| Unless you've been hiding under a rock for the past | | | | competitions such as the UFC, not everyone is |
| few years or so, you would have noticed that thanks | | | | convinced that mixed martial arts is useful in the street |
| to competitions such as UFC the steady emergence | | | | because of the rules that mixed martial arts |
| of Mixed Martial Arts. | | | | organizations have to prevent fatal or serious injuries |
| Now before you go on and rave about how amazing | | | | happening to their fighters. |
| and fantastic this idea actually is, the truth is that hybrid | | | | Can Mixed Martial Arts work in the streets? |
| martial arts have been around for centuries already! | | | | There's two ways you can look at it: |
| In early civilizations, the Greeks had pankration as part | | | | No - Some argue that MMA competitions are mainly |
| of the Olympic games. These were hard, rough and | | | | sporting events and there are loads of rules that limit a |
| brutal no holds barred contests which involved | | | | fighter's true potential; for example, no strikes to the |
| elements or striking, grappling and takedowns. Over | | | | back of the head, no eye gouging, no biting, no groin |
| time, this brutal sport disappeared, however, elements | | | | strikes, no throat strikes. So fighters used to such rules |
| of it can be seen in modern day mixed martial arts. | | | | might not resort to dangerous but effective self |
| In the past 100 years or so, mixed martial arts | | | | defence techniques such as the above on the street in |
| underwent a revival of sorts. Boxers would compete | | | | a flash. But in a life and death situation on the streets, |
| with wrestlers and vice versa in fairs and special | | | | all these moves could come in handy for you to |
| events. Sometimes, western wrestlers were pitted | | | | escape your attacker. After all, he isn't interested in |
| against Japanese judoka. | | | | submitting you, but injuring, raping or causing grevious |
| One Englishman named Edward William Barton-Wright | | | | bodily harm. |
| even went so far as to invent a hybrid mixed martial | | | | Yes - Mixed Martial Artists supposedly (or rather, they |
| art system called Bartitsu which encompassed Boxing, | | | | need to) have heaps of stamina and thanks to training |
| Jujitsu, judo and french cane techniques. During the | | | | in different disciplines such as Muay Thai, Brazilian |
| 1960s and 1970s, a young Chinese man by the name | | | | jujitsu, boxing and wrestling can subdue would be |
| of Bruce lee created his own form of martial art by | | | | attackers in certain situations. |
| blending various eastern and western arts to form | | | | If possible, to avoid being outnumbered by a group of |
| what we know today as Jeet Kune Do. | | | | aggressive individuals a fit individual could also flee on |
| Many people still wondered what it would be like if a | | | | foot. It may not sound like the most heroic option but |
| boxer faced off against a wrestler, a karate man took | | | | would you rather be alive or left bleeding on the |
| on a judoka, a muay thai fighter battled with a Brazilian | | | | streets from a mortal knife wound? Ultimately, whether |
| jujitsu practitioner. It was this idea that gave birth to | | | | or not mixed martial arts manifests itself as a combat |
| major mixed martial arts competition such as The | | | | sport or an effective self defense system depends on |
| Ulitmate Fighting Championship (UFC). | | | | the person utilizing his skills. |
| But despite organized modern day gladiator-style | | | | |