Too many people thinking they're MMA fighters?

Question

I've noticed that many people I run into at work, physical training (military), etc. train in MMA-style Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, etc. and I can't help but assume this is because of the popularity of Tapout, UFC, Pride FC, etc.

A good amount of these same people also seem to be the type to constantly staring people down, dissing other martial arts, trying to show off their skills, etc. (Also, bear in mind I'm in the military and it's not uncommon for military members to emulate this stuff, much like poker and boxing, years ago.)

Am I witnessing a rare occurrence, or is this the result of the popularization and mainstream progression of MMA in a spreading demographic across the country? And is the popularization of MMA and other UFC/Pride FC-style martial arts a good thing, in the end?

Thanks!

Answer 1

well you're surrounded by a bunch of gung ho warriors, assumin that you're still refering to the people at your job in the military.. i mean soldiers need that mentality, but many people think UFC & MMA is too brutal & don't even consider watching it.  I think it the UFC, etc just opened potential fighters, & unfortunately sometimes wanna-bes' eyes to something they can compete in.. It may be becaus they want to better themselves & they see if they cna kick anyones' a$s, then they're the better man, it could also be just pure popularity & they wanna fmaliarize themself with the sport.. & also they're just on a UFC high.. you konw, like how kids dress up as Shrek for halloween right after the movie comes out or soemthing.. Yes, the UFC is getting very popular, very fast, & it has effects on some poeple :p  

Answer 2

Its the law of averages.   Most people think their style is best.  MMA is very popular right now and there are a lot of mma practitionersand fans.  Therefore, at this time, one is more likely to run into a boastful mma person than any other stylist.  

The way I see it, its a nice break from the "reasons Bruce Lee is the greatest martial artist of all time" statements.

Answer 3

What kills me most is that they even call the "UFC" MMA ( Mixed Martial Arts ) in the first place.  C'mon a boxing stance and colliegic wrestling are Mixed martial arts since when?  I mean let's get to the real back bone of this so-called "popular T.V. sport" right here and right now.  I've studied a great deal of jujitsu in many different jujitsu art forms and not once have I ever heard the "Thigh Kick" called the "Leg Kick" not one single time until the UFC''s commentators like Joe Rogan began calling this "jujitsu" techniqu a "Leg Kick".  I'm not saying that "Muay Thai" doesn't have it's own version of the thigh kick because it does have it's own version, but if you listen to the UFC commentator you realize they have no clue.  calling a "hammer strike" a "hammer fist" get outta here with that sh*t.  Then These colliegic wrestling stars come off with, "I know Jujitsu" ...yeah right just like Kimbo Slice coming off of the streets and getting a quick lesson or two by Bas Rutten and BOOM!! Kimbo is a "Jujitsu Practitioner".  Then there's this BJJ crowd who never stop to realize that the "Kimura" is actually called the "Ude garami" in the first place.  It's all watered down commercial BS to me.  So therefore sure you're going to see lots of "stare downs" and people who mimic what they see from T.V. this is America for Christ's sake where T.V. is fact and reality is fiction remember?  It takes about 5  - 7 months in a real Japanese style of jujitsu dojo to realize that the UFC and all of it's biggest players are tee totally full of sh*t.

This sport is damaging the martial arts in general.  First off the moral values and virtues that the martial arts teach have been pitched right out the window all for the sake of pride and vain and shallow views because of how the MMA comes off about ego and pride.  Then they want to call it a heavily "jujitsu" influeneced sport which is a flat out lie.  No self respecting jujitsu student or teacher wants to have his long list of technique totally erased and especially his ability to use "small joint manipulation" completely taken away from him in any kind of combat whether sport or not.  This "MMA" c**p is a fad at best man, a long lasting one, but a fad none the less.  A tough guy wanna-be sport who's time will come .... a boxing stance and colliegic wrestling RTFL eww....eeww....eeww.... those are both amazing skills......... NOT!!!!!

Why do we watch T.V. in the first place? .... to escape from reality and to get a good laugh.

One more thing:  I'm not saying that every jujitsu student or teacher see's it the same way, but I'd rather attack with a palm strike to the nose, attack the clavicle, attack the throat, attack eyes, and my opponent's joints while I remain standing with special attention given to "Kansetsuwaza" ( wrists and fingers to be precise ).  I've seen a million "School yard" fights when I was a kid where kids would throw each other to the ground and beat each other up, those school yard fights remind me of the so-called MMA.  Take a real art like any of the 725 officially documented forms of Japanese style Jujitsu and you find it to be way more complicated and disciplined  than just a "simple school yard fight".

Answer 4

I find it interesting that a good number of people PRIDE themselves on the fact that what they do is conducted in a CAGE.

We, as a people, sympathize with animals for being locked in a cage... then we turn around and worship our fellow man for stepping into one.

No wonder there is such a debate about between nature vs. nurture and creation vs. Darwinism.

What kind of entity steps into a cage willingly?  It seems only man does that... and man is assumed to be some kind of pinnacle?

It makes perfect sense when you consider that other men are defining the word 'pinnacle' in ways that naturally defend their egos....  How else would you (objectively) expect humans to behave?

Answer 5

I too was in the military and that's when I started training in martial arts. There were lots of guys like me that were into that type of thing. Since there was no MMA boom I guess it didn't effect us as much. Also traditional Martial arts contains a code of conduct so to speak. I'm all for MMA though. If they have a problem they can work off steam in the ring and not in the bars (I hope). The first UFC also showed a weakness in everyones game. To fight it is best to know how to fight in every range (Bruce Lee thought of it) Don't take those guys seriously. They are still young and I hope they can enjoy the training.  

Answer 6

Fighting in a ring (even MMA style) requires you to obey rules.  Real fights have no rules, so staring people down, dissing other arts, and showing off skills mean absolutely zilch in the real world.  Real fights are 33% surprise, 33% endurance, and 33% luck.

I've seen bar fighters kick the snot out of bad-*** black belts because they whacked them with a bottle before the "tough talk" even began.  When you fight FOR REAL, you have to become like a rabid animal, with no concern for the life of your opponent.  MMA fighters, as driven as they are, still don't want to kill their opponents, so in my opinion these are not fights.  They are sporting contests.

It's human nature to posture, and to try to assume the dominant role when in a group.  Men inherently establish pecking orders, and adopting the MMA training is just another way for guys to puff out their chests, and spread their feathers.  "See, look at me... I'm tough... I'm bad.  Fear me!"  

A real fighter is terrified of fighting because he (or she) only engages in combat as a last resort, with the sole intent of destroying his (or her) opponent, and knows that victory may spell death for the enemy.  Ergo, a real fighter has no desire to broadcast their abilities.

Only an insecure s*****k goes around beating their chest like King Kong.

Answer 7

Good answers by Phil J and william P. the fact is that to see the effect of MMA on the population all you have to do is look on here. There are supposidly if you look at the answers at least 100's of people that train MMA, BJJ, Muuay Thai, etc. However there have been a series of quizes asked about actual techniques in many differnet styles, and the same 10-14 people have answered every one of them. you have traditional artists from karate and TKD, kung fu answering muya Thai questions and BJJ questions, and MMA people who train Muay Thai and BJJ ansering more traditional questions, and all of them doing well.

These are simple questions that anyone with a basic knowledge who actually trains should be able to answer. So where are all these people that answer on here? They come out in droves whena what is the best style question is asked, or a what should I take, however let someone ask a How do I do this question about technique and they are no where to be seen. it is always the same people ansering.

'

These quizes have taught me two thinsg:

1) the basics are the basics. What is good technique in Muay Thai is probably good technique in Okinawin karate.

2) There are way more posers, on both sides of the fence, then I origianally thought.

There is nothing you cna do about wanna be's and posers, except try and discredit them. For onstance there is a user called bujinkan Ninja that supposedly has training in 8 arts. yet I have never seen him answer a question about technique that you can't google up, and thsoe ar even rare. he also believes that you have to register as a lethal weapon in Florida when you get to yellow belt in TKD.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

Peopl like him are the same as people like you. Most people who actually train MMA you will not here bashing traditional arts. They may bash the way McDojo's train, but not the arts themselves. If somebody on here does, you cna be pretty sure they are a poser.

Answer 8

The problem when something becomes **too popular** too quickly is that SUPPLY will always outstrip DEMAND.  This leads to a bumper-crop of substandard instructors and money-hungry opportunists all calling themselves experts.  

So your average Joe who wants to emulate his new hero, but doesn't know Cung Le from Stan Lee, so he goes to a bad MMA instructor who teaches him technique but doesn't teach him to be respectful of people.

But there's no difference between that, and someone who goes to a Bruce Lee movie, thinks "this sh*t is awesome" but innocently walks into the Cobra Kai (a la "Karate Kid") gym where he becomes indoctrinated into their "mercy is for the weak" philosophy.

To me there's no difference between bad MMA and bad Traditional MA.  That's the real problem with runaway popularity.

Answer 9

I think its like football, everyone I knew wanted to be in the NFL when they grew up, but now theyre trading in theyre pig skin ball for some leather gloves, and I do think its because of the huge popularity and how easy it is to get into a training program, I mean, you dont need to be any surrten age or have a deploma or ged, but I do think its kinda stupid that everybody and there dog is a cage fighter all of a sudden.