Tournament Fighting – The Good and Bad

Let me first say that this isn’t a posting for, or against Tournament Fighting. This is just me putting out the good and the bad point of doing such a thing. It is up to you the martial artist to decide if this is for you or not. I have been in Enforcement Security, Fugitive Retrieval, Corrections, and Police work for about 23 years. I’ve had my noise broken, eyes blacked, lip busted, eyebrows laid open, and so on.

I have worked in the worst areas of Cleveland, Ohio. I have worked in bars/night clubs, strip bars, apartment projects, and low income area as store detective. I’ve arrested many dangerous criminal in high crime areas. I had to fight throughout my career, and I can tell you this, fighting for real, is very different than fighting in a ring.

During the 1980’s and 90’s I was hardcore tournament competitor winning trophies. The reasons I found that tournament fighting was very different than in a real fight is in most of these tournaments no one is trying to harm you, or are they bent on your destruction. Most of these tournaments are light to no contact which doesn’t prepare the student to be hit if they really had to use their martial arts skills in real life.

I have known many tournament champions that were national ranked, but would get their butts kicked once they actually had use their fighting skills. One I actually had to save when I was just hanging out in a night club on my personal time. So does this mean tournaments are useless? No, tournaments have a lot to teach a martial artist, you just have to know what the lesson is.

The first lesson is good sportsmanship which is important for anyone to learn no matter their age. This gets you use to facing your fears about face another person in combat. Even thought this might be light contact, injuries still happen from your opponent accidentally striking you too hard. Tournament fighting teaches you to control your emotions and your fight, or flight response. However, the fighters will just lift their legs and tap their opponent because you just need to touch them, and power isn’t a requirement. Tournament fighters will stand on guard with their lead hand extended straight out in front of them. So they can just slightly extended their arm a little and quickly back fist their opponent. Remember, you just have to touch your opponent and power isn’t required.

Then you have the MMA and BJJ groups that said their sport is just like street fighting. I’ll give them that it’s closer to Real Street Fighting than tournaments. However, Boxing and Kickboxing is just as close to a real street fight as MMA and BJJ. They both are in very good shape, and the hits are real. No punches are pulled, knockout happen, and people give up, or Tap Out. I’m sorry to my MMA and BJJ brothers and sisters; it’s still not the same. No matter how close you get, you can’t get dead on without people dying in the ring.

MMA and BJJ fighting will help you get over your fear of being hit. As I tell my students, if you don’t have the heart for battle, there is nothing I can teach you to help you win. Getting hit is just want happens in a fight, and if you can’t fight through that, then you’ll lose if the other person can. Everyone has a plan, and a fighting method until they get hit. Then all their training and their martial arts is out the window. MMA and BJJ tournaments prepare their students for this which is closer to a real life fight. However, they also have some misconception in their system as well.

For one thing, 75% of all fights DO NOT go to the ground. This is something the Gracie family came up with to promote their family art. Only time my fights went to the ground is when I wanted them to. Only two times have I been on the ground without taking someone there. Another misconception is that ground grappling is the end all and be all of combat. There have been many MMA and BJJ guy took their opponents to the ground in a real fight, and their opponent’s friends came along and stomped the hell out of them. Finally, here’s a lesson in law, if you are choking me in a real street fight. I can only assume you’re going to kill me. By law, I can pull my blade and kill you first. A good Malay Fighter as two or more blades on them, and they will get to a blade, and then turn you into a pin cushion.

So what’s the answer? Easy, find an art that fits you and get good at it. Fighting in whatever tournament you want to fight in, light/no contact, or full contact. Stop pounding on your chest saying your system is the BEST, and you’re the BADEST ASS in the world. Remember, no matter how big and bad you are. Someone will change the fight for the worst that you aren’t prepared for. As I say to people, as long as your bones break, flesh cuts, and you’re not bullet proof, I’m not afraid of you. Even though I obey the law, I still obey the law of self preservation. I would rather be tried by 12, than carried by 6.

God Bless