Rancho Cucamonga, CA – Looking at 11 year old Aidan Claproth dressed in his UCLA basketball tank top and jeans, one would never know that this 3.9 GPA junior high student is an amateur MMA fighter with over three years of fighting experience. “Actually, when I was six my dad put me in a city Karate class and I didn’t like it,” explains the dirty blond haired youth. “We just stood there for an hour each week and waved our arms and legs around and yelled a lot. I didn’t learn anything.” He decided to try other sports.

After two years of youth basketball, Aidan’s father placed him in another city program that involved martial arts: Rancho Cucamonga’s Jujitsu and Grappling class conducted by Sensei Tony Allen of Combined Martial Science. However, something was different this time. Aidan was allowed to “scrap” with other kids on the very first day and from then on he was hooked. Although Aidan wasn’t a natural fighter, Sensei Tony was impressed with his passion and work ethic, suggesting that Aidan visit his Dojo to see if he would like it. Aidan immediately joined Combined Martial Science (Chino, CA) and still trains as much as 6-8 hours a week where he has also become quite proficient at USJA Judo, boxing, kick boxing and Brazilian Jujitsu.

Aidan is currently a 3-time GrapplingX Pankration champion with a Pankration fighting record of 13 wins and 6 losses in addition to having fought over a hundred grappling and Judo matches. “I’ve done a lot of Pankration matches but punches and kicks to the head and face aren’t allowed,” says Aidan. “I also play tackle football but Pankration is definitely safer.” He doesn’t sport a Mohawk nor does he wear any of his fighting apparel when at school or out with friends. In fact, only Aidan’s closest friends know that he is an MMA fighter.

Despite keeping it low-key, Aidan was discovered on Youtube.com by the father of Hawaii’s best youth MMA fighter, Nainoa “The Baby-Faced Assassin” Dung of Hawaii. Nainoa’s father Nolan saw Aidan’s fight videos and felt he finally found a competitor that could give his son a good fight. He contacted Rich Tomas of Skrap Magazine (the local MMA publication on Hawaii) to set up and promote the match on Kauai.

On January 23, 2010 Aidan will find out just how good he really is. He will be challenging Nainoa in a Pankration match consisting of two three-minute rounds in The Kauai Knockout Championship (KKC) and at stake is the KKC Championship Belt. In addition to this match, the event will also feature 15 adult amateur MMA matches. However, the battle between Aidan and Nainoa will be the first ever Pankration match in the state of Hawaii which will also be streamed live on the Internet. Skrap Magazine expects a turnout of about 1,500 local MMA fans to pay to see this one-of-a-kind event on January 23.

When asked why he doesn’t sport a nick name like Nainoa and most other MMA fighters, Aidan remains humble. “I don’t know, I think my real name is good enough. I don’t have sponsors either and that’s OK too.” When asked if he was nervous about his upcoming battle Aidan answers, “No, but I’m also looking forward to the plane ride. I’ve never flown before.”

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