‘I want a belt’ — Zion Clark, wrestler without legs, vows to become MMA champ

MMA fighter Zion Clark is a man on a mission.

Zion Clark might be at a severe disadvantage compared to other MMA fighters, but that isn’t going to stop him from accomplishing his dreams.

Born without legs due to a rare birth defect called Caudal Regression Syndrome, Clark made his successful pro-MMA debut last weekend, defeating able-bodied fighter Eugene Murray at a Gladiator Challenge event in San Diego.

Now, the three-time Guinness World Record holder and former All-American wrestler with a record of 33-15 has set his sights on becoming a champion in the sport.

“[I want to] take it all the way to the top. I want a belt,” Clark, nickname “No Excuses”, told MMA Fighting’s Damon Martin in a recent interview. “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.”

While Clark was pleased with his debut, he was candidly honest about his performance, highlighting the areas he could have improved on.

“It could have been better,” Clark said. “I’m going to be honest about that. I felt like I could have closed the distance a little bit more. I felt like I did an OK job keeping center 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 offense, don’t give him room to move. If you’re going to go for counters, let him come to you.

“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.”

To read Clark’s full interview with MMA Fighting, where he talks about overcoming childhood adversity, click here.