How experienced do you need to be to compete

Hello everyone. As you can see I am a newcomer to this site and also to MA. I have been studying MA since last December, the style being MMA with a heavy influence on boxing/kickboxing, defensive work etc.
I have been told that my sparring ability is excellent, speed, movement, technique etc. I put this down to the fact that I am obviously the least experienced in the class therefore it's fight or flight and I prefer to fight.

The question I want to ask is am I too inexperienced to compete as there is a fight night coming up in November and one or two people have said they think I would do well, also because I am 37 I would apparently need to enter as a veteran Ironic eh!!

Hi Paul. My generic response is "You do not need any experience. They have different divisions for different skill levels."

My specific response is "Talk to your instructor, or someone who has competed in that tournament before." Different tourneys have different ideas about beginners, and so on.

You can always go and watch for yourself, too.

Let us know!

Do it. The worst that can happen is that you lose and gain experience from it.

I agree 6-7 months is enough time to compete at the begining or intermediate level as mentioned the worst that could happen is you find something you really need to work on, or that you really do well.

Warning keep your guards up and your chin down. You don't learn anything in a Quick Ko and its you down.

What kind of competition?

I haven't been given any specifics on the FightNight comp. I am assuming it is a mixed art / Kickboxing comp. as that is the styles we train, but then again!!

Hello, thought I'd drop a few words to say I have lost my fighting/competion virginity a little earlier than I anticipated. I pencilled myself in for November but I competed on Sunday in the Derbyshire Open. I figured it would be a nice little comp. in which to cut my teeth as it were!! ( not literally ). Weighed in at 10 am in the <80 kg coloured belts kickboxing comp. and fought at 5 pm.
I got a bye in the first round which was good as it gave me a bead on things, I then fought a guy who was a blue belt ( I am Green at the moment having graded last Thursday ). It was one 2 minute round of semi-contact points and I got beat 6-5, I am really pleased with my performance as my oponent eventually went on to the final only to get narrowly beaten. So everyone was over the moon how things went.
I did see quite a number of newbies freeze and I was a little apprehensive but all I wanted was to give a good account of myself and not get hammered,( both points and physically wise )
Onwards and upwards methinks, cheers.

There is only one way to find out. So, if you think you are ready than go for it. I can't really comment on whether you're "ready" or not as I have not seen you fight before. And I don't know your level of endurance. But, I say it give it a shot. If you weren't ready, you'll find out soon enough. At least then you'll know what it takes to be "ready". And then you can work on getting there....

Nice job for getting out there, Paul!

Nice one!

I hope it's given you the inspiration to try again some time!

Thanks, it was a real buzz competing and the comeraderie between fellow competitors was great. There was no animosity or oneupmanship between differing clubs.
I am going to try and compete as often as possible, the next comp. being the British Open in Sheffield, whether I get the chance in that comp. will be down to my Instructor. I'll keep you informed, cheers.