Clark Kent
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01-10-2010 02:01 PM:Imagine where mixed martial arts will be in 10 years. That's when kids 10-to-16 years old will be making their way into the professional ranks after actually training in MMA from an early age. The current fighters are all playing catch up in an effort to become well-rounded fighters. It's not like the "old" days in the 90s and early 2000's when someone like a Randy Couture or Matt Hughes could walk into the cage and survive with a one-dimensional game. Couture's Hall of Fame run began in the Octagon when he was 34 years old. After a decorated career on the amateur wrestling circuit, the three-time Olympic alternate tried his hand at MMA and went on to win both the light heavyweight and heavyweight titles. That was then, this is now. Anyone 35-plus like Kimbo Slice or Marcus Jones has little chance of making a real dent. Then there's the curious case of Aaron Simpson. His background is eerily similar to Couture's but he has one advantage his striking is way ahead of where Couture's was in 1997.
Simpson was a two-time wrestling All-American at Arizona State, then moved on to runs at the 2000 and 2004 Olympic teams and was an assistant coach at ASU for nine years. Then while watching and training UFC fighters Ryan Bader, C.B. Dollaway and Cain Velasquez, he said 'why can't I try this?'
It's worked out nicely thus far for Simpson, who is 6-0 all six by knockout or technical knockout. That includes two wins by destruction in the UFC over Tim McKenzie and Ed Herman (19-7, 4-6 UFC), the runner-up on season three of "The Ultimate Fighter." Simpson could be labeled the next big thing at middleweight except for that one bugaboo, his age:
"I need to have three, if not four fights this year," said Simpson, who's been training consistently since August. "At my age, I can't take a month off."
Make no mistake, this isn't a quick trial for Simpson to see if he can do it and then ride off into the coaching sunset.
"I plan on being here for a while. It's not just a fight thing and then [me saying] 'I'm done, that sucked.' I don't plan on losing."
Simpson wants to make his mark now because he knows what's coming. With more exposure, comes more interest from higher level athletes who will enter the MMA fray in the future. Simpson pointed to Olympic candidate Mo Lawal, who has stormed onto the scene with Strikeforce. Another crazy example is Chicago Bulls' first round pick James Jordan. The 6-foot-7, 250-pounder out of Wake Forest was a kickboxer as a teen and has talked about trying MMA once his NBA career is finished.
Simpson faces Tom Lawlor, who also has collegiate wrestling experience. Lawlor, a cast member from TUF 8, picked up an upset win at UFC 100 over Dollaway.
More...
Yahoo! Sports.
Cagewriter is an MMA blog edited by Steve Cofield.
Simpson was a two-time wrestling All-American at Arizona State, then moved on to runs at the 2000 and 2004 Olympic teams and was an assistant coach at ASU for nine years. Then while watching and training UFC fighters Ryan Bader, C.B. Dollaway and Cain Velasquez, he said 'why can't I try this?'
It's worked out nicely thus far for Simpson, who is 6-0 all six by knockout or technical knockout. That includes two wins by destruction in the UFC over Tim McKenzie and Ed Herman (19-7, 4-6 UFC), the runner-up on season three of "The Ultimate Fighter." Simpson could be labeled the next big thing at middleweight except for that one bugaboo, his age:
"I need to have three, if not four fights this year," said Simpson, who's been training consistently since August. "At my age, I can't take a month off."
Make no mistake, this isn't a quick trial for Simpson to see if he can do it and then ride off into the coaching sunset.
"I plan on being here for a while. It's not just a fight thing and then [me saying] 'I'm done, that sucked.' I don't plan on losing."
Simpson wants to make his mark now because he knows what's coming. With more exposure, comes more interest from higher level athletes who will enter the MMA fray in the future. Simpson pointed to Olympic candidate Mo Lawal, who has stormed onto the scene with Strikeforce. Another crazy example is Chicago Bulls' first round pick James Jordan. The 6-foot-7, 250-pounder out of Wake Forest was a kickboxer as a teen and has talked about trying MMA once his NBA career is finished.
Simpson faces Tom Lawlor, who also has collegiate wrestling experience. Lawlor, a cast member from TUF 8, picked up an upset win at UFC 100 over Dollaway.
More...
Yahoo! Sports.
Cagewriter is an MMA blog edited by Steve Cofield.
