Another Adventure In Mediocrity

Well our last trip to a nearby arena for a night of MMA cage fights was very disappointing.  There were mostly tournament karate fighters, turned cross trainers, turned cage fighter.  How do I know?  I know their teachers and some of them.  But as on any fight card their were some excellent moments – but the inexperience and lack of training by good MMA teachers showed itself several times during the card.

There were almost all featherweights and lightweights on the card – which I found disheartening from the long wars these lighter guys usually put on with no decisive winner or loser.  I did get to see some spinning kicks and even a couple of spinning back fist strikes attempted as well.  Very reminiscent of “Pro Kick Boxing”.  We’re not talking about today super star “Pros” but the old school PKA variety.

Decision after decision after decision…until I thought I’d scream at someone big and sucker punch them – just to get a  REAL fight going – the kind that takes skill, years of dedicated training and good old American True Grit – and we are chock full of that!  We saw an arm-bar tap-out after a fighter had enough (they roll away and pretend to be pushing the opponent away) and essentially give away their back, while offering an easy arm-bar and an opportunity to escape further damage by doing a quick tap-out as the winning fighter begins to swing across and lay back to exert pressure on the free arm.  It’s an old trick known to any old timer and quickly learned by young fighters, as a method of getting out of a very dangerous position while still keeping one’s dignity intact.  Well, for their friends I guess as we wizened old thugs just 1/2 smile / 1/2 looking bored, as we wag our heads in unison – knowing full well that the losing fighter “gave up”.

I can only hope that as MMA fighting format continues to flourish, that our young fighters will become more skilled and develop a lot more heart.  But, as in any live fight event, their were brief moments of great techniques.  As we like to say “no one that gets in the ring is a loser” – no one!

Our Guys Are Being Set Up 

I have watched the Fight Quest teaser and now a couple of hours of the show.  All I can say is that I’m happy that our combatants are “honored” to receive their training and to compete against the best fighters in each venue.  I guess in some cultures the honor is in the “win” at any cost – so hungry for attention and to “strut their  stuff”.

I was distinctly taken aback at the training given to the fighters in the Mas Oyama karate school.  Our guys fought nothing but their best black belts in training and competition, adhered to some strange rules more likened to Tae Kwon Do than Karate (no punches to the head area and non-stop body kicking).  It was ridiculous and so “not” like real fighting.  Of course they would be very tough at front kicks and chest punches – that’s almost their complete repertoire.  The trainees would never be screamed at and physically knocked around in the USA if here under similar circumstances.  And, just to put things in perspective – American fighters are probably the best in the world (properly trained).

The Kali was a joke as well.  One guy was promptly handed two oversized bastons which his wonderful teacher was kind enough to lop off for him.  Then he practiced a few sets of arrow cuts and he was ready to spar.  Needlessly they were thrown in against the toughest guys in the class to take a terrible beating again.  Teacher says: “I will be satisfied if they show the true warrior spirit”….right, they’ll need a lot of that since you certainly haven’t taught them as much as we cover in 1/2 of any Eskrima classes that I’ve attended.

After having been so thoroughly trashed by the local schoolmates, they head to the big event and it’s made very clear that they will be fighting the best and that none of them will allow any foreigner to best them at their native martial art.  You guessed it – bing -bang - boom!  But, when it came to the hand fight segment, our guy’s boxing carried things off in a new direction.  Using some smooth boxing they were able to rock a few fighters and inject some much needed life into their fighting spirit.  They definitely won the hand fights IMO.   We’ll check it out again next week and see if the next batch of “hosts” are a little more fair in matchups and if they offer much needed training.      

Let’s Get Ready To Rumble

The cage has been assembled and the fighters signed for tonight’s festivities.  Ahh yes, we’re hoping for some fireworks and with a bit of luck, we’ll get to see some real talent amongst the local entries, who won’t sleep as soundly as I will tonight..

MMA fights can be extremely short, violent and unexpectedly enjoyable.  It’s similar to boxing, in that styles make fights, but unlike boxing which usually unfolds predictably, the momentum of an MMA fight can swing from one fighter to another in a single punch or takedown.  MMA fights, whether in a private club or in front of a large paid audience, never fail to deliver the action expected when you hand over your ticket fee.

I know one of the two men sponsoring the event and the low-down is: several good kick boxers and some rather large grapplers will pit their skills against each other.  Knowing a couple of the martial arts camps involved, these young men are very good at stand up fighting, while others are superb grapplers.  I don’t know any fighters on the card who have actually made the leap to marrying their stand-up skills with excellent ground fighting.  That’s what intrigues me.  It may be slow or the card may fly to the end quickly.  You never know when that opening for a big punch will come or a loose arm will be snatched and bent into a very painful and unnatural position.

With a little luck we may be treated to some fighters with excellent skills in several disciplines.  Oops, there I go again.   I’ll get back to you this weekend with impressions on the event.  They are rarely boring and that’s why we lay out our cash for ringside seats, which are quite different from viewing a fight on the TV in your living room.  The atmosphere becomes electric with excitement.  My biggest worry about these events is usually – losing my hearing!