Mixed Martial Arts: The World's Most Glaring Misnomer

Stephen Wright is a familiar comedian whose analogies pinpoint the various colloquial misnomers plaguing our society. He poses such queries as "Why do you park in a driveway and drive on a parkway?" There are many of these rhetorical ambiguities that irritate me to no end, but the one that keeps me perturbed the most is the term "mixed martial arts." This phrase has been coined within the past decade and it couldn't be more inaccurate.





I have been a martial artist for some 15 years now. I have studied a myriad of styles and have acquired black belts in two systems of traditional martial arts: Shotokan Karate-do Kyohan (in which I hold Sandan, or third degree) and Hakkoryu Jujutsu (in which I hold Shodan or first degree). Having been a student of these two antipodal fighting styles and dabbling in a plethora of other forms to a lesser degree, I adopt a very anomalous definition of the phrase "mixed martial arts" that sends the average fan/practitioner/pundit into a frenzy. To my mind, mixed martial arts can be defined as follows:





-A non-standard amalgam of styles that differ from one another to varying degrees. The result is a personalized system of martial science that is tailor-fitted to an individual's skill set, build, and mentality.





This seems to make the most sense to me. However, the colloquial entity that is today known as "MMA" is the exact opposite. Upon observation, it seems that the system has adopted a few staple techniques from a couple of styles that seem to be applicable to tournament full contact fighting. The result is an entirely new fighting style that isn't really mixed at all. Aside from its borrowed tactics, the system has virtually no link to the traditional martial arts from which it was formed. Because its practitioners employ the same techniques and tactics across the board, it has rendered its nomenclature obselete.





Many readers will wonder why this bothers me to such an intense degree. The answer is multifaceted.





First of all, it has become a widely accepted style. Hence, it should be given a less ambiguous and more noteworthy title. Karate isn't called, "Beat up the corrupt Samurai." Jiu Jitsu isn't called "Rolling Around on the Ground and Gi-choking People." Give it some credit. It is a respectable style.





Second, I have encountered many a young enthusiast who has dedicated most of their life to its practice. If I ask them, "So, are you planning to compete in UFC or K1 or something?" I am often answered with something to the effect of, "Nah, just trying to get in shape," or, "Oh, no, dude. I want to be able to defend myself."





Therein lies the problem.





MMA is designed for professional sport fighters who usually only compete a few times in a calendar year. Furthermore, the fighter knows who he is fighting and when, thus granting the opportunity to undergo a strict training regimen and a thorough study of his opponents strategy and physical tendencies. Additionally, mainstream MMA has placed a great deal of emphasis on groundfighting, an element that can be the determining factor in winning or losing a fight.



I have overheard many a conversation that sounded something like this:



Dude A: "Man I wouldn't mess with (insert name here). He does MMA."



Dude B: "Oh, hell, no. Man he'd prolly kick the shit outta half this bar."



My cousin Tommy was talking to me about joining an MMA gym. Knowing that I was a martial artist, he asked my advice. I was blunt as a spoon.



"Here's the deal. You'll get in great shape, you'll be strong, you'll be fast, and you'll have stamina. However, with your size and strength, they are going to drive into your head that the best place for you to be is on the ground. Now, that is all fine and good when you are fighting one guy in the ring. But in the street, you aren't guaranteed that. While you have Jimmy wrapped up in guard trying to wear him out, his six buddies could be marauding you with pipes, bottles, knives, guns, etc."

He replied, "But if you have the training and the discipline to know when to go to the ground, you can elect to do so when needed."

My rebuttal:

"Any system of training, if undergone properly, will transfer to real life. Hence, if you are accustomed to taking the fight to the ground, that's what your instincts will tell you to do."

I have the same problem with "sport" karate schools who train for light contact "point" fighting. If you pull your punch in the dojo, you'll pull your punch in the street. Bottom line.

I really wish that people would see through the glamour and limelight of MMA and come back to the real world.