Autistic UFC Fighter Vince The Anomaly - Autism In Combat Sports

Is Autism a superpower in the UFC? What was Vince's diagnosis journey? What are the benefits of learning martial arts for autistic people?

Vince The Anomaly was a bantamweight UFC fighter with 7 wins, fighting out of Los Angeles California, and born in Kaneohe, Hawaii. Vince works with Shane Fazen, the owner of a 3M+ subscriber YouTube channel called Fight Tips where he produces educational videos on MMA.

In this episode of the Thoughty Auti Podcast, Thomas Henley talks to ex-UFC fighter Vince The Anomaly about his experiences in and out of the cage, and how being a late-diagnosed Autistic impacted his professional career.

They kick off the episode talking about Vince's fighting career and how he rose up the ranks despite his starting age - Thomas talks about his experience as a top-performing Taekwondo athlete, and how the point-scoring system is a lot different from MMA.

Diagnosed this year (2022) Vince found out that his good friend in the UFC John Doomsday Howard was also pursuing a diagnosis. He recalls the difficulty of hiding his issues and mental health illness as a fighter and as a man. Following his retirement, he faced a difficult 6-month-long depressive period due to his lost persona as a fighter, but now relishes in the freedom retirement has given him.

Vince opens up about the disconnection and anxiety he felt in the education system, and how like Thomas, fighting was an outlet for the pain and issues he faced in daily life. Although he thrived in the fighting game, he also recalls how the disorder after a competition was the most difficult... shutdowns and meltdowns were all related to transitions and lack of routine.

Marketing and the social arena are irremovable components of a fighting career, and this is an area that Vince struggled with. Discipline, pattern-seeking, focus, and quick learning were all things that enhanced his ability as a fighter - Vince attributes many of these things to being Autistic.

They end by highlighting the positives of starting a combat sport, and the subtle ways in which fighting ability can enhance your confidence and feeling of safety in public spaces.

Vince's Links:-

Website - https://vincetheanomaly.com/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/vincetheanomaly/

Song Of The Day (Listen Here) - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5UDIyN5TSYN4zMcRoQPrG8?si=9255ed3480d840b5

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Website - https://www.thomashenley.co.uk

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