Are Traditional Martial Arts Underestimated in MMA?

Discussion in 'MMA' started by JJMicromegas, Feb 21, 2010.

  1. eltgire

    eltgire New Member

    some random thoughts I had after going through the thread:

    I really enjoy watching mma and participating in the very little mma that I've had the opportunity to be a part of. 90% of my training is in isshinryu and judo, though. I've really enjoyed the experience that I've had with the TMA route I've taken. I like wearing a gi. I like learning kata and do it often to relax. There is no emphasis whatsoever on point fighting or tournament sparring and I have no interest in it. isshinryu/judo is more of a personal journey than anything else for me. My friends who train in MMA clubs/gyms are really more focused on the competition part of it. They are training in MMA as sport. It's really hard to compare the two, because the foundation of my training is based on quickly stopping an attacker and getting the hell out of the situation. My first techniques were belt level and lower snap kicks, elbow strikes, and strikes to the throat. I guess my whole point in this, is that at some point pioneers in MMA formulated their respective TMA's to be competitive in MMA. My friend's attend a no-gi BJJ class, something that was obviously birthed out of the popularity of bjj in contemporary mma competition. A class like that would definitely be applicable to real world situations also, but we never really saw it until after the Gracie's had solidified bjj as such a force in mma. Lyoto Machida has been very public in talking about the contemporary Shotokan-like style that everyone calls Machida karate even though he has bjj and sumo training also. He's found a way to make it very applicable to mma. I think some of the other more traditional martial arts will eventually have a place in mma when someone really pioneers using it in mma. I think some TMA's will never be effective as a fighter's only mma training. One that comes immediately to mind is Judo. Hardcore judo practioneers, who rely on JUST judo in MMA, seem to struggle heavily with more well rounded fighters. Maybe someone will eventually figure out how to use it as a primary method in mma. It really comes down to innovation I think. It seems mma is stuck in a bjj/boxing/muy thai rut (with some exceptions). What I mean by that, is that if someone wants to compete in MMA, then the immediate thought is that they need to go train in those specific things, because that's what is working so well right now. Most fights are basically a mix of one guy's bjj/boxing/muay thai vs another guys bjj/boxing/muay thai. I'm not trying to insult any of those disciplines, beause like I said they work now... but I am looking forward to the next evolution in mma techniques. I think Frank Shamrock summed it up best when he said "... There's no secrets anymore."
    I want to see someone come on the scene that blows everyone's mind. I think Jon Jones has small elements of that, and Machida has had elements of that, but not to the point of revolutionizing the sport.

    I'm a little hazy from cold medicine and am sorry my thoughts are all over the place.
     

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