Kids in a Cage (2023) Movie Script
1
Announcer:
...In the blue corner,
She's seven years old
and weighs 50 pounds,
Representing
riverside submission...
Ladies and gentlemen,
Give it up for jayden murillo!
- There we go!
- She wants that ground, baby,
That's right, baby, go!
Come on, jayden!
Get your guard, baby!
whoo!
You okay?
Your winner
by submission arm bar,
Jayden murillo!
Jayden:
My weight is 58 pounds.
My record is 8-0.
Girls are strong,
and they rule the world.
Me. And a music video.
Announcer: Ultimate fighting
is the fastest growing sport
in the world.
Announcer: Right now,
3.2 million kids under
the age of 13 cage fight.
Just think about that.
Announcer:
Depending on your view,
It's either
a brilliant showcase
Of strength and skill
or a savage sport
That should be banned
Jon: I created a format
where kids can compete
In something similar to
mixed martial arts,
But a lot safer.
We've got 400 kids nationwide,
Kids that come
from millionaire parents
To kids that are on welfare.
Yeah!
Announcer: ...Fighting out
of the red corner,
Who is eight years of age,
From riverside submissions,
Give it up for max murillo!
Jon: The number one obstacle
We have to overcome
is the perception.
People look at it
like child abuse.
But this sport
has so many safety nets
That we're gonna catch
potentially dangerous injuries.
Yes. No.
It looks dangerous.
Is it dangerous?
How dangerous is it for kids?
And you're not worried
about him getting injured?
Hey, you're not hurt.
Jon: We're in
an era where kids
Aspire to be
gangbangers or thugs.
This sport builds character
in kids that were lacking.
It teaches them discipline,
It teaches them self-respect,
and builds that self-esteem
That they need
as they grow older.
Man: These kids are learning
to defend themselves.
They learn to lose.
They learn what life is.
Jon: Every other sport
that's a real sport
Has youth development leagues.
If mma decides
it is a real sport,
You gotta bring on the kids.
Announcer: All right,
ladies and gentlemen, again,
Give it up for both
of these warriors
And a great fight.
We have our winner,
Possibly the cutest combatant
we've ever seen,
Jayden murillo!
Jayden: My ultimate goal
is to become
A pro fighter in the ufc.
Pressure.
Just keep the pre--
Some of it looks scary
and dangerous.
Sometimes random people
say to me,
"you're pretty and
you kick butt in the cage."
...Nice,
but then also mean.
I will spank jayden and angela
and xavier if they act up.
I believe in discipline.
Jayden: People should know
that I'm bossy and bratty.
I learned it from my mom.
Jayden:
If I am a champion,
I'll have so much money,
I'll donate it to charity
and homeless people.
I would also give it
to my family.
My family does
not have enough food.
Reina:
We live check to check.
- Ooh.
- Every day's a struggle.
Randy: I service
air conditioning, heating.
I'm doing weekend work,
doing side jobs.
I do a lot of it for the kids.
- No.
- No, you missed.
Reina:
I have seven children.
Jayden is my only girl.
My miracle child.
Wiggle it.
Do it, jayden, dance. Dance.0109
- Oh, you want some of this?
- Now what? Now what?
She says she's gonna
get us a house on the beach.
My dream is for that
to come true.
"kailee."
okay, looks like "kayley."
I'm the mma mom.
I help kids sign up
for cage fights...
Jeremy, you're on deck!
...So I'm always involved
in everything they do.
- Come on, baby!
- Come on, jayden!
I can't see.
Jayden sells socks
with her face on them
To raise money for her fights.
Wearing a sock with
my face on it is funny,
But weird at the same time.
It looks like its eyes
Would follow you around.
I think it's creepy.
Reina: Jayden is sponsored
by built to fight.
They make her rash guard,
gloves, her shin guards.
It helps a lot.
Man:
Turn to face the crowd.
I think the sponsors
are coming to us
Because jayden's a badass.
She's this little girl
With this long blonde hair
And then she just
turns into this beast.
Announcer: We have
cash "the cashman" armando!
Let's go, cash!
Let's go!
I'm going that way, bro.
I know. That's my son.
It's a big deal, bro.
That's his son, bro.
That's his son.
Bad timing, dude.
Don't even
come around here right now.
- Let's go!
- Let's go, cash!
Tell these guys to get off
my ass right here.
Man:
You need to clear the area.
Announcer:
We have cash the cashman!
Yeah! Yeah!
- Do your thing.
- Let's go, cash!
- You got this. Go hard.
- Let's go!
Yeah, get that leg!
Yeah!
Get up! Get up!
- Yeah!
- Yeah!
Yeah!
Good job! Good job!
- Whoo!
- Yeah!
- Work it, cash.
- Go, go, go!
- Bring it back quick!
Blast him! Blast him!
- Blast him, cash!
You're all right.
Take a breath.
Open up your mouth.
Okay, how bad's
that bloody nose?
- I don't feel it.
- Okay. Can you breathe
out of your nose?
- All right.
- Everything you got, cash!
This is it!
This decides it
right here, buddy!
Get your points! Go!
Get your points!
Go! Go! Go! Go!
man. damn
These takedowns, man.
What is he waiting on?
Announcer:
All right, so we have
a majority decision.
Coming out
of the red corner...
Yeah!
...The cashman!
Armando!
Yeah! Yeah!
Yeah! Yeah!
Oh, my god.
Oh, my god.
Hey, wait a minute.
Don't we get to
get a picture in there like
everyone else with him?
I'm the doctor.
Talk to somebody else
about pictures.
Okay, watch your attitude, bro.
It's all good.
- Hey, I've got
a lot to do right now--
- it's all good.
This is not the place
for pictures.
I wasn't talking to you, bro.
It's all good.
Doesn't matter.
Whatever happened, I need you
start walking that way.
Or that way.
Either the way.
Just start walking
or you can leave.
You can take your pick.
I'm sorry.
- You guys are punks, man
-go sit down.
Come on.
It's time to be happy, brother.
We did it, brother.
Huh?
So proud of you.
Steve: I grew up
in south san francisco.
I had a rough life.
In and out
of juvenile hall and jail.
Indy, you want some? Come on.
Come get some.
I chose a different lifestyle,
Started a successful business,
And give us this lifestyle
that we have now.
Now I pick and choose
who I surround myself with
And I build a strong team
around me.
Jenna:
I have three kids.
My oldest, jordan,
and my daughter,
Those are with my ex-husband.
And then steve and I have cash
together, and he's ten.
This is bob the bully.
This is our training partner.
We dress him up.
We write on him.
We hook up little spots
where we wanna get him.
Like, we got the liver shot
over here for him.
- Show me the knockout shots.
- Jawlines.
- Jaw. Temple.
- Temple.
My brother got bullied,
so my dad started
To take him to training
so he could defend himself.
And then my dad asked me
if I wanted to do mma.
So we started
when I was 4 1/2.
Keep hitting him.
Steve:
Score first! Score!
What are you looking at? Go!
Kick, punch, now! Go!
There you go. Good.
Cash: I really like
that if you get really mad,
You could take it out on
the pad-- er, your opponent.
It lets you clear
that anger out
So you could be
a happier person.
Wanna put him down?
nice.
Take him down
before you shuffle back.
Stomp him out.
Cash: My long-term goal
is to be a ufc fighter.
Okay, pick it up a little bit.
If people said I was too young
To do such a dangerous sport,
I wouldn't really listen
to them.
I don't care what other people
think about me now.
- Good.
- Steve: This is our life.
- Last set!
- Kids: Last set!
- Last set!
- Last set!
- Up!
- Kids: One!
- Up! Up!
- Two!
Cash trains a minimum
of five days a week.
Sometimes six.
Bear crawl. Go!
For a ten-year-old,
he trains a lot.
It's important for kids
to learn mma
Because it might
help them protecting
themselves on the street.
Steve: I definitely want him
to defend himself.
If it was a situation
where no one was around
And someone was trying
to hurt him,
I would 100% tell him
to use everything he's got.
Absolutely.
Let him have it, man.
Blast on 'em.
If some parent were to tell me
that I'm a bad parent
Because my son
is training mma,
I would probably
fly off the handle.
The initial reaction is,
"oh, my god, your kids?
What do you mean he does mma?"
And they're watching ufc
thinking that that's
what the kids are doing.
And then after I take
the time to tell them
How deeply we're involved
and that it's safe,
They finally get it.
This is about
utilizing your skills,
not hurting your opponents.
If we see anything that looks
like you are trying
To hurt your opponent,
you will be disqualified.
As a referee,
my job is to make sure that,
Number one,
the kids are safe.
You okay?
Hold still one second though.
Open.
Do you have one
that fits better?
Often coaches are more
antagonistic than supportive
And it does nothing
for helping us to officiate
For less than minimum wage.
You know what?
Run it how you want
in riverside.
In here-- it's rules meeting
for everybody
So that they don't say,
"my coach said..."
And the other kid says
"well, the referee said..."
no, I understand.
I'm gonna kill that man.
The kids are great.
The majority of them
show amazing sportsmanship.
It's never been the kids
that have been problematic.
My kid wants
to keep on fighting.
- He's a mother beast.
- Shut the up.
It's bull.
He didn't win,
and you know that.
It's bull.
You deal with parents
who are already wanting
Their kids to be pro fighters
By the time they're eight.
Yeah, kick his butt!
And they treat
their wins and losses...
Yeah!
...As if they just lost
a $250,000 purse.
Stop a fight too soon,
they're pissed.
You stop a fight too late,
they're pissed.
The arm bar was three seconds
after the round.
Well, I don't know what you--
it's a foul.
If you were listening
at the meeting...
Half the time I felt like
I needed an escort
to the parking lot.
This is for fun.
You're not in the ufc.
We're doing this to build
our character
So we're better kids,
better adults.
A lot of your guys are gonna be
doctors, lawyers, military.
This is gonna help you
get where you need to go.
Announcer:
Jon frank is a former marine
and black belt.
Announcer: Jon frank
is the other team leader.
We're gonna stage in the van
near that place.
Jon: I'd retired
after 32 years of service
Being a u.S. Marine
and a u.S. Marshal.
As the president
of the usfl,
My end goal is to change
the culture of america
Through this sport.
A lot of the kids
we're producing
are just kind of mush.
They're not physically active.
They're weak
physically and mentally.
You have kids
that need safe places
and participation medals.
This type of sport
builds character in kids
that we're lacking.
Yo! Kicks! Kicks!
Jon: If we allow
these kids to go all out,
They're gonna hurt each other.
Reina: When I was growing up,
I wasn't involved in a sport.
I got in trouble growing up,
And I don't want that
for jayden.
Jayden:
I've learned through my mom
That the world can be
a dangerous place.
When I grow up, I wanna become
a law enforcement officer.
In law enforcement, you have
to have certain skills,
Like mma, jiu-jitsu.
I wanna do law enforcement
Because I wanna help
protect my community...
- This is our robotic garden.
- Oh?
I'm programming the app
to change the colors
of the flowers.
- See?
It's glowing red and blue.
- Yes.
Reina: I don't want it
just to be mma and that's it.
My dream for jayden
is for her to go to college.
I want her to be able
to go out there
And do whatever
she wants to do.
Jayden:
It makes me irritated
when people tell me
That girls can't do stuff
boys can do.
Announcer:
Jayden "patches"...
Jayden:
I like fighting because
Every time I win,
I prove girls can do
Anything boys can do.
happy birthday to you
Ever since I was little,
I wanted to fight in the ufc
Because I've watched
ronda rousey fight.
She was
my inspiration to fight.
When I kick up here,
you wanna block like this, okay?
I wanna be that inspiration
to other little girls.
Steve: Certain parents might
baby their kids too much.
Sometimes the kids
need to be pushed
Because life is a fight.
All right, breathe, bud.
Go get some water.
We're trying to teach him
to fight through it
And don't give up.
I believe if you're
too soft on your kids,
they won't have the heart
To get through
the hard situations in life.
Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!
He had a fight,
and there was only two kids
in his division,
Him and the other kid.
And he lost that fight.
I told him, you take
that second place medal
And you say,
"I respectfully decline
this medal."
And coaches were like,
"come on, he's a kid."
I'm like, "no,
there's a winner and there's
a loser out of this fight.
We're not second place.
We're not gonna go
hang that on our wall
And look at it for the rest
of our life and say,
'this is the fight
that I lost.'"
Keep your arms tight.
Oh, around the neck,
young lady. Yes.
Boom, land.
Your leg is up.
And then what do you do?
Let go and spin.
What is the number one
code of conduct in here?
No crying.
Why do I not allow crying?
It tells you
that your quitting.
So let's say
somebody comes up to me
And they smack me
across the face.
Wah! And I start crying.
I'm useless.
When you cry,
you get emotional.
When you get emotional,
you lose it.
You feel like you wanna cry,
Just bury that sucker
deep down inside
And just don't show
that weakness.
Punch, baby.
Some people cross their arms.
"oh, no!
That's so violent."
I don't cater to those people.
If you don't like it,
there's the door.
I'm here because I know
that there's nothing
We can do about violence.
Violence will always be here.
And if you don't have
the tools to protect yourself,
Then you're just--
you're dead meat.
Reina: My father was in jail
when I was born.
He was convicted for murder,
And he was sentenced to death
by execution.
So I never had
that father figure.
Jeff: Release.
Okay, superman or superwoman.
The problems started
when I was a teen.
I was sexually abused
by my.
I can't even go into detail
The stuff that he did.
So, my little sister erica
is not only deaf
She's developmentally delayed.
Growing up with her,
I always felt that
I had to look out for her,
People teasing her.
Protecting my little sister
Was a big part of my life
growing up.
My mom had
an abusive
When we were really little,
so a lot of the time
It was me trying to protect
my mom and my sister
From getting hit,
like, throwing myself
on top of them.
I think that's part of why
it's so important for me to see
To see jayden be able
to protect herself.
You're just rotating
from the elbow, right?
One, two, three, four,
Five, six, seven, eight, nine.
You still gonna fight
just as hard, right?
- No.
- Jayden! You have to.
Jayden, come here.
Get-- jayden! One...
Jayden!
Put your hands
in front of your face.
Back to fighting stance.
Boom.
Steve:
A big event like nationals,
You train all year long
for that.
Back to fighting stance.
Nice.
We talked to our coaches.
All right, and then
you're gonna take it
right from there.
Let's go. You can do it.
This year at nationals,
we want him to win.
We try to get better.
Jenna: When I see steve
pushing cash too hard,
Sometimes I have to pull back
and just kind of remove myself
'cause I wanna baby
and coddle him.
Even though I know steve
comes from a good place
when he does that,
It still is hard
for me to see that.
Keep going! Keep going!
Steve: I have moments where
I feel like I might be
Over-parenting cash,
forgetting cash's age.
Like, "hey, we're going too far.
These are just little kids."
Steve: You're over
the top of the hill.
Now you're running down.
My legs are burning.
put your elbows in.
You're cheating.
- Oh! My legs. I can't.
- You got it. Relax, relax.
Jenna: Just do this.
Move around, move around.
- I can't.
- 28 seconds. 28 seconds.
Cash, one second.
Oh! You made it.
Turn it off.
Just get me out.
- I'm gonna crack this.
- Do you wanna do it again?
Cash: No.
- There you go.
- I definitely understand, uh,
That, like, we have, like--
we do a lot of things
That most kids
are probably wishing to do.
I'm definitely spoiled.
I got a pool,
big house, motorcycles.
I don't do a lot of chores.
You got fired from your chore.
I wasn't picking up
the dog poop.
What happened?
Why didn't it work out?
- Mm-mm. I forgot. Yeah.
- You forgot?
- I mean, he's pretty basic.
- You're picking up dog.
You didn't do it.
I mean, come on, man.
Like, what's wrong with you?
I'm like, "can't you
just pick it up every time
They go to the bathroom
so our yard is clean?"
It's not really about
the chore in front of you.
It's about the big picture.
I know that
you're probably like,
"how does dog poop relate
to what I'm gonna do in life?"
But if you're an adult,
you figure that out
and you understand that.
It's always about
the bigger picture.
It's hard being a dad
'cause you wanna give your kid
everything and spoil them.
But then you
don't want them to, you know,
Get the attitude
of a spoiled kid.
Your mom and dad work hard
to give you all the stuff
you have, right?
I understand that it comes
from hard work, yeah.
There's other kids out there
that are sitting around
playing video games all day
Or on the couch eating cookies,
And you're in the gym fighting
and busting your ass.
Everything you do
is a sacrifice.
Your sacrifice--
what some people might
consider being a kid.
Steve:
Tear it up, you guys.
Have a cupcake.
You grab one, you eat it.
Don't be sticking your dirty
little fingers in there.
When I met jenna,
I didn't know
anything about kids.
I didn't know
if I wanted kids.
I was that guy when you said
you were having a kid,
You were lucky if you got
a congratulations out of me.
I was like, "oh, that's cool.
So, anyways, when are we going
To get a beer or whatever?"
And, jenna, her kids
opened my eyes to it a lot.
"okay, this might be for me."
Now I'm the guy
that won't just stop talking
about my own kid.
- Now he blasts his kid
all over social--
- I'll just sit here and--
Yeah, just if you look
at my social media,
That's all you're
gonna see is my kid.
It's the best thing
that's ever happened to me.
I would do anything
for that guy.
Here you go.
Here's one more.
- It's a special one.
- Open that carefully.
Steve: You know,
I know you look up
to your buddies here
- With all their little gear.
- Let's see, cash.
What you got?
What you got there?
Steve: Yeah,
that's a big deal, dude.
That's a big one, man.
That's all real.
There's no fake in there, guy.
- Cash: Thank you.
- You're welcome, buddy.
You deserve it.
Keep training, man,
and keep doing your thing.
happy birthday,
dear cashman
happy birthday to you
- He's the man!
- Steve: No, covid, guy!
Don't be blowing covid
on there, guy.
- Yeah!
- Yeah!
- Go, go! Go, dude!
- Oh!
Yeah!
- Yo, that's all
he's gonna talk about.
- That's cool, man.
- You see that right there?
That's cool, yeah.
- That's cool. Right on.
Two, here we go.
- Let's go, let's go!
- Take it, take it,
take it, take it.
- Let's go!
- Take it, jayden.
Take it.
stop, stop, stop, stop.
That was some bull.
Jon: Six million kids
in the united states
do martial arts,
So it's so important
that you guys set the example
Of what this sport should be.
Your parents
are not disappointed at you
if you lose.
Jayden:
After starting my career,
Even though I have
lost a good amount of fights,
My competition has been
getting stronger.
It's important for me to win
at this smaller tournaments
Because it gives me confidence
that I need for nationals.
Announcer:
Ladies and gentlemen,
the following bout
Is for the novice
10 to 11-year-old
106 pound championship.
Please welcome
to the stage jayden...
Come on, baby!
You ready? You ready?
Let's go.
Go, jayden!
Start hitting that leg
if you got it.
Get that arm and go. Go!
Watch the face!
Stop!
That's one point.
Strike in the face.
Your hands are getting high.
Watch 'em, okay? Keep 'em down.
Relax, okay?
Slow down, okay?
I don't know yet, okay?
That doesn't matter right now.
Let's go!
Reina:
Dish 'em back, jayden!
Watch the face!
- Stop! Time!
- Reina: Again?
That's already three times,
larry.
You sure you want me
to leave it?
Well, now you should be pissed.
You ready? Let's go.
- Let's go, jayden!
- Kick her, bella! Kick her!
- Kick her, bella!
- Reina: Go, jay!
- Bella, kick her!
- Get those!
We eat those, jayden!
The ground's yours, baby!
The ground's yours!
Ground and pound, baby! Go!
You know what to do
from there, jayden.
Work it, jayden!
That's it, jayden! Go!
Take it!
Right there, baby girl!
- Take her to
the ground, jayden!
- Take her to the ground!
Take her to the ground!
There you go! There you go!
Hip it, jayden! Hip it!
- Jayden! Jayden! Yeah!
- Announcer: All right,
Let's hear it
for both these young ladies
in this title fight.
All three judges
scored this bout
The same way
for your winner.
By unanimous decision,
and the new novice
10 to 11-year-old
cfc champion,
Bella campos!
Jon:
It's just a kids' sport.
Their fight record
is completely irrelevant,
But parents have the belief
That their record
is of great importance.
You have a kid
that never won a match,
Yet they keep coming back
and they never quit.
That parent
should be proud of that.
You're gonna have failure.
How you deal with that,
That's the whole premise
of youth mixed martial arts.
You know I never care
if you win or lose. You try.
- I know. Hold this.
- Right?
But when they rob you,
that's not okay.
I know. But I don't care.
I'm gonna go off
on that damn judge.
That's what
I feel like doing. Here.
- Yeah.
- This way. Let's go to jon.
- Well, jon wasn't
the freaking judge.
- I know, I know.
But I'll take you...
Jayden should've won that.
She should've won that.
- All right, well--
- can you tell me
why she didn't?
I think one of the judges scored
the thing wrong, honestly.
- I think it's bull.
- Yeah.
- Hey, did she fight good?
- She did fight good.
That's what you should
care about first, okay?
The other stuff's gonna
come later. All right?
Steve: My parents both live
on the property.
It's kind of funny
'cause they're divorced.
It's perfect.
Cash can come over and go,
"grandma, put on your tennies.
We're gonna go
shoot some hoops."
You didn't even
pass me the ball.
What's up, kiddo?
- You gotta redo that.
- Oh, come on.
That's not where I made it from.
Come on. Don't be tough.
- Right here.
- You're so tough on me.
I don't care
what college you pick,
But we know
you're going to college.
I'm trying to make it
to ufc, too, so--
- Oh, no. Uh-uh.
- Why not?
Ufc is brutal,
and you're too smart
To be getting
your head knocked in.
What if I protect my head
and I don't get hit in the head?
I never see those guys with
anything around their heads.
Cash, he has the perfect
little face and ears.
I don't want him smashed
into the mat.
Once cash is older
And there's more threat
of serious injuries,
I will be holding my breath.
All right, first thing,
let's go to mouth guard.
- Mouth guard. There you go.
- Is that fitted?
Yeah, for this is
for his braces.
Oh, his fighting shirt.
That's his pants.
Where's your
shirt at, dude?
- Go get your mom.
Find out where--
- it's this right here.
Oh, there it is. Okay.
Sorry, I was about to bug out.
I was gonna bug
the out.
Come on, bro.
Dad's already nervous, man.
Don't be with me.
Lets go over here.
This guy's a little big, right?
Does it work?
- Yeah, it works.
- Okay.
We gotta check his weight.
You know, it might be
a little bit over.
So we're gonna run
a couple laps
And just get a little
water weight out of him.
It's nice and hot
out here today.
Easy to get a sweat going.
You wanna just do an easy jog,
- Say to that red truck
and back here?
- Yeah.
A few laps?
Let's see how you're doing.
Get sweating, okay?
Rose: I don't care
if it's a pound.
Kids should not
be cutting weight.
Pull those strings
tight on your head.
My father was the founder
of the ufc.
I grew up inside
of a jiu-jitsu school.
My family's the largest
martial art family in the world.
You gotta remember that when
you're cutting weight
And you're taking water
out of your body,
You're taking water
out of your brain.
There you go.
Try to keep it like that.
- Is this all right?
- Yeah, it's fine.
Steve: Okay.
What are we trying to do?
Are we trying to get
world champions at 12 years old?
It should be illegal.
It should be illegal
for children to cut weight.
Good job.
Keep that tight on your head.
Just go easy.
Just keep moving. Keep moving.
- Okay, so-- just so-- hang on.
- Yeah, man.
We were literally doing
three minutes of this.
We're not cutting weight.
Okay, well, the optics for usfl,
this is the stuff that
can get us in trouble.
- Okay, I didn't know that.
I didn't know that.
- This is all congressional.
- I understand, I understand.
- All right, cool, cool.
But, yeah,
that's all we were doing.
- But I understand
what you're saying.
- Cool.
If you guys do it
off premises...
- Okay.
- ...We have no fighting it,
- But we just can't do it here.
- I get it. I understand.
So, okay, we'll talk to the guys
and we'll change the program.
- Appreciate it.
- Okay.
The guy just said
because of usfl rules
Kids are now allowed
to cut weight for safety.
You know, I'm sure there's
some crazy wrestling parents
That are just beating
their kid to death
and just sucking 'em up
And trying to get
to some weight class that
they're not gonna make it to.
- We're not doing that.
- Well, if there was
something wrong, let's say,
Like I felt like I was
gonna pass out or throw up,
I'll tell him,
and we would stop
or take it easy
Or drink something before
so we could do it again.
For this specific thing,
absolutely,
I trust our judgment
better than a doctor
- That has no idea
what we're working on.
- Cash: Yeah.
- Absolutely, absolutely.
- Yes, every-- everyone.
Everybody does it.
Maybe it's just on the under.
They know what goes on.
Everyone knows what's up.
I'll cut these. See that?
Are you just taking it
away from me?
No.
You know what? It's just 'cause
I don't want her getting hurt.
I won't get hurt.
I promise.
Look.
Your finger's too close
to the thing.
I'm terrified to let them
use big knives.
I sometimes
overdo it with these kids,
and they get mad.
And sometimes
I'm overprotective.
They can't go with
their friends here or there.
But I've lost before,
And maybe they don't know
the pain I went through,
They don't understand.
Or the things I've seen.
Just put them right there.
My first four boys
aren't randy's.
I had 'em, god, all in a row.
Their father, he ended up
getting incarcerated,
And that's when I fell
into my addiction.
Drugs became a numbing.
By the time I realized
My addiction
was my addiction,
It was too late.
I lost custody
of my first four boys.
Finally, I went into program.
The judge told me,
"don't make the same mistake
With your next children that
you did with these ones."
I've been clean ever since.
I'm trying to give
my children a better life
than what I had.
I am thankful to experience
things with these children
That I didn't get to do
with my older children.
So I'm thankful that I got
a second chance at life
To be a mom and experience
all these little things
That I missed
with my older boys.
That's what
I'm truly thankful for.
My mom's done so much for us.
She puts up with us
and my attitude.
And she's always just wanted
To have an rv,
go camping with the family.
...So she could have something
she's always wanted.
Jayden is like,
"when I make money,
we're gonna travel."
But, no,
when jayden makes some money,
Jayden will be able to
financially take care of herself
And not have to worry
about a man.
My dad and his drinking
problems, for sure.
Yeah.
There's times
I was working two jobs,
Busting my behind
working all night,
Coming home,
dealing with the kids,
depressed as hell,
But did I get high
or did I get drunk? No.
Jayden: He refs plays,
But then he gets mad
super easy.
I think that's the reason
I have anger issues.
I slam doors, I yell,
I hit my brothers.
We know that a lot of that
was stemming from
A lot of problems
that we were having at home.
So, I've been...
...Yeah, pretty absent
for their lives.
It's caused me to turn into,
like, a single parent
That does everything
by myself with the kids.
And sometimes
it just gets exhausting.
Oh, my god. Oh, my god.
This is so good.
- Uh-huh.
- It's okay, though, cash.
It's normal.
You gotta go
through those nerves.
This guy that
you're going with,
I don't think he has
any standup, man.
You gotta blast him
on that standup.
Make him uncomfortable
the whole time. Pressure.
From the second you go,
pressure.
Trying to get ahold
of your brother and sister,
See if they're awake
so I can call them.
Say, "what's up?"
- You don't want to? Okay.
- Kid: I'm going in!
Jenna: He's trying to
get in the zone.
Cash: Whenever someone
tries to pump me up,
I feel overwhelmed.
I just wanna stay alone
and pump myself up.
I know how many people
are rooting for me.
If I lose, everyone's
gonna be disappointed.
My dad expects me to do
the best as I can,
Expecting me to win.
Hot rod:
He does push cash
Beyond where he thinks
he might be able to go.
I remember
a fight cash was in.
He got hit pretty good.
Cash ran off the mat,
Threw up in a bucket--
During the match--
And then went back out there
and fought.
Don't hesitate.
Blast on this dude.
Do not hesitate.
Oops. Sorry, buddy.
Good luck.
Jenna: Steve doesn't care
what people think about him.
It can be offensive
in public.
Yeah, I mean, I've definitely
said that to you, right?
"hey, you probably shouldn't
have said that," or...
- Yeah, you've said that
multiple times.
- Yeah.
Steve: I wanna see
if you could help me out.
- So this is for you.
- Oh, for real?
- It's a tip.
- Thank you.
His name's cash.
They call him the cashman.
- He's fighter number seven.
- Uh-huh.
He's coming out to ac/dc,
"thunderstruck."
- Oh, yeah. I have that.
- Can we give him
some extra volume?
- Yeah, I got you.
- Thank you, brother.
I appreciate it, man.
Announcer:
Ladies and gentlemen,
making his way to the cage,
Out of the blue corner,
cash armando!
Yeah!
Ha, ha!
Cash on me, cash on three.
- One, two, three, cash!
- Let's go.
Let's go!
Let's go. You ready?
Let's go, cash!
And fight!
Circle, cash. Circle.
- Circle, cash.
- Stop.
Hey. Stomp him out.
If you get kicked
in the stomach, you go, "ugh!"
And, like, cry or whatever
in the match,
Then your opponent's
gonna push even harder.
Stomp him out.
But if you hide it
and you smile it off,
They're gonna be intimidated.
Yeah, get in there.
Cash, get in there.
Spinning back kick!
Let's go! Keep it going!
You got him right there.
Let's go.
Don't stop, man.
Make him quit!
Make him quit!
Good job, cash.
Wait, what happened?
Hey, put your hands down
until he says it.
Announcer: Your winner and
the new 75-pound champion,
Cash armando!
Good job, man.
Thank you, man.
Good job. Seriously.
Thank you.
- Good job, boys!
- Good job, okay?
- Uh-huh.
- Love you.
...She's proud of me.
Man:
Time to get up, maxine!
Block! Block and strike!
Strike, strike!
Yes! Yes, strike!
Go! Kicks, kicks! Go!
You can't do that.
You can't wait.
see? Now look.
Man: Isaac, game time!
Good! Good! Again!
Again! Again!
Let's go, buddy!
You got it!
You got it! Come on!
Come on, isaac!
Let's do it!
Let's go, isaac!
Let's go, isaac! Be strong!
stop the fight.
Stop, stop, stop.
- Oh, come here!
- Proud of you, dude.
- Real proud of you.
That was good.
- That was war.
That was so awesome.
I know, I know, I know, I know.
Omalu: As a society,
we adore violence.
Why individuals will celebrate
another individual
Damaging his brain,
I don't understand it.
If a sport damages
the human body,
Than it's no longer a sport.
Ian:
A few generations ago
We were killing each other
with rocks and sticks.
We're monkeys.
We have to do this.
This is part of our dna.
Rose:
I run competitions.
I would have
parents come to me
As if they were living
through their children.
They were not able
to become athletes,
So now my child
is going to be the athlete.
And they put so much pressure
on that child.
And you see these parents
get so mad
Because they didn't
do the move the right way.
Don't stop! Keep going!
Keep going! Keep going!
And I was so disgusted
by that behavior that
I made a rule saying
Parents were not allowed
to coach their kids anymore.
Jon: If we allow these kids
to go all-out,
They're gonna hurt each other.
So we worked with
the athletic commission
And we came up
with regulations.
Every single kid
has an annual physical.
They have
a pre-fight physical.
Once they get in the cage,
they have a trained referee
Within a hand's reach.
When they're done fighting,
They have a post-fight
medical evaluation,
As well as there's
a few submissions
That are potentially dangerous,
Especially to the neck area.
We removed those.
Announcer: And the new
70-pound champion...
Bregman: Any kid being
severely injured,
The media takes that
and runs like crazy.
The one kid gets injured
Versus the 7,000 kids
that don't.
Jon:
Out of a thousand exposures,
we see 15 injuries.
There's been
not one concussion.
The most serious
was a broken arm.
The rest were all boo-boos,
Nothing that's gonna effect
the health of the kids
later down the road.
This one, like,
that's not a rare one.
All these are more rare.
We got more of nate diaz's cards
than any other card.
Steve: How many you got?
One, two, three, four, five--
I got six cards.
Announcer:
One minute on the clock.
Diaz dishing them out!
My goodness!
- Now he's got the back!
- He's got him flattened out!
- That's it!
He's got the choke!
- Nate diaz!
- He tapped!
- He has done it!
It is all over!
Nate diaz beats
conor mcgregor!
Oh, my goodness!
What a night,
ladies and gentlemen!
What a night!
- Nate: What's up?
Hey, how are you?
- Cash: Hi.
- Good.
- I'm steve. Cash's dad.
Nice to meet you. Right on.
That's your name? Cash?
- Mm-hmm, yeah, I got--
- that's his little
fighting gear right there.
That's dope-dope.
How many fights you got?
- I think, like, 15, 16 now.
- His first cage fight,
he was eight.
That's crazy.
It's a new day and age, eh?
- Wanna do a little
kicking today?
- Sure.
Jon: This sport
is still small enough
Where kids do have interaction
With professional
world champion fighters.
The adults really respect
what the kids are doing
Because they know what
a difficult sport it is.
But if somebody was to
get their kid in this sport
For future riches,
They probably should stick
with another sport.
They're exposed to more danger
than any other athlete,
And they're probably paid worse
than any other athlete.
Most kids are not gonna
make a living as pro athletes,
Though their parents
think they are.
So there's this illusion
that their kids are gonna
grow up and make big money.
Oh, I'm sorry.
Nobody's going to college
on an mma scholarship.
I get them in my practice,
Mma fighters whose
careers end immediately
Due to a traumatic
brain injury, and that's it.
They're at
the height of their career,
and they're done.
Ian: Kids that are getting
into this need to know
The fighting will never
be worth it financially.
You spend the early years
of your life
Fighting for a chance
to get only a few years
at the top.
Then you deal
with the repercussions
for the rest of your life.
Announcer:
...Out of irvine, california,
Ian "uncle creepy" mccall!
I have two major breaks
in my hand,
Three surgeries,
two mrsa infections.
I snapped the tip of my finger,
Fracture dislocation
in my elbow,
Four surgeries in my shoulder,
Bulging disc, bulging disc,
Tore my hip and my groin
in two places,
Popped both my knees.
Close to 90 stitches that
I can count in my face alone.
You feel like you got
in a car accident.
Your brain is forever damaged.
Your soul, all that trauma
gets stored inside your tissue.
Right on, man.
That was cool.
Good.
That was great.
Producer: If a doctor told you
you could still get brain damage
From the small hits,
would you stop doing mma?
How many doctors is it
and is it 100% accurate?
- Let's say it's--
- and I wouldn't stop
doing it though.
- Why not?
- Because I like it.
Announcer:
Jon frank to the green.
Jon frank.
Our number one priority
is always gonna be the safety
of the competitors.
They cannot strike anywhere
in the head at all.
Any blows to
the back of the head...
- Reina: How do you feel?
- Good.
You're still gonna fight
just as hard, right?
- No.
- Jayden! You have to.
You gotta still fight
just as hard
Because we've just dumped
just as much money in, man.
Jayden, come here.
Get-- jayden!
One...
Jayden zariah!
Oh.
Announcer:
The next number is 0254112.
Let's go shake his hand.
That pain you're feeling
is from a cut.
When you're feeling...
Reina: There's four kids,
So if she loses one fight,
she's out.
Referee: All right,
one three minute round.
- Are you ready?
- Yes!
Are you ready? Action!
- Man: Circle out!
- Reina: Come on, baby!
Jeff: Put your knee down.
Put your knees down.
Put your knees down.
Put your knee down.
Referee: Advance position.
Change position.
See that your punches...
Jeff: Get back up quick!
Get back up, jayden.
- Get up!
- Get up, quick!
Get up! Get up!
Don't let 'em get in your head.
Remember that. Boom!
- Come on, jayden!
Let's go, jayden!
- Bump! Bump, jayden, bump!
Throw her down, jayden! Go!
Come on, baby girl!
Take it! It's yours now.
Take the arm.
Build to your knees, jayden!
Grab a leg.
Build to your knees.
oh. She's okay.
- Reina: Up, jayden, up!
- Are you okay?
- It's okay? You're okay.
- Good girl.
Jeff:
Stay strong, stay strong.
Don't show it to 'em.
Don't give them satisfaction.
Hey...
Breathe, baby.
No, jayden, jayden.
Give 'em a hug.
- Give 'em a hug.
Give 'em a hug.
- No!
- Don't be like that.
- Don't be like that.
- Jayden.
- You can't be like that.
Jayden...
Reina:
All eyes are on you kid.
Come on, you can't do this.
- Jayden, come here. Come here.
- Come see me, please.
- With me.
- Did you win?
- Right here. Thank you.
- Are you hurt?
- I need to see you.
- I'm fine!
Jayden, you can't do that.
Over here.
Come on.
I'm proud of you,
but that outburst
That you just had,
you kinda let him win twice.
If you get in there and you do
your hardest in that fight,
that's all that matters.
No matter what the outcome is,
everyone will still
be proud of you.
But if you walk and let
your emotions control you,
it doesn't look good, okay?
So I think you
should go to the kid,
just tell him good job
And shake his hand.
That's it.
It's okay, kiddo.
Jayden: There are times
that I wanna quit.
But I don't.
I'm gonna come back stronger
and better.
Jon: As the president of usfl,
I'm a volunteer.
I don't accept money.
I've been living in a van.
I'm not embarrassed of it.
Most people are jealous
when they see me.
They say
I'm living the van life.
Plenty of rich people
are miserable.
A simple life
is actually a happier life.
I had four bedroom home.
I downsized a little bit--
Trying to save money
to buy a condo.
Divorce is rough.
I started
this organization in 2002
And I've been running it
for 20 years.
It's an enormous
amount of work.
Running it has taken
a toll on me,
Taken a toll on my marriage.
If I went away,
I'm afraid that the whole
usfl would collapse.
I can't quit.
This is more important
than any one person,
Including me.
So my only option now
Is to find a way
to keep it going.
My end goal is to work
my way out of a job
As the president
of the usfl.
It's not sustainable
for it to be done
By the leader as a volunteer.
So I'm trying to build
a cadre of leaders
To keep this going past me.
That's it. Yes.
Not bad, not bad.
Good. That was a good
right hand right there.
Again.
Again.
Jenna: With nationals,
there's a lot at stake.
The intensity level for steve
is turned up, like, 1,000%.
Steve: I'm trying to make sure
we don't forget anything,
Going through his bag
five times
While making sure
that he's on weight.
Jenna:
There's a lot of pressure.
It's pretty stressful.
How do you feel
about everything?
- I'm a little nervous.
- I've seen your a-game.
You can compete
with anybody out here.
So I don't want you
to go into shutdown mode
and start doubting yourself.
It's all in your mind, man.
You've been training for this
your whole life.
You stuff his
head through the mat
as hard as you can.
You throw his head
through that mat,
and you step back, okay?
I need a shot
and a beer.
I just need to get something
in me immediately.
maybe a valium or what
are those other things?
You're not reporting time,
that will count as a loss.
Let's go. Hey.
No, that
little guy's back behind--
You don't know what the
you're talking about.
He's doing that on purpose.
Little guy's
jamming up behind him,
Doing his whole little gig.
Hey, adam, make sure that--
that little guy
That cash is fighting
is walking back and forth
Getting all crazy back there,
Make sure you guys
all got his back, right?
Get in there.
Punch a hole in
that little chest.
No mr. Nice guy today.
All that friendly
out the door.
Light him the up.
Kick his ass.
Announcer:
Cash armando, we need you
back at the staging area.
- Let's go, bud.
- Give us unity, lord god.
Thank you, lord god,
for each and every one
of these people
And thank you for keeping us
all safe today.
Lord god, please keep us
from injury today
And let us just have
a good time, lord god.
- We pray in jesus' name. Amen.
- Guys, hands in. One time.
- Last break right here.
- Come on!
- Win on me, win on three!
- One, two, three, win!
- Whoo!
- Let's go!
Announcer:
In cage number two,
cash armando.
Let's go. It's time.
Let's go! Let's go!
Let's go, cash!
There you go.
Light 'em up!
Light 'em up!
Keep pushing forward!
There you go! Yeah!
More punches! More punches!
Forward, forward!
Yeah!
Yeah! Yeah!
Good job, cash. Work!
- Cash! Cash! Cash!
- Yeah! Yeah!
Get up! Get up!
Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!
Yeah!
- Let's go!
- Whoo!
Let's go.
Yeah!
Oh, my god, dude. Oh, man.
You killed it.
Jayden's just coming back
from not feeling well.
For a couple weeks,
she's been down.
Jayden:
I haven't been eating.
I've lost a lot of weight.
I don't even know if
I'm gonna be able to compete.
Some trail mix or a banana?
You're fine?
Steve: Look at that.
Support from the team.
Okay? Look at me.
I you to make him--
You in?
- Win on me, win on three.
- One, two, three, win!
This is it, cash.
This is all the marbles
right here, cash.
You got this!
- Everything, cash!
- Go!
- Jenna: Go, cash.
- Steve: Watch that takedown.
- Go!
- Go, cash!
Yeah, there you go!
There you go!
Piece him up, cash!
- Arm bar triangle, cash!
- Let's go, cash!
Lock it up, cash!
- Let's go, cash!
- There we go.
Get up, get up, get up!
- Shake hands.
- Good job, cash!
- Let's go!
- Excellent job, cash.
That's good.
Hey, cash, that was
a good battle, man.
- That kid was badass.
- You did exactly what
you were supposed to do.
We turned the table at the end,
and we got all the way
up to the top.
- You are amazing.
- We're freaking good, man.
- Freaking amazing.
- Okay?
- Second.
- I'm proud of you.
Proud of you.
Steve:
I mean, always want first,
But second,
that's a big deal out here.
That kid's a champion.
His dad owns the gym.
Like, he's been fighting
since he was three.
So proud of you, man.
I'm gonna go shake
that little guy's hand, too.
- I just did, too.
- Okay.
Hey, good job, buddy.
Thank you for the fight.
- Thank you.
- Great job, man.
You're a killer.
Thank you, man. All right.
Yeah! Good job, guys.
Go on, jayden! Go, go!
Go, jay!
Yeah!
whoo!
That's right, baby.
Go, go, go, jayden! Go!
- Go!
- Yeah! Yeah!
whoo!
Whoo!
jayden!
- That's right, baby!
- Whoo!
Jayden!
We're going to abu dhabi.
- Five.
- It's at 5:00, yeah.
Reina:
The big goal for jayden?
It's to become a world champ.
- But I'm scared.
- This okay?
- Yeah.
- It's me and her
traveling alone.
I've never left the country.
I didn't even know
what a passport was.
Jayden:
I'm excited to go to worlds
Because I finally
get to go with my mom
And take her traveling.
I wanna do that for her
because she gave birth to me,
She helped me when I was sick,
she takes care of me.
Reina: I'm excited because
who gets to do that at 12,
Fly to abu dhabi,
a place that you probably
couldn't even pronounce?
Announcer:
Ladies and gentlemen,
Welcome to the youth
mma world championship,
Where fighters
from 26 countries
will battle for gold.
Let's go, mexico!
Let's go, mexico!
Usa! Usa! Usa!
Time's up, buddy!
Time's up! Time's up!
Oh, my god.
Her nails are always long.
You gonna need to cut this?
She said to or no?
- All: No.
- I think I wanna throw up.
Let's bring it back
to california, baby!
Take it home, baby.
Announcer:
And over on cage two,
In the red corner
We have ukraine versus
The usa in the blue corner.
Reina: Team usa!
There we go, baby!
Let's go!
Come on, baby!
Come on, baby!
Announcer:
Over on cage two,
the winner is
In the blue corner
representing usa.
Run it, baby! Run it!
Over in cage four,
winner from the red corner...
That's right, baby.
- Good job, baby.
- Hey, give her some love
before she goes out.
- We gotta show them how--
- go. Let's go.
The winner is,
in the red corner
representing usa.
Usa! Usa!
Usa! Usa!
Come on, baby.
This is for the gold, baby.
...Blue corner
representing usa,
And in the red corner
representing ukraine!
Come on, jayden!
Come on, baby! Go, jay!
- Get your guard, baby!
- Up, up!
- Up, jayden!
- Piece of cake.
Finish this, jay.
Finish this.
Right there, jayden.
Take it, take it.
Take it, take it, take it.
Take it, take it, jayden.
Take it. Please, please.
- Jayden!
- Come on, baby.
Come on, baby.
Come on, jayden.
Come on, jayden!
I think I'm gonna throw up.
Can I throw up?
Announcer:
And over on cage one,
your winner is,
In the red corner, ukraine!
It's all right!
Hey, it's okay.
You had that, baby.
It was all right.
Do I disagree with
how it was done? Yeah.
I'll shut up
and leave it at that.
It'll be good.
I don't even wanna
get kicked out of this arena
Because
I'm not in my own country,
and I don't wanna--
But you know what I wanna say.
That was bull.
I'm usually more affected
by jayden's results than she is,
But I'm not gonna be negative
because she's happy.
Usa, usa, usa!
Usa, usa, usa, usa!
Whoo!
It's more important
to have fun.
Whoo!
I'm okay with losing
Because I know
I'm gonna come back
for the gold next year.
Announcer:
From usa, jayden murillo.
All right, jayden!
I'm so proud of you.
whoo!
You should see your hair.
I uploaded the photo
that I took of cash's eye.
I know his eye we're using,
But, I mean,
it's like the light of your eye.
It's like you looking forward
and being optimistic
About the future and everything
You're providing for him
and your family, and then--
Come on, man,
you're gonna get a little
tear-jerker out of me.
- Let's not go deep on this one.
- Hey, man, you asked, dude.
I was trying to put it all
into that for you, man.
No, that's-- dude,
that's a big thing for me.
- I appreciate it, man.
- Yeah.
You know how I am
about that guy.
...From when he was
that little, tiny kid,
It amazes me.
You start off
as a white belt.
You work your way up
to a black belt.
That goes for life.
- You start crawling...
- Nice.
And then you're walking,
and then you're running.
Five, four, three,
two, one.
Steve: Because cash finished
second in nationals,
We're always trying to see
what we could do better.
We're trying
to get him stronger,
Building up his legs
and weightlifting.
Three, four...
Steve: Let's go!
You're almost there!
His striking, his wrestling,
his jiu-jitsu,
There's always stuff
that we can improve on
To get a better outcome
next year.
It's not just about fighting.
It's about the fighting
in life.
Cash:
Now my grandma's less worried
because I'm stronger.
I think more
about what I'm doing.
She's just learned
to accept it.
- He's helping us.
- I think you got it.
- I think you guys got it.
- Dad, like, go down.
- Like, go--
- there you go.
- Gotta put our weight into it.
- teamwork
My drinking,
it started effecting them,
And I started seeing
my daughter crying.
I'm like, "what am I doing?"
Go back down.
Go back down. I got you.
Okay. Right there.
At the end,
my family's more important.
Okay.
Barbara, would you like
some mashed potatoes?
Yeah, just a little bit
though, please.
I love mashed potatoes.
- Cheers.
- All: Cheers!
I'm thankful I have
a beautiful family.
All these are my peacekeepers.
I'm thankful
they're still in my life
And kept me out of trouble.
So...
Reina: Our relationship
is getting better.
It's gonna take
a little bit of time,
But I believe we can
get back to where we were.
Jayden: I have complicated
feelings about my dad.
Come on, my love.
My dad is making effort
on being there for us,
But there's a long way to go
For me to start
trusting my dad again.
Go, boo-boo!
Yeah! I love you, baby!
Whoo! Good job.
Good luck today.
Rose: These parents
are not bad people.
Martial arts helps kids with
the confidence that you need
To able to walk around knowing
That no one
is going to hurt you.
It's good to train
jiu-jitsu or mma.
I want my kids to train.
But I grew up
in this community,
And I wanna make sure
this is done the right way.
I myself have a daughter
that's nine years old.
She's being doing martial arts
her whole life.
When you have this kid
who starts to thrive,
It's pretty cool to watch
this confidence they get.
It's a double-edged sword.
This sport made me
the person I am.
It saved my life.
Without this sport,
I wouldn't be here today.
Hot rod:
These kids are taught to take
the kids that are below them
And raise them up
to their level.
Bear crawls.
That's an amazing thing
for a kid to do,
Not only be taught,
but to teach.
And that's what martial arts
does for you.
It pushes you to
not only be your best,
But to raise the people
around you to be their best.
Shake his hand.
You're gonna fight now, okay?
Get him on top of him, maddy.
Get on top of him.
You don't want that happening,
you gotta fight back, okay?
Maddy, you fight back
next time, okay?
Jon: You are gonna have kids
That have that propensity
for violence.
If it's directed
in the right direction,
They're gonna be superheroes.
Without martial arts,
they may drift astray.
They may use
their violence for evil.
We might as well
make 'em good guys.
Let's build superheroes,
not supervillains.
Oh!
Announcer:
...In the blue corner,
She's seven years old
and weighs 50 pounds,
Representing
riverside submission...
Ladies and gentlemen,
Give it up for jayden murillo!
- There we go!
- She wants that ground, baby,
That's right, baby, go!
Come on, jayden!
Get your guard, baby!
whoo!
You okay?
Your winner
by submission arm bar,
Jayden murillo!
Jayden:
My weight is 58 pounds.
My record is 8-0.
Girls are strong,
and they rule the world.
Me. And a music video.
Announcer: Ultimate fighting
is the fastest growing sport
in the world.
Announcer: Right now,
3.2 million kids under
the age of 13 cage fight.
Just think about that.
Announcer:
Depending on your view,
It's either
a brilliant showcase
Of strength and skill
or a savage sport
That should be banned
Jon: I created a format
where kids can compete
In something similar to
mixed martial arts,
But a lot safer.
We've got 400 kids nationwide,
Kids that come
from millionaire parents
To kids that are on welfare.
Yeah!
Announcer: ...Fighting out
of the red corner,
Who is eight years of age,
From riverside submissions,
Give it up for max murillo!
Jon: The number one obstacle
We have to overcome
is the perception.
People look at it
like child abuse.
But this sport
has so many safety nets
That we're gonna catch
potentially dangerous injuries.
Yes. No.
It looks dangerous.
Is it dangerous?
How dangerous is it for kids?
And you're not worried
about him getting injured?
Hey, you're not hurt.
Jon: We're in
an era where kids
Aspire to be
gangbangers or thugs.
This sport builds character
in kids that were lacking.
It teaches them discipline,
It teaches them self-respect,
and builds that self-esteem
That they need
as they grow older.
Man: These kids are learning
to defend themselves.
They learn to lose.
They learn what life is.
Jon: Every other sport
that's a real sport
Has youth development leagues.
If mma decides
it is a real sport,
You gotta bring on the kids.
Announcer: All right,
ladies and gentlemen, again,
Give it up for both
of these warriors
And a great fight.
We have our winner,
Possibly the cutest combatant
we've ever seen,
Jayden murillo!
Jayden: My ultimate goal
is to become
A pro fighter in the ufc.
Pressure.
Just keep the pre--
Some of it looks scary
and dangerous.
Sometimes random people
say to me,
"you're pretty and
you kick butt in the cage."
...Nice,
but then also mean.
I will spank jayden and angela
and xavier if they act up.
I believe in discipline.
Jayden: People should know
that I'm bossy and bratty.
I learned it from my mom.
Jayden:
If I am a champion,
I'll have so much money,
I'll donate it to charity
and homeless people.
I would also give it
to my family.
My family does
not have enough food.
Reina:
We live check to check.
- Ooh.
- Every day's a struggle.
Randy: I service
air conditioning, heating.
I'm doing weekend work,
doing side jobs.
I do a lot of it for the kids.
- No.
- No, you missed.
Reina:
I have seven children.
Jayden is my only girl.
My miracle child.
Wiggle it.
Do it, jayden, dance. Dance.0109
- Oh, you want some of this?
- Now what? Now what?
She says she's gonna
get us a house on the beach.
My dream is for that
to come true.
"kailee."
okay, looks like "kayley."
I'm the mma mom.
I help kids sign up
for cage fights...
Jeremy, you're on deck!
...So I'm always involved
in everything they do.
- Come on, baby!
- Come on, jayden!
I can't see.
Jayden sells socks
with her face on them
To raise money for her fights.
Wearing a sock with
my face on it is funny,
But weird at the same time.
It looks like its eyes
Would follow you around.
I think it's creepy.
Reina: Jayden is sponsored
by built to fight.
They make her rash guard,
gloves, her shin guards.
It helps a lot.
Man:
Turn to face the crowd.
I think the sponsors
are coming to us
Because jayden's a badass.
She's this little girl
With this long blonde hair
And then she just
turns into this beast.
Announcer: We have
cash "the cashman" armando!
Let's go, cash!
Let's go!
I'm going that way, bro.
I know. That's my son.
It's a big deal, bro.
That's his son, bro.
That's his son.
Bad timing, dude.
Don't even
come around here right now.
- Let's go!
- Let's go, cash!
Tell these guys to get off
my ass right here.
Man:
You need to clear the area.
Announcer:
We have cash the cashman!
Yeah! Yeah!
- Do your thing.
- Let's go, cash!
- You got this. Go hard.
- Let's go!
Yeah, get that leg!
Yeah!
Get up! Get up!
- Yeah!
- Yeah!
Yeah!
Good job! Good job!
- Whoo!
- Yeah!
- Work it, cash.
- Go, go, go!
- Bring it back quick!
Blast him! Blast him!
- Blast him, cash!
You're all right.
Take a breath.
Open up your mouth.
Okay, how bad's
that bloody nose?
- I don't feel it.
- Okay. Can you breathe
out of your nose?
- All right.
- Everything you got, cash!
This is it!
This decides it
right here, buddy!
Get your points! Go!
Get your points!
Go! Go! Go! Go!
man. damn
These takedowns, man.
What is he waiting on?
Announcer:
All right, so we have
a majority decision.
Coming out
of the red corner...
Yeah!
...The cashman!
Armando!
Yeah! Yeah!
Yeah! Yeah!
Oh, my god.
Oh, my god.
Hey, wait a minute.
Don't we get to
get a picture in there like
everyone else with him?
I'm the doctor.
Talk to somebody else
about pictures.
Okay, watch your attitude, bro.
It's all good.
- Hey, I've got
a lot to do right now--
- it's all good.
This is not the place
for pictures.
I wasn't talking to you, bro.
It's all good.
Doesn't matter.
Whatever happened, I need you
start walking that way.
Or that way.
Either the way.
Just start walking
or you can leave.
You can take your pick.
I'm sorry.
- You guys are punks, man
-go sit down.
Come on.
It's time to be happy, brother.
We did it, brother.
Huh?
So proud of you.
Steve: I grew up
in south san francisco.
I had a rough life.
In and out
of juvenile hall and jail.
Indy, you want some? Come on.
Come get some.
I chose a different lifestyle,
Started a successful business,
And give us this lifestyle
that we have now.
Now I pick and choose
who I surround myself with
And I build a strong team
around me.
Jenna:
I have three kids.
My oldest, jordan,
and my daughter,
Those are with my ex-husband.
And then steve and I have cash
together, and he's ten.
This is bob the bully.
This is our training partner.
We dress him up.
We write on him.
We hook up little spots
where we wanna get him.
Like, we got the liver shot
over here for him.
- Show me the knockout shots.
- Jawlines.
- Jaw. Temple.
- Temple.
My brother got bullied,
so my dad started
To take him to training
so he could defend himself.
And then my dad asked me
if I wanted to do mma.
So we started
when I was 4 1/2.
Keep hitting him.
Steve:
Score first! Score!
What are you looking at? Go!
Kick, punch, now! Go!
There you go. Good.
Cash: I really like
that if you get really mad,
You could take it out on
the pad-- er, your opponent.
It lets you clear
that anger out
So you could be
a happier person.
Wanna put him down?
nice.
Take him down
before you shuffle back.
Stomp him out.
Cash: My long-term goal
is to be a ufc fighter.
Okay, pick it up a little bit.
If people said I was too young
To do such a dangerous sport,
I wouldn't really listen
to them.
I don't care what other people
think about me now.
- Good.
- Steve: This is our life.
- Last set!
- Kids: Last set!
- Last set!
- Last set!
- Up!
- Kids: One!
- Up! Up!
- Two!
Cash trains a minimum
of five days a week.
Sometimes six.
Bear crawl. Go!
For a ten-year-old,
he trains a lot.
It's important for kids
to learn mma
Because it might
help them protecting
themselves on the street.
Steve: I definitely want him
to defend himself.
If it was a situation
where no one was around
And someone was trying
to hurt him,
I would 100% tell him
to use everything he's got.
Absolutely.
Let him have it, man.
Blast on 'em.
If some parent were to tell me
that I'm a bad parent
Because my son
is training mma,
I would probably
fly off the handle.
The initial reaction is,
"oh, my god, your kids?
What do you mean he does mma?"
And they're watching ufc
thinking that that's
what the kids are doing.
And then after I take
the time to tell them
How deeply we're involved
and that it's safe,
They finally get it.
This is about
utilizing your skills,
not hurting your opponents.
If we see anything that looks
like you are trying
To hurt your opponent,
you will be disqualified.
As a referee,
my job is to make sure that,
Number one,
the kids are safe.
You okay?
Hold still one second though.
Open.
Do you have one
that fits better?
Often coaches are more
antagonistic than supportive
And it does nothing
for helping us to officiate
For less than minimum wage.
You know what?
Run it how you want
in riverside.
In here-- it's rules meeting
for everybody
So that they don't say,
"my coach said..."
And the other kid says
"well, the referee said..."
no, I understand.
I'm gonna kill that man.
The kids are great.
The majority of them
show amazing sportsmanship.
It's never been the kids
that have been problematic.
My kid wants
to keep on fighting.
- He's a mother beast.
- Shut the up.
It's bull.
He didn't win,
and you know that.
It's bull.
You deal with parents
who are already wanting
Their kids to be pro fighters
By the time they're eight.
Yeah, kick his butt!
And they treat
their wins and losses...
Yeah!
...As if they just lost
a $250,000 purse.
Stop a fight too soon,
they're pissed.
You stop a fight too late,
they're pissed.
The arm bar was three seconds
after the round.
Well, I don't know what you--
it's a foul.
If you were listening
at the meeting...
Half the time I felt like
I needed an escort
to the parking lot.
This is for fun.
You're not in the ufc.
We're doing this to build
our character
So we're better kids,
better adults.
A lot of your guys are gonna be
doctors, lawyers, military.
This is gonna help you
get where you need to go.
Announcer:
Jon frank is a former marine
and black belt.
Announcer: Jon frank
is the other team leader.
We're gonna stage in the van
near that place.
Jon: I'd retired
after 32 years of service
Being a u.S. Marine
and a u.S. Marshal.
As the president
of the usfl,
My end goal is to change
the culture of america
Through this sport.
A lot of the kids
we're producing
are just kind of mush.
They're not physically active.
They're weak
physically and mentally.
You have kids
that need safe places
and participation medals.
This type of sport
builds character in kids
that we're lacking.
Yo! Kicks! Kicks!
Jon: If we allow
these kids to go all out,
They're gonna hurt each other.
Reina: When I was growing up,
I wasn't involved in a sport.
I got in trouble growing up,
And I don't want that
for jayden.
Jayden:
I've learned through my mom
That the world can be
a dangerous place.
When I grow up, I wanna become
a law enforcement officer.
In law enforcement, you have
to have certain skills,
Like mma, jiu-jitsu.
I wanna do law enforcement
Because I wanna help
protect my community...
- This is our robotic garden.
- Oh?
I'm programming the app
to change the colors
of the flowers.
- See?
It's glowing red and blue.
- Yes.
Reina: I don't want it
just to be mma and that's it.
My dream for jayden
is for her to go to college.
I want her to be able
to go out there
And do whatever
she wants to do.
Jayden:
It makes me irritated
when people tell me
That girls can't do stuff
boys can do.
Announcer:
Jayden "patches"...
Jayden:
I like fighting because
Every time I win,
I prove girls can do
Anything boys can do.
happy birthday to you
Ever since I was little,
I wanted to fight in the ufc
Because I've watched
ronda rousey fight.
She was
my inspiration to fight.
When I kick up here,
you wanna block like this, okay?
I wanna be that inspiration
to other little girls.
Steve: Certain parents might
baby their kids too much.
Sometimes the kids
need to be pushed
Because life is a fight.
All right, breathe, bud.
Go get some water.
We're trying to teach him
to fight through it
And don't give up.
I believe if you're
too soft on your kids,
they won't have the heart
To get through
the hard situations in life.
Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!
He had a fight,
and there was only two kids
in his division,
Him and the other kid.
And he lost that fight.
I told him, you take
that second place medal
And you say,
"I respectfully decline
this medal."
And coaches were like,
"come on, he's a kid."
I'm like, "no,
there's a winner and there's
a loser out of this fight.
We're not second place.
We're not gonna go
hang that on our wall
And look at it for the rest
of our life and say,
'this is the fight
that I lost.'"
Keep your arms tight.
Oh, around the neck,
young lady. Yes.
Boom, land.
Your leg is up.
And then what do you do?
Let go and spin.
What is the number one
code of conduct in here?
No crying.
Why do I not allow crying?
It tells you
that your quitting.
So let's say
somebody comes up to me
And they smack me
across the face.
Wah! And I start crying.
I'm useless.
When you cry,
you get emotional.
When you get emotional,
you lose it.
You feel like you wanna cry,
Just bury that sucker
deep down inside
And just don't show
that weakness.
Punch, baby.
Some people cross their arms.
"oh, no!
That's so violent."
I don't cater to those people.
If you don't like it,
there's the door.
I'm here because I know
that there's nothing
We can do about violence.
Violence will always be here.
And if you don't have
the tools to protect yourself,
Then you're just--
you're dead meat.
Reina: My father was in jail
when I was born.
He was convicted for murder,
And he was sentenced to death
by execution.
So I never had
that father figure.
Jeff: Release.
Okay, superman or superwoman.
The problems started
when I was a teen.
I was sexually abused
by my.
I can't even go into detail
The stuff that he did.
So, my little sister erica
is not only deaf
She's developmentally delayed.
Growing up with her,
I always felt that
I had to look out for her,
People teasing her.
Protecting my little sister
Was a big part of my life
growing up.
My mom had
an abusive
When we were really little,
so a lot of the time
It was me trying to protect
my mom and my sister
From getting hit,
like, throwing myself
on top of them.
I think that's part of why
it's so important for me to see
To see jayden be able
to protect herself.
You're just rotating
from the elbow, right?
One, two, three, four,
Five, six, seven, eight, nine.
You still gonna fight
just as hard, right?
- No.
- Jayden! You have to.
Jayden, come here.
Get-- jayden! One...
Jayden!
Put your hands
in front of your face.
Back to fighting stance.
Boom.
Steve:
A big event like nationals,
You train all year long
for that.
Back to fighting stance.
Nice.
We talked to our coaches.
All right, and then
you're gonna take it
right from there.
Let's go. You can do it.
This year at nationals,
we want him to win.
We try to get better.
Jenna: When I see steve
pushing cash too hard,
Sometimes I have to pull back
and just kind of remove myself
'cause I wanna baby
and coddle him.
Even though I know steve
comes from a good place
when he does that,
It still is hard
for me to see that.
Keep going! Keep going!
Steve: I have moments where
I feel like I might be
Over-parenting cash,
forgetting cash's age.
Like, "hey, we're going too far.
These are just little kids."
Steve: You're over
the top of the hill.
Now you're running down.
My legs are burning.
put your elbows in.
You're cheating.
- Oh! My legs. I can't.
- You got it. Relax, relax.
Jenna: Just do this.
Move around, move around.
- I can't.
- 28 seconds. 28 seconds.
Cash, one second.
Oh! You made it.
Turn it off.
Just get me out.
- I'm gonna crack this.
- Do you wanna do it again?
Cash: No.
- There you go.
- I definitely understand, uh,
That, like, we have, like--
we do a lot of things
That most kids
are probably wishing to do.
I'm definitely spoiled.
I got a pool,
big house, motorcycles.
I don't do a lot of chores.
You got fired from your chore.
I wasn't picking up
the dog poop.
What happened?
Why didn't it work out?
- Mm-mm. I forgot. Yeah.
- You forgot?
- I mean, he's pretty basic.
- You're picking up dog.
You didn't do it.
I mean, come on, man.
Like, what's wrong with you?
I'm like, "can't you
just pick it up every time
They go to the bathroom
so our yard is clean?"
It's not really about
the chore in front of you.
It's about the big picture.
I know that
you're probably like,
"how does dog poop relate
to what I'm gonna do in life?"
But if you're an adult,
you figure that out
and you understand that.
It's always about
the bigger picture.
It's hard being a dad
'cause you wanna give your kid
everything and spoil them.
But then you
don't want them to, you know,
Get the attitude
of a spoiled kid.
Your mom and dad work hard
to give you all the stuff
you have, right?
I understand that it comes
from hard work, yeah.
There's other kids out there
that are sitting around
playing video games all day
Or on the couch eating cookies,
And you're in the gym fighting
and busting your ass.
Everything you do
is a sacrifice.
Your sacrifice--
what some people might
consider being a kid.
Steve:
Tear it up, you guys.
Have a cupcake.
You grab one, you eat it.
Don't be sticking your dirty
little fingers in there.
When I met jenna,
I didn't know
anything about kids.
I didn't know
if I wanted kids.
I was that guy when you said
you were having a kid,
You were lucky if you got
a congratulations out of me.
I was like, "oh, that's cool.
So, anyways, when are we going
To get a beer or whatever?"
And, jenna, her kids
opened my eyes to it a lot.
"okay, this might be for me."
Now I'm the guy
that won't just stop talking
about my own kid.
- Now he blasts his kid
all over social--
- I'll just sit here and--
Yeah, just if you look
at my social media,
That's all you're
gonna see is my kid.
It's the best thing
that's ever happened to me.
I would do anything
for that guy.
Here you go.
Here's one more.
- It's a special one.
- Open that carefully.
Steve: You know,
I know you look up
to your buddies here
- With all their little gear.
- Let's see, cash.
What you got?
What you got there?
Steve: Yeah,
that's a big deal, dude.
That's a big one, man.
That's all real.
There's no fake in there, guy.
- Cash: Thank you.
- You're welcome, buddy.
You deserve it.
Keep training, man,
and keep doing your thing.
happy birthday,
dear cashman
happy birthday to you
- He's the man!
- Steve: No, covid, guy!
Don't be blowing covid
on there, guy.
- Yeah!
- Yeah!
- Go, go! Go, dude!
- Oh!
Yeah!
- Yo, that's all
he's gonna talk about.
- That's cool, man.
- You see that right there?
That's cool, yeah.
- That's cool. Right on.
Two, here we go.
- Let's go, let's go!
- Take it, take it,
take it, take it.
- Let's go!
- Take it, jayden.
Take it.
stop, stop, stop, stop.
That was some bull.
Jon: Six million kids
in the united states
do martial arts,
So it's so important
that you guys set the example
Of what this sport should be.
Your parents
are not disappointed at you
if you lose.
Jayden:
After starting my career,
Even though I have
lost a good amount of fights,
My competition has been
getting stronger.
It's important for me to win
at this smaller tournaments
Because it gives me confidence
that I need for nationals.
Announcer:
Ladies and gentlemen,
the following bout
Is for the novice
10 to 11-year-old
106 pound championship.
Please welcome
to the stage jayden...
Come on, baby!
You ready? You ready?
Let's go.
Go, jayden!
Start hitting that leg
if you got it.
Get that arm and go. Go!
Watch the face!
Stop!
That's one point.
Strike in the face.
Your hands are getting high.
Watch 'em, okay? Keep 'em down.
Relax, okay?
Slow down, okay?
I don't know yet, okay?
That doesn't matter right now.
Let's go!
Reina:
Dish 'em back, jayden!
Watch the face!
- Stop! Time!
- Reina: Again?
That's already three times,
larry.
You sure you want me
to leave it?
Well, now you should be pissed.
You ready? Let's go.
- Let's go, jayden!
- Kick her, bella! Kick her!
- Kick her, bella!
- Reina: Go, jay!
- Bella, kick her!
- Get those!
We eat those, jayden!
The ground's yours, baby!
The ground's yours!
Ground and pound, baby! Go!
You know what to do
from there, jayden.
Work it, jayden!
That's it, jayden! Go!
Take it!
Right there, baby girl!
- Take her to
the ground, jayden!
- Take her to the ground!
Take her to the ground!
There you go! There you go!
Hip it, jayden! Hip it!
- Jayden! Jayden! Yeah!
- Announcer: All right,
Let's hear it
for both these young ladies
in this title fight.
All three judges
scored this bout
The same way
for your winner.
By unanimous decision,
and the new novice
10 to 11-year-old
cfc champion,
Bella campos!
Jon:
It's just a kids' sport.
Their fight record
is completely irrelevant,
But parents have the belief
That their record
is of great importance.
You have a kid
that never won a match,
Yet they keep coming back
and they never quit.
That parent
should be proud of that.
You're gonna have failure.
How you deal with that,
That's the whole premise
of youth mixed martial arts.
You know I never care
if you win or lose. You try.
- I know. Hold this.
- Right?
But when they rob you,
that's not okay.
I know. But I don't care.
I'm gonna go off
on that damn judge.
That's what
I feel like doing. Here.
- Yeah.
- This way. Let's go to jon.
- Well, jon wasn't
the freaking judge.
- I know, I know.
But I'll take you...
Jayden should've won that.
She should've won that.
- All right, well--
- can you tell me
why she didn't?
I think one of the judges scored
the thing wrong, honestly.
- I think it's bull.
- Yeah.
- Hey, did she fight good?
- She did fight good.
That's what you should
care about first, okay?
The other stuff's gonna
come later. All right?
Steve: My parents both live
on the property.
It's kind of funny
'cause they're divorced.
It's perfect.
Cash can come over and go,
"grandma, put on your tennies.
We're gonna go
shoot some hoops."
You didn't even
pass me the ball.
What's up, kiddo?
- You gotta redo that.
- Oh, come on.
That's not where I made it from.
Come on. Don't be tough.
- Right here.
- You're so tough on me.
I don't care
what college you pick,
But we know
you're going to college.
I'm trying to make it
to ufc, too, so--
- Oh, no. Uh-uh.
- Why not?
Ufc is brutal,
and you're too smart
To be getting
your head knocked in.
What if I protect my head
and I don't get hit in the head?
I never see those guys with
anything around their heads.
Cash, he has the perfect
little face and ears.
I don't want him smashed
into the mat.
Once cash is older
And there's more threat
of serious injuries,
I will be holding my breath.
All right, first thing,
let's go to mouth guard.
- Mouth guard. There you go.
- Is that fitted?
Yeah, for this is
for his braces.
Oh, his fighting shirt.
That's his pants.
Where's your
shirt at, dude?
- Go get your mom.
Find out where--
- it's this right here.
Oh, there it is. Okay.
Sorry, I was about to bug out.
I was gonna bug
the out.
Come on, bro.
Dad's already nervous, man.
Don't be with me.
Lets go over here.
This guy's a little big, right?
Does it work?
- Yeah, it works.
- Okay.
We gotta check his weight.
You know, it might be
a little bit over.
So we're gonna run
a couple laps
And just get a little
water weight out of him.
It's nice and hot
out here today.
Easy to get a sweat going.
You wanna just do an easy jog,
- Say to that red truck
and back here?
- Yeah.
A few laps?
Let's see how you're doing.
Get sweating, okay?
Rose: I don't care
if it's a pound.
Kids should not
be cutting weight.
Pull those strings
tight on your head.
My father was the founder
of the ufc.
I grew up inside
of a jiu-jitsu school.
My family's the largest
martial art family in the world.
You gotta remember that when
you're cutting weight
And you're taking water
out of your body,
You're taking water
out of your brain.
There you go.
Try to keep it like that.
- Is this all right?
- Yeah, it's fine.
Steve: Okay.
What are we trying to do?
Are we trying to get
world champions at 12 years old?
It should be illegal.
It should be illegal
for children to cut weight.
Good job.
Keep that tight on your head.
Just go easy.
Just keep moving. Keep moving.
- Okay, so-- just so-- hang on.
- Yeah, man.
We were literally doing
three minutes of this.
We're not cutting weight.
Okay, well, the optics for usfl,
this is the stuff that
can get us in trouble.
- Okay, I didn't know that.
I didn't know that.
- This is all congressional.
- I understand, I understand.
- All right, cool, cool.
But, yeah,
that's all we were doing.
- But I understand
what you're saying.
- Cool.
If you guys do it
off premises...
- Okay.
- ...We have no fighting it,
- But we just can't do it here.
- I get it. I understand.
So, okay, we'll talk to the guys
and we'll change the program.
- Appreciate it.
- Okay.
The guy just said
because of usfl rules
Kids are now allowed
to cut weight for safety.
You know, I'm sure there's
some crazy wrestling parents
That are just beating
their kid to death
and just sucking 'em up
And trying to get
to some weight class that
they're not gonna make it to.
- We're not doing that.
- Well, if there was
something wrong, let's say,
Like I felt like I was
gonna pass out or throw up,
I'll tell him,
and we would stop
or take it easy
Or drink something before
so we could do it again.
For this specific thing,
absolutely,
I trust our judgment
better than a doctor
- That has no idea
what we're working on.
- Cash: Yeah.
- Absolutely, absolutely.
- Yes, every-- everyone.
Everybody does it.
Maybe it's just on the under.
They know what goes on.
Everyone knows what's up.
I'll cut these. See that?
Are you just taking it
away from me?
No.
You know what? It's just 'cause
I don't want her getting hurt.
I won't get hurt.
I promise.
Look.
Your finger's too close
to the thing.
I'm terrified to let them
use big knives.
I sometimes
overdo it with these kids,
and they get mad.
And sometimes
I'm overprotective.
They can't go with
their friends here or there.
But I've lost before,
And maybe they don't know
the pain I went through,
They don't understand.
Or the things I've seen.
Just put them right there.
My first four boys
aren't randy's.
I had 'em, god, all in a row.
Their father, he ended up
getting incarcerated,
And that's when I fell
into my addiction.
Drugs became a numbing.
By the time I realized
My addiction
was my addiction,
It was too late.
I lost custody
of my first four boys.
Finally, I went into program.
The judge told me,
"don't make the same mistake
With your next children that
you did with these ones."
I've been clean ever since.
I'm trying to give
my children a better life
than what I had.
I am thankful to experience
things with these children
That I didn't get to do
with my older children.
So I'm thankful that I got
a second chance at life
To be a mom and experience
all these little things
That I missed
with my older boys.
That's what
I'm truly thankful for.
My mom's done so much for us.
She puts up with us
and my attitude.
And she's always just wanted
To have an rv,
go camping with the family.
...So she could have something
she's always wanted.
Jayden is like,
"when I make money,
we're gonna travel."
But, no,
when jayden makes some money,
Jayden will be able to
financially take care of herself
And not have to worry
about a man.
My dad and his drinking
problems, for sure.
Yeah.
There's times
I was working two jobs,
Busting my behind
working all night,
Coming home,
dealing with the kids,
depressed as hell,
But did I get high
or did I get drunk? No.
Jayden: He refs plays,
But then he gets mad
super easy.
I think that's the reason
I have anger issues.
I slam doors, I yell,
I hit my brothers.
We know that a lot of that
was stemming from
A lot of problems
that we were having at home.
So, I've been...
...Yeah, pretty absent
for their lives.
It's caused me to turn into,
like, a single parent
That does everything
by myself with the kids.
And sometimes
it just gets exhausting.
Oh, my god. Oh, my god.
This is so good.
- Uh-huh.
- It's okay, though, cash.
It's normal.
You gotta go
through those nerves.
This guy that
you're going with,
I don't think he has
any standup, man.
You gotta blast him
on that standup.
Make him uncomfortable
the whole time. Pressure.
From the second you go,
pressure.
Trying to get ahold
of your brother and sister,
See if they're awake
so I can call them.
Say, "what's up?"
- You don't want to? Okay.
- Kid: I'm going in!
Jenna: He's trying to
get in the zone.
Cash: Whenever someone
tries to pump me up,
I feel overwhelmed.
I just wanna stay alone
and pump myself up.
I know how many people
are rooting for me.
If I lose, everyone's
gonna be disappointed.
My dad expects me to do
the best as I can,
Expecting me to win.
Hot rod:
He does push cash
Beyond where he thinks
he might be able to go.
I remember
a fight cash was in.
He got hit pretty good.
Cash ran off the mat,
Threw up in a bucket--
During the match--
And then went back out there
and fought.
Don't hesitate.
Blast on this dude.
Do not hesitate.
Oops. Sorry, buddy.
Good luck.
Jenna: Steve doesn't care
what people think about him.
It can be offensive
in public.
Yeah, I mean, I've definitely
said that to you, right?
"hey, you probably shouldn't
have said that," or...
- Yeah, you've said that
multiple times.
- Yeah.
Steve: I wanna see
if you could help me out.
- So this is for you.
- Oh, for real?
- It's a tip.
- Thank you.
His name's cash.
They call him the cashman.
- He's fighter number seven.
- Uh-huh.
He's coming out to ac/dc,
"thunderstruck."
- Oh, yeah. I have that.
- Can we give him
some extra volume?
- Yeah, I got you.
- Thank you, brother.
I appreciate it, man.
Announcer:
Ladies and gentlemen,
making his way to the cage,
Out of the blue corner,
cash armando!
Yeah!
Ha, ha!
Cash on me, cash on three.
- One, two, three, cash!
- Let's go.
Let's go!
Let's go. You ready?
Let's go, cash!
And fight!
Circle, cash. Circle.
- Circle, cash.
- Stop.
Hey. Stomp him out.
If you get kicked
in the stomach, you go, "ugh!"
And, like, cry or whatever
in the match,
Then your opponent's
gonna push even harder.
Stomp him out.
But if you hide it
and you smile it off,
They're gonna be intimidated.
Yeah, get in there.
Cash, get in there.
Spinning back kick!
Let's go! Keep it going!
You got him right there.
Let's go.
Don't stop, man.
Make him quit!
Make him quit!
Good job, cash.
Wait, what happened?
Hey, put your hands down
until he says it.
Announcer: Your winner and
the new 75-pound champion,
Cash armando!
Good job, man.
Thank you, man.
Good job. Seriously.
Thank you.
- Good job, boys!
- Good job, okay?
- Uh-huh.
- Love you.
...She's proud of me.
Man:
Time to get up, maxine!
Block! Block and strike!
Strike, strike!
Yes! Yes, strike!
Go! Kicks, kicks! Go!
You can't do that.
You can't wait.
see? Now look.
Man: Isaac, game time!
Good! Good! Again!
Again! Again!
Let's go, buddy!
You got it!
You got it! Come on!
Come on, isaac!
Let's do it!
Let's go, isaac!
Let's go, isaac! Be strong!
stop the fight.
Stop, stop, stop.
- Oh, come here!
- Proud of you, dude.
- Real proud of you.
That was good.
- That was war.
That was so awesome.
I know, I know, I know, I know.
Omalu: As a society,
we adore violence.
Why individuals will celebrate
another individual
Damaging his brain,
I don't understand it.
If a sport damages
the human body,
Than it's no longer a sport.
Ian:
A few generations ago
We were killing each other
with rocks and sticks.
We're monkeys.
We have to do this.
This is part of our dna.
Rose:
I run competitions.
I would have
parents come to me
As if they were living
through their children.
They were not able
to become athletes,
So now my child
is going to be the athlete.
And they put so much pressure
on that child.
And you see these parents
get so mad
Because they didn't
do the move the right way.
Don't stop! Keep going!
Keep going! Keep going!
And I was so disgusted
by that behavior that
I made a rule saying
Parents were not allowed
to coach their kids anymore.
Jon: If we allow these kids
to go all-out,
They're gonna hurt each other.
So we worked with
the athletic commission
And we came up
with regulations.
Every single kid
has an annual physical.
They have
a pre-fight physical.
Once they get in the cage,
they have a trained referee
Within a hand's reach.
When they're done fighting,
They have a post-fight
medical evaluation,
As well as there's
a few submissions
That are potentially dangerous,
Especially to the neck area.
We removed those.
Announcer: And the new
70-pound champion...
Bregman: Any kid being
severely injured,
The media takes that
and runs like crazy.
The one kid gets injured
Versus the 7,000 kids
that don't.
Jon:
Out of a thousand exposures,
we see 15 injuries.
There's been
not one concussion.
The most serious
was a broken arm.
The rest were all boo-boos,
Nothing that's gonna effect
the health of the kids
later down the road.
This one, like,
that's not a rare one.
All these are more rare.
We got more of nate diaz's cards
than any other card.
Steve: How many you got?
One, two, three, four, five--
I got six cards.
Announcer:
One minute on the clock.
Diaz dishing them out!
My goodness!
- Now he's got the back!
- He's got him flattened out!
- That's it!
He's got the choke!
- Nate diaz!
- He tapped!
- He has done it!
It is all over!
Nate diaz beats
conor mcgregor!
Oh, my goodness!
What a night,
ladies and gentlemen!
What a night!
- Nate: What's up?
Hey, how are you?
- Cash: Hi.
- Good.
- I'm steve. Cash's dad.
Nice to meet you. Right on.
That's your name? Cash?
- Mm-hmm, yeah, I got--
- that's his little
fighting gear right there.
That's dope-dope.
How many fights you got?
- I think, like, 15, 16 now.
- His first cage fight,
he was eight.
That's crazy.
It's a new day and age, eh?
- Wanna do a little
kicking today?
- Sure.
Jon: This sport
is still small enough
Where kids do have interaction
With professional
world champion fighters.
The adults really respect
what the kids are doing
Because they know what
a difficult sport it is.
But if somebody was to
get their kid in this sport
For future riches,
They probably should stick
with another sport.
They're exposed to more danger
than any other athlete,
And they're probably paid worse
than any other athlete.
Most kids are not gonna
make a living as pro athletes,
Though their parents
think they are.
So there's this illusion
that their kids are gonna
grow up and make big money.
Oh, I'm sorry.
Nobody's going to college
on an mma scholarship.
I get them in my practice,
Mma fighters whose
careers end immediately
Due to a traumatic
brain injury, and that's it.
They're at
the height of their career,
and they're done.
Ian: Kids that are getting
into this need to know
The fighting will never
be worth it financially.
You spend the early years
of your life
Fighting for a chance
to get only a few years
at the top.
Then you deal
with the repercussions
for the rest of your life.
Announcer:
...Out of irvine, california,
Ian "uncle creepy" mccall!
I have two major breaks
in my hand,
Three surgeries,
two mrsa infections.
I snapped the tip of my finger,
Fracture dislocation
in my elbow,
Four surgeries in my shoulder,
Bulging disc, bulging disc,
Tore my hip and my groin
in two places,
Popped both my knees.
Close to 90 stitches that
I can count in my face alone.
You feel like you got
in a car accident.
Your brain is forever damaged.
Your soul, all that trauma
gets stored inside your tissue.
Right on, man.
That was cool.
Good.
That was great.
Producer: If a doctor told you
you could still get brain damage
From the small hits,
would you stop doing mma?
How many doctors is it
and is it 100% accurate?
- Let's say it's--
- and I wouldn't stop
doing it though.
- Why not?
- Because I like it.
Announcer:
Jon frank to the green.
Jon frank.
Our number one priority
is always gonna be the safety
of the competitors.
They cannot strike anywhere
in the head at all.
Any blows to
the back of the head...
- Reina: How do you feel?
- Good.
You're still gonna fight
just as hard, right?
- No.
- Jayden! You have to.
You gotta still fight
just as hard
Because we've just dumped
just as much money in, man.
Jayden, come here.
Get-- jayden!
One...
Jayden zariah!
Oh.
Announcer:
The next number is 0254112.
Let's go shake his hand.
That pain you're feeling
is from a cut.
When you're feeling...
Reina: There's four kids,
So if she loses one fight,
she's out.
Referee: All right,
one three minute round.
- Are you ready?
- Yes!
Are you ready? Action!
- Man: Circle out!
- Reina: Come on, baby!
Jeff: Put your knee down.
Put your knees down.
Put your knees down.
Put your knee down.
Referee: Advance position.
Change position.
See that your punches...
Jeff: Get back up quick!
Get back up, jayden.
- Get up!
- Get up, quick!
Get up! Get up!
Don't let 'em get in your head.
Remember that. Boom!
- Come on, jayden!
Let's go, jayden!
- Bump! Bump, jayden, bump!
Throw her down, jayden! Go!
Come on, baby girl!
Take it! It's yours now.
Take the arm.
Build to your knees, jayden!
Grab a leg.
Build to your knees.
oh. She's okay.
- Reina: Up, jayden, up!
- Are you okay?
- It's okay? You're okay.
- Good girl.
Jeff:
Stay strong, stay strong.
Don't show it to 'em.
Don't give them satisfaction.
Hey...
Breathe, baby.
No, jayden, jayden.
Give 'em a hug.
- Give 'em a hug.
Give 'em a hug.
- No!
- Don't be like that.
- Don't be like that.
- Jayden.
- You can't be like that.
Jayden...
Reina:
All eyes are on you kid.
Come on, you can't do this.
- Jayden, come here. Come here.
- Come see me, please.
- With me.
- Did you win?
- Right here. Thank you.
- Are you hurt?
- I need to see you.
- I'm fine!
Jayden, you can't do that.
Over here.
Come on.
I'm proud of you,
but that outburst
That you just had,
you kinda let him win twice.
If you get in there and you do
your hardest in that fight,
that's all that matters.
No matter what the outcome is,
everyone will still
be proud of you.
But if you walk and let
your emotions control you,
it doesn't look good, okay?
So I think you
should go to the kid,
just tell him good job
And shake his hand.
That's it.
It's okay, kiddo.
Jayden: There are times
that I wanna quit.
But I don't.
I'm gonna come back stronger
and better.
Jon: As the president of usfl,
I'm a volunteer.
I don't accept money.
I've been living in a van.
I'm not embarrassed of it.
Most people are jealous
when they see me.
They say
I'm living the van life.
Plenty of rich people
are miserable.
A simple life
is actually a happier life.
I had four bedroom home.
I downsized a little bit--
Trying to save money
to buy a condo.
Divorce is rough.
I started
this organization in 2002
And I've been running it
for 20 years.
It's an enormous
amount of work.
Running it has taken
a toll on me,
Taken a toll on my marriage.
If I went away,
I'm afraid that the whole
usfl would collapse.
I can't quit.
This is more important
than any one person,
Including me.
So my only option now
Is to find a way
to keep it going.
My end goal is to work
my way out of a job
As the president
of the usfl.
It's not sustainable
for it to be done
By the leader as a volunteer.
So I'm trying to build
a cadre of leaders
To keep this going past me.
That's it. Yes.
Not bad, not bad.
Good. That was a good
right hand right there.
Again.
Again.
Jenna: With nationals,
there's a lot at stake.
The intensity level for steve
is turned up, like, 1,000%.
Steve: I'm trying to make sure
we don't forget anything,
Going through his bag
five times
While making sure
that he's on weight.
Jenna:
There's a lot of pressure.
It's pretty stressful.
How do you feel
about everything?
- I'm a little nervous.
- I've seen your a-game.
You can compete
with anybody out here.
So I don't want you
to go into shutdown mode
and start doubting yourself.
It's all in your mind, man.
You've been training for this
your whole life.
You stuff his
head through the mat
as hard as you can.
You throw his head
through that mat,
and you step back, okay?
I need a shot
and a beer.
I just need to get something
in me immediately.
maybe a valium or what
are those other things?
You're not reporting time,
that will count as a loss.
Let's go. Hey.
No, that
little guy's back behind--
You don't know what the
you're talking about.
He's doing that on purpose.
Little guy's
jamming up behind him,
Doing his whole little gig.
Hey, adam, make sure that--
that little guy
That cash is fighting
is walking back and forth
Getting all crazy back there,
Make sure you guys
all got his back, right?
Get in there.
Punch a hole in
that little chest.
No mr. Nice guy today.
All that friendly
out the door.
Light him the up.
Kick his ass.
Announcer:
Cash armando, we need you
back at the staging area.
- Let's go, bud.
- Give us unity, lord god.
Thank you, lord god,
for each and every one
of these people
And thank you for keeping us
all safe today.
Lord god, please keep us
from injury today
And let us just have
a good time, lord god.
- We pray in jesus' name. Amen.
- Guys, hands in. One time.
- Last break right here.
- Come on!
- Win on me, win on three!
- One, two, three, win!
- Whoo!
- Let's go!
Announcer:
In cage number two,
cash armando.
Let's go. It's time.
Let's go! Let's go!
Let's go, cash!
There you go.
Light 'em up!
Light 'em up!
Keep pushing forward!
There you go! Yeah!
More punches! More punches!
Forward, forward!
Yeah!
Yeah! Yeah!
Good job, cash. Work!
- Cash! Cash! Cash!
- Yeah! Yeah!
Get up! Get up!
Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!
Yeah!
- Let's go!
- Whoo!
Let's go.
Yeah!
Oh, my god, dude. Oh, man.
You killed it.
Jayden's just coming back
from not feeling well.
For a couple weeks,
she's been down.
Jayden:
I haven't been eating.
I've lost a lot of weight.
I don't even know if
I'm gonna be able to compete.
Some trail mix or a banana?
You're fine?
Steve: Look at that.
Support from the team.
Okay? Look at me.
I you to make him--
You in?
- Win on me, win on three.
- One, two, three, win!
This is it, cash.
This is all the marbles
right here, cash.
You got this!
- Everything, cash!
- Go!
- Jenna: Go, cash.
- Steve: Watch that takedown.
- Go!
- Go, cash!
Yeah, there you go!
There you go!
Piece him up, cash!
- Arm bar triangle, cash!
- Let's go, cash!
Lock it up, cash!
- Let's go, cash!
- There we go.
Get up, get up, get up!
- Shake hands.
- Good job, cash!
- Let's go!
- Excellent job, cash.
That's good.
Hey, cash, that was
a good battle, man.
- That kid was badass.
- You did exactly what
you were supposed to do.
We turned the table at the end,
and we got all the way
up to the top.
- You are amazing.
- We're freaking good, man.
- Freaking amazing.
- Okay?
- Second.
- I'm proud of you.
Proud of you.
Steve:
I mean, always want first,
But second,
that's a big deal out here.
That kid's a champion.
His dad owns the gym.
Like, he's been fighting
since he was three.
So proud of you, man.
I'm gonna go shake
that little guy's hand, too.
- I just did, too.
- Okay.
Hey, good job, buddy.
Thank you for the fight.
- Thank you.
- Great job, man.
You're a killer.
Thank you, man. All right.
Yeah! Good job, guys.
Go on, jayden! Go, go!
Go, jay!
Yeah!
whoo!
That's right, baby.
Go, go, go, jayden! Go!
- Go!
- Yeah! Yeah!
whoo!
Whoo!
jayden!
- That's right, baby!
- Whoo!
Jayden!
We're going to abu dhabi.
- Five.
- It's at 5:00, yeah.
Reina:
The big goal for jayden?
It's to become a world champ.
- But I'm scared.
- This okay?
- Yeah.
- It's me and her
traveling alone.
I've never left the country.
I didn't even know
what a passport was.
Jayden:
I'm excited to go to worlds
Because I finally
get to go with my mom
And take her traveling.
I wanna do that for her
because she gave birth to me,
She helped me when I was sick,
she takes care of me.
Reina: I'm excited because
who gets to do that at 12,
Fly to abu dhabi,
a place that you probably
couldn't even pronounce?
Announcer:
Ladies and gentlemen,
Welcome to the youth
mma world championship,
Where fighters
from 26 countries
will battle for gold.
Let's go, mexico!
Let's go, mexico!
Usa! Usa! Usa!
Time's up, buddy!
Time's up! Time's up!
Oh, my god.
Her nails are always long.
You gonna need to cut this?
She said to or no?
- All: No.
- I think I wanna throw up.
Let's bring it back
to california, baby!
Take it home, baby.
Announcer:
And over on cage two,
In the red corner
We have ukraine versus
The usa in the blue corner.
Reina: Team usa!
There we go, baby!
Let's go!
Come on, baby!
Come on, baby!
Announcer:
Over on cage two,
the winner is
In the blue corner
representing usa.
Run it, baby! Run it!
Over in cage four,
winner from the red corner...
That's right, baby.
- Good job, baby.
- Hey, give her some love
before she goes out.
- We gotta show them how--
- go. Let's go.
The winner is,
in the red corner
representing usa.
Usa! Usa!
Usa! Usa!
Come on, baby.
This is for the gold, baby.
...Blue corner
representing usa,
And in the red corner
representing ukraine!
Come on, jayden!
Come on, baby! Go, jay!
- Get your guard, baby!
- Up, up!
- Up, jayden!
- Piece of cake.
Finish this, jay.
Finish this.
Right there, jayden.
Take it, take it.
Take it, take it, take it.
Take it, take it, jayden.
Take it. Please, please.
- Jayden!
- Come on, baby.
Come on, baby.
Come on, jayden.
Come on, jayden!
I think I'm gonna throw up.
Can I throw up?
Announcer:
And over on cage one,
your winner is,
In the red corner, ukraine!
It's all right!
Hey, it's okay.
You had that, baby.
It was all right.
Do I disagree with
how it was done? Yeah.
I'll shut up
and leave it at that.
It'll be good.
I don't even wanna
get kicked out of this arena
Because
I'm not in my own country,
and I don't wanna--
But you know what I wanna say.
That was bull.
I'm usually more affected
by jayden's results than she is,
But I'm not gonna be negative
because she's happy.
Usa, usa, usa!
Usa, usa, usa, usa!
Whoo!
It's more important
to have fun.
Whoo!
I'm okay with losing
Because I know
I'm gonna come back
for the gold next year.
Announcer:
From usa, jayden murillo.
All right, jayden!
I'm so proud of you.
whoo!
You should see your hair.
I uploaded the photo
that I took of cash's eye.
I know his eye we're using,
But, I mean,
it's like the light of your eye.
It's like you looking forward
and being optimistic
About the future and everything
You're providing for him
and your family, and then--
Come on, man,
you're gonna get a little
tear-jerker out of me.
- Let's not go deep on this one.
- Hey, man, you asked, dude.
I was trying to put it all
into that for you, man.
No, that's-- dude,
that's a big thing for me.
- I appreciate it, man.
- Yeah.
You know how I am
about that guy.
...From when he was
that little, tiny kid,
It amazes me.
You start off
as a white belt.
You work your way up
to a black belt.
That goes for life.
- You start crawling...
- Nice.
And then you're walking,
and then you're running.
Five, four, three,
two, one.
Steve: Because cash finished
second in nationals,
We're always trying to see
what we could do better.
We're trying
to get him stronger,
Building up his legs
and weightlifting.
Three, four...
Steve: Let's go!
You're almost there!
His striking, his wrestling,
his jiu-jitsu,
There's always stuff
that we can improve on
To get a better outcome
next year.
It's not just about fighting.
It's about the fighting
in life.
Cash:
Now my grandma's less worried
because I'm stronger.
I think more
about what I'm doing.
She's just learned
to accept it.
- He's helping us.
- I think you got it.
- I think you guys got it.
- Dad, like, go down.
- Like, go--
- there you go.
- Gotta put our weight into it.
- teamwork
My drinking,
it started effecting them,
And I started seeing
my daughter crying.
I'm like, "what am I doing?"
Go back down.
Go back down. I got you.
Okay. Right there.
At the end,
my family's more important.
Okay.
Barbara, would you like
some mashed potatoes?
Yeah, just a little bit
though, please.
I love mashed potatoes.
- Cheers.
- All: Cheers!
I'm thankful I have
a beautiful family.
All these are my peacekeepers.
I'm thankful
they're still in my life
And kept me out of trouble.
So...
Reina: Our relationship
is getting better.
It's gonna take
a little bit of time,
But I believe we can
get back to where we were.
Jayden: I have complicated
feelings about my dad.
Come on, my love.
My dad is making effort
on being there for us,
But there's a long way to go
For me to start
trusting my dad again.
Go, boo-boo!
Yeah! I love you, baby!
Whoo! Good job.
Good luck today.
Rose: These parents
are not bad people.
Martial arts helps kids with
the confidence that you need
To able to walk around knowing
That no one
is going to hurt you.
It's good to train
jiu-jitsu or mma.
I want my kids to train.
But I grew up
in this community,
And I wanna make sure
this is done the right way.
I myself have a daughter
that's nine years old.
She's being doing martial arts
her whole life.
When you have this kid
who starts to thrive,
It's pretty cool to watch
this confidence they get.
It's a double-edged sword.
This sport made me
the person I am.
It saved my life.
Without this sport,
I wouldn't be here today.
Hot rod:
These kids are taught to take
the kids that are below them
And raise them up
to their level.
Bear crawls.
That's an amazing thing
for a kid to do,
Not only be taught,
but to teach.
And that's what martial arts
does for you.
It pushes you to
not only be your best,
But to raise the people
around you to be their best.
Shake his hand.
You're gonna fight now, okay?
Get him on top of him, maddy.
Get on top of him.
You don't want that happening,
you gotta fight back, okay?
Maddy, you fight back
next time, okay?
Jon: You are gonna have kids
That have that propensity
for violence.
If it's directed
in the right direction,
They're gonna be superheroes.
Without martial arts,
they may drift astray.
They may use
their violence for evil.
We might as well
make 'em good guys.
Let's build superheroes,
not supervillains.
Oh!