CHEDON'S POWER

At first glance seven-year-old Chedon Grant may seem like your average boy. He likes video games, he goes to school and enjoys spending time with his friends. But beneath his small frame, he is armed with the skills and experience of a trained fighter.

Over the past two years, Chedon has amassed an impressive reputation as one of the youngest mixed martial artists (MMA) in TT, taking on opponents several times larger than himself in tournaments and even during training sessions.

Newsday Kids recently caught up with Chedon at his father's Marabella dojo to talk about how martial arts training has impacted his life and his advice for other children thinking about starting training.

Chedon, who began training with his father, Kerry Grant, when he was a toddler, has trained alongside some of TT's top fighters at the Southern Warriors of MMA dojo.

Unlike traditional martial arts, MMA combines a variety of styles into one artform, which involves striking and wrestling techniques.

"I've been training for as long as I can remember. It's really fun being out there with the other guys and learning new moves and getting better at my craft."

In 2017, Chedon competed in a grappling tournament where he defeated a boy outside of his weight class and has even competed in the junior category of the Ruff and Tuff MMA Tournament at Couva, last year.

A standard one student of Pointe-a-Pierre Government Primary School, Chedon says besides fighting, one of the most important lessons he learned from martial arts was discipline and respect for others, a lesson he takes with him everywhere.

"I definitely think more children should get involved in the martial arts. It teaches you so many new things about discipline and building confidence. I think it empowers children and encourages them to be the best they can be.

"I don't like to see bullying of any kind. It's something I try to stop when I can, I've never had to fight to solve anything."

His approach to stop bullying is to get people to talk things out.

Dividing time between school and his training can be a chore, Chedon says, but he is passionate about martial arts.

A fan of Irish MMA superstar Conor McGregor, Chedon says he aspires to be of similar fame and looks forward to training with his father and his friends at the end of every day.

He also wants to be a pilot just like father, and has been on flights with him in his Cessna airplane.