One Armed Cage Fighting Champion has UFC Dreams Crushed

I don’t know much about the UFC or cage fighting, but I’ve recently heard about Nick Newell and his dream of being a UFC fighter. Nick is a young man who was born with just one arm. He is also a cage fighter who has a record of 9 wins and no defeats. For someone with such a disability many people find it hard to believe that he can be so skilled in a sport that requires two hands. Nick also has a wish to become a UFC cage fighter, but the UFC owner Dana White has publicly said Nick cannot compete. This is all just so ridiculous. Nick himself has said “My goal is to prove that people with disabilities can go out and win,” [Newell told MMAFighting.com in 2009]. “It’s more of a message I’d like to send, that if you have a goal, go out and do it. Try it, whether it’s fighting or something else. Whether you want to be the best at your job, or at sports, just do your best. Give it everything you have. Winning is very important to me, but at the end of the day, even if I lose, as long as I know I gave it everything I had, there’s no shame in that.” I think Nick deserves a shot. Nick Newell (9-0) might have won many over with his story, but it still isn’t enough to where UFC president Dana White will offer him a contract. Newell was born with a left arm that ends at the elbow, meaning he has no hand and is missing most of a forearm. White, who has shot down the idea before citing that it’s tough to make it into the UFC with two arms, continued to deny that Newell would be a part of the promotion. White wasn’t even sure that all the state athletic commissions would grant Newell a fight license. “Will the state of Nevada let him fight,” said White. “Will the state of California let him fight? Would some of these bigger athletic commissions let him fight? Maybe he can get away with that in some of these other states. I don’t know. Fighting with one arm is just craziness to me.” Newell’s perfect record extended to nine with a win at XFC 21 on December 7. In the process, he became the promotions lightweight champion when he defeated former Bellator fighter Eric Reynolds (16-6).

Newsletter

• Ready to learn body confidence? Sign up for our newsletter!

• Name*
• Email*

Sign up!