2. MMA vs. Street Fighting
Street fighting is a legit martial art. It is at least as legitimate as Tai Chi anyway. There are strategies and techniques unique to street fighting that you will not find in other martial arts. They will be more prone to using an opponent’s clothing against them, using weapons etc.
When placed inside a cage under MMA rules however, street fighters rarely do well, as evidenced in the video below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXKBOVtRqUY
When it comes to fighting in a one-on-one challenge match situation, MMA is hard to beat. The way MMA fighters tend to synthesize very successful striking arts (boxing, muai Thai) and very successful grappling arts (wrestling, BJJ) prepares them well for both stand up fighting and ground fighting.
It’s arguably the best system for fighting in a ring match, though that’s not the same as being the best martial art. In a fight with weapons, a kenjitsuka, escrima fighter, or HEMA practitioner is likely to beat an MMA fighter. In a self-defense situation, a krav maga fighter is likely to do better against an armed assailant or multiple opponents. For a fight on a pitched rooftop or a balance beam, etc. and a style like shaolin kung fu or ninjitsu that places lots of emphasis on balance will probably do better.
Different martial arts are good for different things and none is best for all situations. If you like sporting matches, as most martial arts students do, MMA is an excellent choice. If you’re from a different style and want to challenge a MMA fighter, don’t try going head-to-head in a ring. Find a kind of match that your style is adapted to and his is not.
Comments are closed.