MMA isnt simply wrestling and boxing. Though that is what most people who practice MMa choose, MMA simply means mixed martial arts. Whether you mix Wing Chun with Shotokan, or Muay Thai with BJJ, its still MMA.

With that said, MMA schools that adopt these "Hard Styles" Like Western Boxing will tend to have tougher students IMO because less time is taken away from the student learning forms and flowery movements, and more time is emphasized on application against resistance. and thats fighting, application against resistance. Point sparring and forms is not.

Hey BigWiggly,

IMO people tend to generalize TMA training too much. I think it came from a MMA marketing strategy to create a weak TMA stereo-type. There are many good TMA schools who train realisticly and produce effective fighters. There are even kung fu schools (although rare) that teach ground fighting skills as part of their art (not a BJJ immitation).

Most of my personal experience is training in traditional kung fu. I have also trained for a short time in a strictly MMA school. In my experience, MMA didn't add anything - it just removed some things to make it viable for competition. MMA did not emerge out of a vacuum, it's roots are in TMA.

Great vid Prizewriter. Clear and concise. I'll have to pass that along to a few people. Thanks.

Agreed, Chen. And to expand on that slightly, MMA is not simply this or that style style mixed together - it is the process of fighting in all ranges simultaneously. As such, it is a method (or style) unto itself.

Looks like resistance to me. Maybe its not what you do, but how you do it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5faGD5b6Zw

Agreed, Med - although the "point sparring" they were doing is miles away from what is normally thought of in that respect. No doubt that Elwyn Hall was a fantastic fighter, and would have probably done well in the UFC (with a bit of submission defense, of course).

you need resistance and aliveness for application, sometimes it comes in different forms whether its an mma match or point sparring.

however, in that video his skill is tested only up to a certain point. As your skills get better so does the resistance. If you can handle yourself against another karateka then next step is to maybe spar with non-karate people. Slowly taking away the rules to the point where its MMA.

Not a bad vid, but not exactly what is thought of as point sparring, though it has contact and resistance its still stop and go and one dimensional in its approach.

But that's just it, ALL sport fighting (competition with rules to enhance its entertainment and "sportive" value rather than a realistic measure of fighting ability) is limited. Boxing is one dimensional and MMA's rules severely affects one's fighting to create an unrealistic approach to fighting, while a good format is also limiting with the stand ups and limiting striking on the ground rules. Not that point fighting is the end all and be all of anything because it clearly is not. However, it is one dimensional because is was developed to develop one dimension of fighting.

True, its all got its limits. We need Kumite, to the Death, like Bloodsport.