Why is it that since MMA has become popularized by the media, that people think it is the best martial art? ?

Question

Why is it that since MMA has become popularized by the media, that people think its the best martial arts form? Its just amazing how a television, the media, and a single company can influence peoples mind so much, just to let you know, i like MMA and the UFC, this is just amazing how anything that is martial arts i hear about is related to MMA

Answer 1

I can remember when I first started doing Karate a lot of people were jumping on the Jeet Kune Do band-wagon because of Bruce Lee.  Then when the Kung-fu television series came out a lot of people were jumping on that band-wagon.  I recently had a newer, adult student say to me that if I changed my studio to a MMA type name and pushed that more heavily that I would have a place packed with students.  I explained to him that I have been around a long time and that I was not neccessarily interested in just being one of those that jumps on the band-wagon of whatever happens to be popular just for money.  If I incorporate something into my student's training or bring a new program into the studio it is because it has value for the students; not because it is popular or just to make a buck.  I was teaching ground fighting twenty years ago before most karate studios would not generally consider it or offer it so that my students would be more rounded and better capable of defending themselves.  That does not mean that they will be experts in BJJ or be able to defeat an all-american collegiate wrestler at his own game.  Against an average guy though they can hold their own and then some.  However many people do jump on the band-wagon of whatever is popular and it does make you wonder what will be next after MMA.

Answer 2

dude!!

MMA : Mixed Martial Arts

get it? if ur smart u would get this!

Answer 3

You obviously dont know nothing about Martial Arts at all. MMA is Most of the martial arts combined into one.

Answer 4

I like Mixed Martial Arts (but NOT REALLY the UFC) because MY daughter takes Shaolin Kempo Karate...when u combine the best of all or several kinds of martial arts, THAT'S MMA...and PERSONALLY, I think MMA AND karate should be in the Olympics over Judo, tho I've heard Judo's the 2nd most popular World Sport, after Soccer, but in the USA it's not very popular at all, I believe Karate, followed by EXPENSIVE Taequondo are the most popular in the USA...what I DON'T like about Taequondo when 1st starting out is it's a contact sport from the get go in the dojo...where my daughter goes, Villari's Martial Arts, in Shaolin Kempo Karate, they emphasize NO contact in class, to use it ONLY as self-defense OUTSIDE of class...OF COURSE, THO in a competition, there WOULD be direct contact...

Answer 5

mma is not the best martial art. its a culmination of different martial arts styles. it is the best sport.

Answer 6

sheep

Answer 7

It is so well thought of because it is out there every day in the public eye, and it is effective. You have many people though that are basically sheep that believe anything they see. I can almost grantee you that the majority of people on here that always answer a what style is best question with BJJ/Muay Thai/MMA's don't actually train themselves. Their knowledge of the martial arts is what they see in the UFC, or Human Weapon or Fight Quest.

People are hung up on Kyokoshin karate, krav maga, and other styles that have been featured on these shows, all you have to do is look at the answers on here. Not that they are not effective, because they are, but they are not the only ones.

Also another reason why many say MMA's is because they think that a street fight or a fight in the ring is self defense, which it is not. In the ring you have two highly skilled opponents fighting under a certain set of rules. Most street fights involve two totally unskilled people who want to protect their ego's. True self defense is about survival, and is generally one person attacking another for money or something else valuble. The only goal of self defense is survival, not winning per say. Most UFC fans do not realize this, unless they actually train themselves.

The training method of most MMA gym's is what makes it effective, not so much that it is better.

Answer 8

MMA is a combination of different martials arts, not just one. You have a number of different striking styles, such as kickboxing (Mirko Crocop), Muay Thai (Wanderlei Silva, Anderson Silva, Fedor Emelianenko, Shogun Rua) and karate (Chuck Liddell, Lyoto Machida), as well as wrestling and submission grappling (mostly BJJ, though the world's best HW is the world Sambo champion. Catch wrestling was also introduced into the sport, mostly because of the Japanese). Technically, anyone from any martial art can compete in the sport of MMA, and only things like eye-gouging, headbutts and low blows are disallowed in every MMA organisation. MMA has both the best strikers in the world, as well as the best grapplers, something you really can't say about many other combat sports. So, it's like this- if someone whose martial art taught him how to strike were to challenge an MMArtist, Fedor would take him down and armbar him in seconds. If someone only knew how to get close and grapple, Anderson Silva would KO him while using his BJJ to keep from being dominated on the ground.

But again, like K1 or Pancrase, MMA refers more to the sport than any specific type of martial art.

Answer 9

I think you're misinterpreting what MMA is.  I assume you realize that MMA stands for "mixed martial arts".  As such, MMA is not actually a martial art in itself but rather a combination of several martial arts.  Thus, MMA fighters have some knowledge in a form striking, wrestling, and jiu jitsu, each of which has many divisions each labeled a martial art.  Because of this, it's pretty reasonable to consider such a hybrid fighting style as superior to any single martial art.

Answer 10

better question. why do you keep asking these kinds of questions

Answer 11

mma isnt realy a style and if u call it that it is mixed martial arts which would mean uu can mix any arts which would mean if u had to pick one it is the best i think ur refering to the octagon fighting aspect but u no wat these ppl say anythin can be tested agianst ity but no one opposes it and alsotechnicaly it usese s  all aspects of hand to hand so like there are other reasons they like it and say it is a good art u no

Answer 12

mma is a is a way to train.

it isnt ...ok ill mix goju ryu karate, with shaolin kung fu, and add some kickboxing...and a little judo. and its a far cry from shaolin kempo karate. not all "mixes" can call themselves mma. even thouth technically they are mixed martial arts. the term is generally accepted to denote the training method...not necessarily the particular arts or styles practiced. but generally they all practice the same core system...which is comprised of a few arts. boxing, kickboxing/muay thai, wrestling and brazilian jujutsu or sambo.

its true mma means mixed martial arts. but in todays society it is used to denote NHB fighting. in brazil it's called vale tudo.

MMA is often considered the best martial art because its PROVEN. it isn't just theory. it's full contact, full power, and as close to "anything goes" as you can get legally. because it covers all ranges of fighting in a way thats relatively safe to practice...yet is pressure tested. it gives you a good solid, and functional delivery system to work from.

and very often alot of people who say mma is best simply have never seen anything else. they dont understand enough about martial arts to know WHY they think mma is the best. they just think it looks cool, and they want to be like chuck liddell.