What Happened To Zion Clark From Netflix's Zion?
In 2018, Netflix debuted a documentary about the life of a high school wrestler named Zion Clark who was born without legs due to a rare birth disorder. In the 11-minute short, Clark recalled how he was given up for adoption as a baby and passed around to several different foster homes before being adopted at the age of 16. Clark found his passion in wrestling and overcame many physical and emotional obstacles with the help of his coach, Gil Donahue. "It made me look at coaching in a whole new perspective. How do you coach a kid with no legs? We experimented with Zion throughout his career at Massillon. We found out what techniques made him successful and what techniques he could not use," Donahue told ESPN. "He got me to push myself harder to get the outcome I wanted in my matches," Clark said of his coach.
While initially his presence on the mat was met with jeers, his eventual success caused others to embrace his difference. "Come senior year, I beat some of the best guys in the state of Ohio," he shared in the documentary. After graduating from high school, Clark studied business management at Kent State Tuscarawas, where he would go on to continue his love of wrestling. Now, many are wondering what Clark is doing nowadays following the success of Netflix's documentary about his life.
Zion Clark has big dreams
Zion Clark's passion for wrestling pushed him to continue this pursuit in college. "Wrestling in college — I just set my mind on that," he shared in an interview with Kent State University. Clark made the school's Golden Eagle wrestling team, coached by Dave Schlarb. "Zion is one of the most coachable wrestlers I have ever coached. He has a can-do attitude that never waivers [sic]. He is a remarkable team player that is willing to do anything needed to help the team succeed," Schlarb declared.
Clark was with his sister Indy at a state track meet when the chair for the Paralympics noticed him and encouraged the athlete to compete in wheelchair racing. He took the advice and joined the track team at UCLA and went on to win two state titles in the 100-meter and 400-meter races. "I want to be an Olympic gold medalist — I want the gold," he stated at the time of publication.
The 25-year-old is now aiming to take part in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, per Men's Health. His goal is to compete in both the Olympics in wrestling and the Paralympics as a wheelchair racer. If he makes it, he will be the first athlete to participate in both organizations. The indomitable wrestler has already set the Guinness World Record for completing a 20-meter dash in 4.78 seconds. Clark's love of wrestling also spurred him to dabble in MMA, which he eventually started training for seriously.
Zion Clark won his first MMA fight
There are no obstacles Zion Clark can't overcome. The athlete, who has "no excuses" tattooed on his back, won several wrestling matches in his career and now has his eyes on the MMA prize. "It's the same as it was wrestling for me. I just wrestle against able-bodied people, and I beat able-bodied people. Now I'm fighting able-bodied people, and I'm gonna knock out able-bodied people. It's as simple as that. I'm a fighter," he told TMZ in November.
The following month, Clark went head-to-head against Eugene Murray in the bantamweight division. Clark was declared the winner in his very first professional MMA fight by a unanimous decision by the judges. "Blessed is an understatement thanks to my teammates and coaches to prep my the last few months @antoniomckee the best coach around 1-0 on the the [sic] next one. Let's get it," he wrote on Instagram. Clark celebrated his win by doing a backflip in the cage.
UFC champ Connor McGregor praises Zion Clark
Following Zion Clark's first MMA win, UFC legend Connor McGregor took to Twitter to give the pro fighter a shout-out. "Absolutely fascinating to hear about this man's debut and now see it. Lighting entry on the low single. Wow! You should not connect to him in any shape or form. Frames only. Frame to strike. Fascinating! Congrats and so much respect to that man Zion Clark! Mma is the best sport!" he wrote. "Appreciate the love and respect @TheNotoriousMMA this is just the start for me I'm excited to see how far I can take my fight game! I proved the doubters wrong in wrestling becoming an All American and D1 Wrestler. All respect," Clark replied.
McGregor then explained the rules given Clark's lower vantage point. "Can't kick as he is grounded opponent. The only way to stop him is to develop ko ending shots mid transitions in grappling. Very few on the planet possess this skill. And to 3/4 way downward punch a jab there is just no power. Look at opponents attempt before the shot. Wild!" he tweeted. With an MMA win under his belt, along with two more Guinness World Records, Clark is an inspiration to many, and hopefully, he'll one day become an Olympic winner as well.