Motivational speaker and martial artist Zion Clark is aiming to win an MMA world championship. Clark was born without legs due to Caudal Regression Syndrome, a rare birth defect. However, that didn’t stop him from competing as an amateur wrestler. He made the transition to MMA this year.
Clark made his professional MMA debut against Eugene Murray at Gladiators Challenge – Season’s Beatings on December 17. The 25-year-old dominantly defeated Murray via unanimous decision in their bantamweight matchup.
Speaking to MMA Fighting’s Damon Martin, Zion Clark discussed his MMA debut and more. Going by the moniker ‘No Excuses’, Clark seemingly wasn’t satisfied despite his brilliant performance.
Clark suggested he could’ve done better at closing the distance during the fight but indicated that he took the center and cut off the cage well. Additionally, he noted that the game plan was to swiftly cover distance when he was attacking and let his opponent come to him while looking to counter. The American fighter said:
“I feel OK, I feel good. Happy that I won but still a little too close for comfort for me on how it played out.”
Moreover, Zion Clark opened up about the challenges he faced growing up in foster care before eventually being adopted by Kimberlli Clark-Hawkins. He also harked back to getting into MMA training around the time he appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2019.
Having trained with the likes of Bellator superstar A.J. McKee and Antonio McKee, he further outlined his dreams of becoming an MMA champion. Clark stated:
“[I want to] take it all the way to the top. I want a belt… Simple. 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.”
Zion Clark responds to UFC legend Conor McGregor’s praise after his MMA debut
In the aftermath of Zion Clark’s triumphant MMA debut, UFC great and MMA icon Conor McGregor posted a tweet praising the young athlete. ‘The Notorious’ insinuated that not many can generate enough power to beat Clark by punching downwards, and they can’t kick him due to him being a grounded opponent, thereby making him a unique fighter.
Conor McGregor also lauded Zion Clark for his impressive display of skills in his maiden MMA fight. McGregor particularly alluded to the lightning fast takedown entries that helped Clark overwhelm his opponent. Clark subsequently responded in kind. Expressing his respect for McGregor, he tweeted:
“Appreciate the love and respect @TheNotoriousMMA this is just the start for me I’m excited to see how far I can take my fight game! I proved the doubters wrong in wrestling becoming an All-American and D1 Wrestler. All respect”