Zion Clark, an MMA fighter with no legs, wants to become a world champion after winning his professional debut.
The 25-year-old former college wrestler was born with no legs due to a rare birth disorder called caudal regression syndrome. Clark has refused to let his disability hold him back in any walk of life, continuing to defy the odds by winning a decision against able-bodied opponent Eugene Murray last weekend in San Diego.
Clark is by no means done with MMA after winning his first fight as he wants to win a world title. "I want to take it all the way to the top. I want a belt. Now I’m in a place where I can do some damage. Why not run this train off the rails? I try to keep it moving forward. I don’t want to ride the wave of this one fight. I want you guys to see the next one.” That’s as simple as it is but for now, I’ve got to get there first, so I’ve got to focus and learn right now," he told MMA Fighting.
How far can Zion Clark go in MMA? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!
Former two-weight UFC champion Conor McGregor was fascinated by Clark's debut and praised him for the wrestling skills he put on display. Despite winning every round, Clark thinks he could have done better in the fight as he stated: "I felt like I could have closed the distance a little bit more. I felt like I did an ok job keeping centre mat and forcing him to the cage. That was a big point my coaches had, don’t give him room to move.
“If you’re going to go on offence, don’t give him room to move. If you’re going to go for counters, let him come to you. I'm happy that I won but still a little too close for comfort for me on how it played out, It could have been better. I’m going to be honest about that."
It's not the first time Clark has proved his doubters wrong, previously winning national titles in wrestling and setting several Guinness World Records. Clark revealed he suffered hand injuries in his debut fight but is hopeful he can make a return to the cage in the first quarter of next year.
“I’m a martial artist first before everything,” Clark added. “There’s no track and field without the basis of wrestling for me. There’s no breaking world records without the basis of wrestling for me. I’ve really circulated my life around this. Not that I’m obsessed, but more so that I’ve learned a lot of values and it’s helped me through some dark times."
