Is Wrestling Taking The Martial Arts Out Of MMA?

They should just outlaw ground and pound since it's almost always boring.

If you're on the ground, whatever the position, go for a sub or get the **** up.

 

Ground and pound is boring, but submission fighting is ok? First time that I heard that one. Lay and pray is boring... so is two guys who stand on their feet and do jack **** as well, which happens just as often.

 

Well, "at the top level" was the unspoken assumption of my statement.

Even the most exciting GNP is still usually boring to me.

A really skilled BJJ blackbelt snaking their way around somebody's limbs or throat and forcing a tap out of nowhere is far more thrilling than anybody - I don't care how strong - sitting on top of their opponent and raining down hammerfists.

Of course low-level submission attempts aren't thrilling...neither is low-level stand-up striking. GNP is just not ever my cup of tea, not at the KOTC level nor UFC.

 

Shivello is a likable, excited commentator but his actual martial arts pedigree is scant, his MMA pedigree non - existent and therefore as an observer he fails to many cause and effect factors.

American's are on par significantly bigger than the Japanese and particularly with a martial art like wrestling being offered in schools with full support and benefits and you guarantee an extremely strong US showing in what works for them and most westerners. Contrast that with Japan whose benefits to their judo-ka and JJ practitioner's is substantially different and whose athletes are generally smaller.



The whole title of the article is wrong anyway - since when was wrestling not a martial art?:huh

 

I guarantee you he's been ringside/cageside for more MMA matches than you, I and the dozen most active posters on this subforum combined have ever watched.

 

I agree. I believed before I read this article that every combat form is a martial art. He says"boxing, wrestling are not martial arts" Why? because they arent as exotic as kung fu or karate? Because they are more popular in America?

I had the feeling (even though I love this guy) that he hasn't been in the ring before and I looked him up on wikepedia and I was right. Just a commentator. You'll never have the true respect of it if you've never experienced it for yourself. If you have worked hard in even on discipline and felt what it takes to achieve something you wouldn't say anything bad about other disciplines in the slightest IMO.

Looked up the definition of martial arts on wikepedia too. It say's wrestling and boxing are martial arts indeed. It's just basically any combat form with certain disciplines used to protect yourself.

 

That same wikipedia article says that it's only come to encompass that definition in recent years. When coined in the 1920s, it says, it was meant to refer strictly to the Asian martial arts.

Therefore, a lot of people who are sticklers for the "correct" usage of it aren't necessarily wrong per se - they just need to get with the times.

 

Sounds like blatant racism to me.

 

I don't really see how, that doesn't make any sense.

Anyway, take it up with Wikipedia.

 

Why would it only refer to asian martial arts? That doesn't make any sense to me.

 

That's just what the term originally meant. How is that racist?

Things mean what they mean.

 

Don't forget Matt Hughes, the greatest of them all. His fights were exciting, the one with Trigg probably the most exciting ever.

It's MMA so it would be unfair to discriminate against a certain style of fighting by changing the rules to eliminate it's effectiveness.

I think it's healthy for the sport as better wrestlers means those of other styles will have to step up their game and work on their own wrestling and take down defence leading to more well rounded fighters.

You don't see Anderson Silva being dominated by wrestlers or BJ Penn. They know how to deal with them being from non-wrestling backgrounds.

 

Haha I'm definitely exaggerating with that. But it just sounds condescending and naive that some think there is any difference between a fighting art because of where it came from. You know what I mean. Like people think have misconceptions that wrestling is primitive and boxing is just an excuse to punch someone in the face. To me, they are every bit of a "martial art" as kung fu, kyokushin, etc..

It's just the people who are condescending to boxing, kickboxing and wrestling who think they are too violent and barbaric or "not as cool" or "morally acceptable" and don't require the same internal development that bug me. I'd enjoy flattening them with some hooks.

 

In fairness wrestling is not taking the martial arts out of MMA anymore then a boxer running or a juijitsu guy clamping you inguard. It's also up to the opponent to deal with what he is presented. Guys who survive should be abused BUT if a boxer runs then cut off the ring, if a jujitsu guy locks you in guard then pass it, if a wrestler has you on your back then get up!

 

Western systems such as wrestling, boxing, savate, etc. are all equally valid as "combat sports". In fact, combat sports and martial arts are almost synonymous - it just so happens that when people invented the phrase "martial arts" they didn't happen to have Western combat sports in mind - they were specifically describing the Eastern disciplines. Since the line has become blurred in the last twenty or so years with the advent of Mixed Martial Arts, most people now recognize 'martial art' and 'combat sport' to be pretty much interchangeable despite the words' origins.

Anything that's effective is cool, regardless of where it was developed. :good

Back to the main topic - wrestling has proven to be an effective tool in integrated hybrid MMA, but when it's somebody's main tool, they tend not to keep us on the edge of our seats.