Wrestler Sues School Over 'MMA Fight'

A student at Missouri's Blue Springs High School is suing the school district after he was injured in what is being described as "a mixed martial arts-style fight" which an assistant wrestling coach cheered on.

The Kansas City Star reports that Samuel Gomez, a junior who was on the Blue Springs the wrestling team, claims that when a wrestling practice was canceled last October, wrestlers stuck around the gymnasium and had an MMA-style fight that one student videotaped and that assistant wrestling coach James Williamson watched and cheered on.

Gomez claims that he broke two teeth and had another tooth knocked out in the fight, and that his injuries required a rod to be placed in his mouth two root canals.

Gomez's lawyer told the Kansas City Star, "The school essentially refused to take this matter seriously, even when the school was provided that video. There was plenty of opportunity for the school to accept responsibility."

Although this is being described as an MMA fight, it's important to note that in reality, this wasn't an MMA fight at all: MMA fights are done under a referee's supervision, in a confined space, and with participants required to wear mouthguards. This was just two kids brawling in a gym. If a coach egged them on, he has no business coaching youth sports.

Hat tip: Bloody Elbow.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

10-14-2009 @ 11:10AM

chilly16 said...

so at what point did he lose these teeth? he kept fighting so his bad. next time he should fight a guy in his own weight class. I dont care how many UFC cards you watched kid, you arent anderson silva.

10-14-2009 @ 11:24AM

jnoble203 said...

those 2 students were very much apart of what they were doing. they were both loving it. at no time did it look like one of them wanted to stop.. they both had MMA gloves on too. they were willing participants. however, this was the wrong setting with almost no precautions taken. in the end, the kids wanted to do that but one got hurt (which should have been expected) and saw an oppurtunity to sue.

10-14-2009 @ 11:35AM

richardbikle said...

the guy wants to fight and then crys, too bad. his parents should have to step up and fight next for suing. yea, your little darling did nothing wrong, its someone elses fault

10-14-2009 @ 1:08PM

bedrockcx said...

1 + 1 = 2 idiots

10-14-2009 @ 1:58PM

piprocks666 said...

the kid didn't look too concerned for the others safety when he attempted a flying kick to the head either. this is actually funny. he's the one who gets hurt then he wants to cry about it.

10-14-2009 @ 2:11PM

neozoo said...

nobody ever wants to take responsibility for their own actions and stupidity.

IT'S NOT MY FAULT I'M AN IDIOT!

although it probably wasn't too smart for the coach to be there.

10-14-2009 @ 2:24PM

David S. said...

Seems to me from the video they both were there without coercion. The skinny guy who got hurt is just whining because he lost; he was hardly innocent in this. However, they are high school students, and the coach, being an adult, should have stopped it.

10-14-2009 @ 3:49PM

steve said...

MMA is so lame. he deserved to get hurt.

10-14-2009 @ 7:44PM

mike said...

figures, hes ready to fight but when he starts losing then hes going to sue. SWEET HEART

10-14-2009 @ 10:40PM

i've thought more about this more than most 10 other topics. i say what i think and then i'm doe with it unless someone wants to talk about it; but i was really wrong on this. A 16/17/18 year old really doesnt have much of any judgement, much less good judgement. i kinda think the skinny kid was being an ass thinking his flying tkd sidekick was going to bring him out on top, so maybe he had a mouth. the other kid looks like he only know how to wrestle. in any case i'm thinking that as a parent i would probable be upset/pizzed off too. assistant coachs may only be out of high school by a year or two themselves, and may not have much judgement either.
there should have been someone there, like an adult. as there was gloves, i'm thinking this was planned. this stinks.

10-15-2009 @ 11:19AM

eric, have you ever notice how (extra) bad i write at night? the funny thing is i dont drink. not a beer, nothing.

10-15-2009 @ 9:47AM

Eric said...

Kids get in fights all the time. The only issue here is that an "Assistant coach" knew the fight was happening and did nothing.

Also, being that they were wrestlers and had MMA gloves, I find it unlikely that they weren't wearing mouth guards. I don't doubt the injuries being reported ... my point is that this was obviously planned and the fighters were at least "somewhat" prepared.

The coach should be fired, and the school should pay for the medical bills (nothing extra). This really isn't that big a deal.