The Next Level of Martial Arts

Training
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[quote]No-Gi wrote:
Edit: For the post just above me. The “more on their plate” is during the fight as well. You can’t strike the same when you have to defend the takedown.[/quote]

Yes you can.

If your set-ups suck (which most MMA fighters’ do) then yeah, you need to worry about getting taken down. But if I hit you when you are off balance, in transition, or have exposed yourself trying to counter, then you aren’t going to be able to pull off an effective takedown.

It goes back to that Set Point control strategy that I keep harping on. If you aren’t set (meaning you don’t have a strong, balanced, correctly aligned position) you aren’t going to be taking anyone with even a smidge of takedown defense down. And that is IF you even get the takedown attempt off.

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[quote]No-Gi wrote:
blazindave wrote:
I’ve watched some MMA. Seems like alot of it charging and just swinging.

This post strikes me as ignorant. For a guy who felt the need to correct a misconception about Karate, you’re sure playing the bull in the china shop about MMA.[/quote]

I had written my post before i had read his but decided to not write it because it did come off as too generalizing.
When i read his post i decided to reply and the post i deleted in as well.

There are people who are good but many fights seem to be a “spray and pray” method. Straight punches seem to be non existent.

For example, this past weekend on a boring saturday night visiting my grandparents there just so happened to be a “free” UFC fight. I decided to watch it.
Some skinny white guy and a big well built black guy with dreadlocks. The fight consisted of throwing the hardest punch they could while closing their eyes and turning their head. Then flailing their arms and trying to get shots in.

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[quote]Rob-jitsu wrote:
It started with jiu-jitsu and submissions which changed the world of martial arts forever. Next we saw wrestling with it’s double leg takedown and “ground and pound” style dominate the field.

Then, to a degree, came the return of striking with muay thai and boxing leading the way. Add a couple of years of everyone learning the same things, and fighters began to look fairly identical, though with differing levels of skill. Athletic ability came into play.

The shaved head, cauliflower ear, and black tapout shirt years had begun.

Then it started to evolve yet again. Pride saw Chute Boxe honing the science of soccer kicks and stomps. UFC fighters began perfecting the use of the cage to their advantage, for both defense and offense. Takedown defense exploded and created the “sprawl and brawl” style.

With many fighters now able to keep the fight standing, the striking game had to change. MMA style striking started emerging, with its superman punches, huge overhand rights, and an entirely new range and combination strategy, in order to lessen the risk of being taken down.

Simultaneously, jiu-jitsu had to evolve as well. With the gi being gone, grips and handles disappeared and a new, tighter style of submission grappling came forth.

But Eddie Bravo can tell that one better than I.

Now you may very well have a different interpretation of how it all went down and what lessons were learned, but we can all see that the martial arts have evolved greatly over this relatively short period of time.

So the question is, what’s next? What is the next BIG REVELATION that you think will come to pass?

Or do you think that fighting has reached a technical peak, where only athleticism and mental fortitude will separate the winners from the losers? Perhaps it is all coming down to “luck,” judging by the major upsets we are beginning to witness.

I do not think this is the case, and believe the art of fighting still has a while to go before it reaches that point.

What’s next? [/quote]

This is a really elegant analysis of the evolution of MMA. Kudos.