This is what happens when cartoons fight real people.

These are the Martial Arts that I intend to learn at least the basics of:

• Tai Chi Chuan
• Aikido
• Wing Tsun
• Brazilian Jui-Jitsu
• Muay Thai

The one that I’ve always wanted to master is Tai Chi Chuan. I feel it has the best balance between exercise, meditation, and martial elements.

So what’s your favorite martial art?

I’ve noticed an interesting trend in the world of MMA:  many fighters are returning to striking as their main area of focus. This is peculiar because Royce Gracie took everyone away from striking and toward Jiu-Jitsu.

What I think we’re seeing now is that the upper-tier fighters now all know Jiu-Jitsu to at least a decent degree. At the very least they are well-versed in submission defense, and they know how to maneuver to a stalemate on the ground if they get taken there.

This brings us full circle to a world where striking matters more than ever. It used to be that the moment a grappler took a striker to the ground the fight was over. That’s no longer the case. All the striker has to do now is defend against submissions and the ground-and-pound and wait to be stood back up.

The trend is for fights to get finished by strikes now more than by submissions. Maybe striking hasn’t caught up to submissions yet, but it likely will soon if it hasn’t already.

This brings us to the question — are striking skills more talent based while grappling skills are more knowledge based? In other words, is it easier to become a world-class grappler than a world-class striker? Is it easier for an average grappler to train in a world-class grappling school and do well against a world-class grappler than it is for an average striker to train in a world-class striking school and then do well against a world-class striker?

I think this may be the case. In other words, I think grappling defense may be simply a matter of knowing what to do (and when), whereas technique alone isn’t as helpful in striking. Even if you know what to do in striking it doesn’t mean you’re able to actually pull it off (think about dodging a head kick or countering a punch).  In short, I think striking is more dependent on physical talent than grappling is.

If this is true it would explain the trend we’re seeing. Thoughts?

I’ve always been a Martial Arts enthusiast, and I used to be obsessed with Bruce Lee. I thought he was God. I’ve not thought much about him in the last 10 years or so, however, even as I have become a full-fledged Mixed Martial Arts fan.

But I realized yesterday when reading some Bruce Lee quotes that it’s an absolute travesty that he was taken from us before he could see MMA become what it is today.

Many accept that he was special in some way, but few realize just how special. I think he was the pioneer of Mixed Martial Arts itself. His own art, Jeet Kune Do, was less of a style of its own and more of a philosophy — philosophy of being eclectic with techniques from any combat system that works.

“Jeet Kune Do: it’s just a name; don’t fuss over it. There’s no such thing as a style if you understand the roots of combat. — Bruce Lee”

What’s amazing about this is that it’s the ONLY approach that works in modern MMA. Mixed Martial Arts took over a decade to figure out what he had already learned in the 1960′s. He respected the classic arts but realized their limitations early on.

I really wish he were here today to enjoy the MMA explosion. He would have embraced it like no other. And I’m quite sure he’d still be fighting despite how old he would be today. Contrary to what many fanboys think, however, he would in fact have many losses both by submission and by knockout. But he would also have the most untouchable record in the world. He would insist on fighting in the heavyweight division at times, he would fight on very short notice, and he’d probably try to convince an organization to let him fight multiple people at the same time. He always pushed the limits.

“Unfortunately, now in boxing people are only allowed to punch. In Judo, people are only allowed to throw. I do not despise these kinds of martial arts. What I mean is, we now find rigid forms which create differences among clans, and the world of martial art is shattered as a result.” — Bruce Lee

I just miss him. I wish he were here to see what’s happening. He deserved it. Half the fighters over 30 are probably in MMA in some part because of Bruce Lee. We should pay our respects to the first evangelist of truly mixed Martial Arts. R.I.P.:

VIDEO: Guy Pwns Two Guys That Hit His Girlfriend

Just watched the Tim Silvia fight on Spike and saw that there are some cool matches coming up here soon. The two that are getting all the attention are Coture vs. Liddell 3 and Matt Hughes vs. Royce Gracie.

The Hughes/Gracie fight, in my opinion, is going to be a non-event. Gracie is a God, don’t get me wrong, but so is Sugar Ray Leonard — that doesn’t mean I want to see him fighting the current champion.

The fact is, the game was much different when Royce was on top, i.e. there was no one on his level. Now, everyone is where he used to be (or close, anyway) — it’s nothing against him; it’s just the evolution of the sport.

I’m not a big follower of Coture/Liddell either. I think Liddell is going to win — probably in convincing fashion — but that’s neither going to suprise or impress me.

My favorite fighters to watch right now are people like Matt Hughes, Nick Diaz, Forrest Griffin, David Loiseau, and Rich Franklin. Those last two are actually fighting in UFC 58, and that’s something I’m going to be all over.

Of course my favorite fighter is still Jeremy Horn; he’s the man.

http://marvets.com/blog/archive/2005/12/21/279.aspx

(Don’t read this unless you have the freedom to laugh out loud)