I have never been a great fan of Mixed Martial Arts, or Cage Fighting as it is sometimes known. The fights tend to be scrappy and I also feel a bit uneasy about the way the whole thing is marketed. Having said that,There is no doubt that MMA has made an important contribution to martial arts/combat sports in two respects. First off, MMA is acting as an archive of Catch Wrestling submission techniques that might otherwise be lost. Fortunately there were enough old time shooters around to pass on their knowledge to the new generation of MMA fighters. The other big contribution has, in my view, been as a bullshit detector.
I think that during my years of involvement in the martial arts I must have come across more unmitigated old cobblers than in any other area of life. Mixed Martial Arts demand a pragmatic, open minded approach to training and combat that was missing for years. Once the door of the cage closes no amount of secret internal death touch nonsense will get you out in one piece.
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