fighters fight and the results are always the same, they lose, quickly.
… I don’t know about the U.S, but in Canada in order to fight professionally you have to buy fighters insurance.
…
There should be an organization in the State that you live in where you can apply for your pro card/insurance in order to get paid for a fight. [/quote]
It really depends on the state. Most states sanction pro and ammy mma now, and requirements are pretty similar in most of those commissions. However some states are still not sanctioned, and the requirements are left up to the promoter.
In all of the states that are sanctioned that I have dealt with, the promoter is actually responsible for the fighters insurance. So that is not an issue in the US.
In order to become a pro fighter (boxing or mma - most states use the same license and it counts as both), it is actually pretty simple in most states - You have to pay a fee (usually $20-$30) and fill out some paper work. Get a physical, and you get your pro license. It is sadly that easy.
[quote]dozer1976 wrote:
XEN Nova, read a little more carefully. I did not say people that started in a traditional background - I said people with “ONLY” a traditional background. Many many mma fighters start in the traditional arts - but few stay there.
Alot of them carry the pride of their traditional arts through their career, but I really can’t think of one that still only trains in a traditional style.
Machida and GSP both have world class submission grappling skills - and those skills did not come from traditional dojos.
Crocop had been both in the military and worked in the anti-terrorism unit of the Croatian Police force, he may have started in a traditional form as well, but he had years of training in a wide variety of combat and fighting styles.
There is a reason that Machida, GSP, and Crocop all got away from the traditional training and starting working with a mixture of martial arts. [/quote]
its the internet im not supposed to have reading comprehension!!!
[quote]Avocado wrote:
I suggest you join your schools wrestling team or find some sort of grappling training along with some sort of legitimate striking training.-chris[/quote]
It amazes me how many people say this - as if a college student with no experience can walk in and just join a college wrestling team. Or maybe you meant something along the lines of—
Check USA Wrestling, look for a wrestling club in your area. Even at your age(guessing 18-21), you should be able to find a place that can accomodate your lack of skill in wrestling, and teach you some basics. Don’t know your finances, but you might be able to find a boxing gym nearby thats not too expensive.
You said you couldn’t afford to train at a ‘dojo’. If you can’t get in with a decent gym, the above suggestions might help. It’s at least a start, and eventually when money isn’t so tight, you can find a place to fill in the gaps in what you have been doing.
