Through his work as a doctor and his website FightMedicine.net, Sherdog's Fight Doctor Jonathan Gelber, M.D. has been inspired by the many great stories of grapplers overcoming their disabilities through jiu-jitsu and grappling.
Dr. Gelber has begun to organize the Grapplers Heart Tournament, which will be the first ever grappling tournament providing those with disabilities a chance to enter their first tournament or return to physical competition after an injury.
Divisions will be based on weight and experience level as well as classes of disability; such as upper/lower extremity amputee, cerebral palsy or other neuromuscular disorder, spinal cord injury, visual impairment, or special needs.
Interested grapplers can sign up for more information at grapplersheart.com.
Those interested in volunteering or sponsoring the tournament can contact him via email here .
The more grapplers that sign up, and the further the word is spread, the better the tournament will become!
Dr. Gelber is also available to answer any medical questions as they arise for UFC 169 in his FightMedicine mailbag.