# MMA 'experts'



## Tez3 (Dec 17, 2011)

Are there any other martial arts where so many people consider themselves experts yet have never trained, competed, been an official in it or even been near an MMA gym? This sort of thing is common is many sports but with most of them at least the armchair experts and critics have had a go albeit at school or with their mates. 

It amazes and saddens me that so many can write and comment on MMA fighters, their fights and the promotions yet are actually quoting what has already been written by someone else. People are discussing Machida's karate 'knowingly', traditional martial arts are trashed, knowledgable MMA people are criticised as not knowing anything, fighters are rubbished, refs abused, all by people who haven't practised anything other than their keyboard skills. Many TMA people get it wrong but at least they are coming from actually doing something, I believe most TMA people just have the wrong info or the wrong impression through watching MMA on one promotion and reading the articles about the so called fans.

I don't know any other martial art that suffers so much from the words and actions of non participants and armchair fans and critics. Makes life hard when you want to promote it as it should be.


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## Cyriacus (Dec 17, 2011)

Tez3 said:


> Are there any other martial arts where so many people consider themselves experts yet have never trained, competed, been an official in it or even been near an MMA gym? This sort of thing is common is many sports but with most of them at least the armchair experts and critics have had a go albeit at school or with their mates.
> 
> It amazes and saddens me that so many can write and comment on MMA fighters, their fights and the promotions yet are actually quoting what has already been written by someone else. People are discussing Machida's karate 'knowingly', traditional martial arts are trashed, knowledgable MMA people are criticised as not knowing anything, fighters are rubbished, refs abused, all by people who haven't practised anything other than their keyboard skills. Many TMA people get it wrong but at least they are coming from actually doing something, I believe most TMA people just have the wrong info or the wrong impression through watching MMA on one promotion and reading the articles about the so called fans.
> 
> I don't know any other martial art that suffers so much from the words and actions of non participants and armchair fans and critics. Makes life hard when you want to promote it as it should be.



Muay Thai.
No, seriously. I like the System well enough, but their Fans can be incredibly noxious.
Much in the same way as what Youre referencing from MMA Fans.


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## Tez3 (Dec 17, 2011)

Cyriacus said:


> Muay Thai.
> No, seriously. I like the System well enough, but their Fans can be incredibly noxious.
> Much in the same way as what Youre referencing from MMA Fans.



Now we don't get that here with the MT people, I've been to MT fight nights locally and it's mostly been people who do martial arts, kickboxers and people who train MT etc who go. It doesn't hold the same interest for the armchair fan here. It's too much of a traditional martial art for the 'fans' who want to appear 'ard. I think possibly the traditional aspects before the fight and the music during doesn't appeal to anyone other than real devotees.


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## Cyriacus (Dec 17, 2011)

Tez3 said:


> Now we don't get that here with the MT people, I've been to MT fight nights locally and it's mostly been people who do martial arts, kickboxers and people who train MT etc who go. It doesn't hold the same interest for the armchair fan here. It's too much of a traditional martial art for the 'fans' who want to appear 'ard. I think possibly the traditional aspects before the fight and the music during doesn't appeal to anyone other than real devotees.


Heh - Well, perhaps look Online. Ive read some pretty Armchairy stuff


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## Tez3 (Dec 17, 2011)

Cyriacus said:


> Heh - Well, perhaps look Online. Ive read some pretty Armchairy stuff



Can't really find anything. Do they however confine their armchair criticisms and comment to their own sites or do they insist on speading out as the MMA 'fans' and experts do, I haven't seen them on Martial Talk but we have armchair MMA 'experts' on here.


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## ETinCYQX (Dec 17, 2011)

While Muay Thai is a great system and something I'd definitely train myself, I agree with what Cyracius is saying. They're the same guys who say every grappling style but BJJ is worthless, the 120lb tapout wearing guy who claims to "train UFC, bro" and wants to fit in. 

Said guy then sees other Internet warriors talking about "Muay Thai and anything else sucks" so he begins to expound on the virtues of a system he's never trained. Yes, I have met these people, there was a guy in my college last year who wore a rashguard all summer as a shirt. 

I say all of this as an avid MMA fan


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## Buka (Dec 17, 2011)

When the trash talk comes from Martial Artists - it's an ignorance of Bushido. When it comes from people who have never been in the arts - it's just a case of people being people. Many of whom kind of suck.


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## Tez3 (Dec 17, 2011)

ETinCYQX said:


> While Muay Thai is a great system and something I'd definitely train myself, I agree with what Cyracius is saying. They're the same guys who say every grappling style but BJJ is worthless, the 120lb tapout wearing guy who claims to "train UFC, bro" and wants to fit in.
> 
> Said guy then sees other Internet warriors talking about "Muay Thai and anything else sucks" so he begins to expound on the virtues of a system he's never trained. Yes, I have met these people, there was a guy in my college last year who wore a rashguard all summer as a shirt.
> 
> I say all of this as an avid MMA fan



These though aren't Muay Thai people though are they? they are the MMA wannabees, they wouldn't be talking about grappling or BJJ otherwise. Are you talking about proper Muay Thai which is what the people I'm thinking about do or is it the 'Thai boxing/kickboxing' stuff? When I talk about MT I mean this





this is one show I was at.





It's traditional Muay Thai with music etc.


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## Cyriacus (Dec 17, 2011)

Tez3 said:


> These though aren't Muay Thai people though are they? they are the MMA wannabees, they wouldn't be talking about grappling or BJJ otherwise. Are you talking about proper Muay Thai which is what the people I'm thinking about do or is it the 'Thai boxing/kickboxing' stuff? When I talk about MT I mean this
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Tis the Fans, who are the Issue.
I can find a Video on Youtube with some such Comments when Im more Awake if You like.


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## Tez3 (Dec 17, 2011)

Cyriacus said:


> Tis the Fans, who are the Issue.
> I can find a Video on Youtube with some such Comments when Im more Awake if You like.




The fans of what though? the very traditional Muay Thai or the kickboxing stuff? And YouTube quite honestly means little any idiot can post there, I'm talking about people on martial arts forums amd in magazines pontificating, I mean not the normal wannabe fans but those who profess to know about MMA when they don't do it or are involved in it.


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## Steve (Dec 17, 2011)

Tez3 said:


> Are there any other martial arts where so many people consider themselves experts yet have never trained, competed, been an official in it or even been near an MMA gym? This sort of thing is common is many sports but with most of them at least the armchair experts and critics have had a go albeit at school or with their mates.
> 
> It amazes and saddens me that so many can write and comment on MMA fighters, their fights and the promotions yet are actually quoting what has already been written by someone else. People are discussing Machida's karate 'knowingly', traditional martial arts are trashed, knowledgable MMA people are criticised as not knowing anything, fighters are rubbished, refs abused, all by people who haven't practised anything other than their keyboard skills. Many TMA people get it wrong but at least they are coming from actually doing something, I believe most TMA people just have the wrong info or the wrong impression through watching MMA on one promotion and reading the articles about the so called fans.
> 
> I don't know any other martial art that suffers so much from the words and actions of non participants and armchair fans and critics. Makes life hard when you want to promote it as it should be.


This happens because MMA is a popular sport.  It's pretty simple.   People do the same thing for football, baseball, basketball, soccer... Any sport, really.  We even have a name for it: armchair quarterback.  It's a testament to the growing popularity of the sport.  




Sent using Tapatalk.  Please ignore typos.


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## Tez3 (Dec 17, 2011)

Steve said:


> This happens because MMA is a popular sport. It's pretty simple.* People do the same thing for football, baseball, basketball, soccer.*.. Any sport, really. We even have a name for it: armchair quarterback. It's a testament to the growing popularity of the sport.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




 I said that but also that most people have at least played these sports at school or in the park with their mates, these are people who have never even tried martial arts.


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## Cyriacus (Dec 17, 2011)

Tez3 said:


> The fans of what though? the very traditional Muay Thai or the kickboxing stuff? And YouTube quite honestly means little any idiot can post there, I'm talking about people on martial arts forums amd in magazines pontificating, I mean not the normal wannabe fans but those who profess to know about MMA when they don't do it or are involved in it.


Muay Thai in general.

Thinking Muay Thai is the most and only effective System.
Thinking if Muay Thai loses under any circumstances its because it wasnt "!!THE TRUE!!" Muay Thai.
Thinking that Muay Thai makes You Indestructible.
Thinking that if anyone dares disagree with them, that its because Theyre stupid.

And so forth.


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## ETinCYQX (Dec 18, 2011)

Tez3 said:


> The fans of what though? the very traditional Muay Thai or the kickboxing stuff? And YouTube quite honestly means little any idiot can post there, I'm talking about people on martial arts forums amd in magazines pontificating, I mean not the normal wannabe fans but those who profess to know about MMA when they don't do it or are involved in it.



Wannabe MMA armchair experts is who I'm thinking of actually, the guys who have only ever hear of Muay Thai through Jon Jones or Anderson Silva.


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## Tez3 (Dec 18, 2011)

ETinCYQX said:


> Wannabe MMA armchair experts is who I'm thinking of actually, the guys who have only ever hear of Muay Thai through Jon Jones or Anderson Silva.



That's the ones I was thinking it would be rather than the traditional Muay Thai people, it's too much of a traditional art to interest the armchair type of fan. I can't see them getting enthused about watching traditional MT fights tbh.


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## Thesemindz (Dec 18, 2011)

I don't know if any other _martial art _gets it so bad, but I know lots of other _sports_ that get that kind of treatment. I know lots of guys, including myself, who have a lot to say about football, and the players, and the refs, and the rules, and the plays, and what it takes to be good and what it takes to be bad, who've never actually played football on any organized level. And just so there's no confusion I'll specify that I mean real football here. The American kind.

I think it's common for sports fans who spend a lot of time fixating on a game they like to think they have an informed opinion, regardless of how much actual personal experience they have. I never played football in school or professionally, but I spend an inordinate amount of time watching games, and listening to commentary, and watching highlights, and reading articles, and studying the training and the history and the practice. Because I really like football. As a spectator sport. I think a lot of people enjoy MMA the same way.

Now, clearly anyone who has actually trained in it or competed in it will have a completely different, and more informed, perspective on it. Just like real footballers will have a deeper understanding of the game than I ever will, no matter how much I watch and read. But that doesn't mean I don't know what I'm talking about, it just means they know more. And of course, there are other people who know less.

I'm sure it's annoying as hell to have people comment ignorantly on what you are in to. I know it is, because I get it from people all the time when it comes up that I know karate. Someone who's never stepped in a dojo in their life suddenly wants to be a part of the conversation. I just nod my head and smile, and sometimes drop a little wisdom on them. But unless they're really interested, I just let them make their comment and move on.


-Rob


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## punisher73 (Dec 19, 2011)

Tez3 said:


> I said that but also that most people have at least played these sports at school or in the park with their mates, these are people who have never even tried martial arts.



Doesn't matter what sport it is or if they've ever played or not.  Look at boxing, it has the same thing going on with it and most have never boxed or stepped foot in a ring.  You are closer to the MMA world so you see it more and it pushes your buttons more.


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## ETinCYQX (Dec 19, 2011)

Tez3 said:


> These though aren't Muay Thai people though are they? they are the MMA wannabees, they wouldn't be talking about grappling or BJJ otherwise. Are you talking about proper Muay Thai which is what the people I'm thinking about do or is it the 'Thai boxing/kickboxing' stuff? When I talk about MT I mean this
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Yeah armchair MMA fans which is what I suspect Cyracius was referring to.


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## Cyriacus (Dec 20, 2011)

ETinCYQX said:


> Yeah armchair MMA fans which is what I suspect Cyracius was referring to.


I was still referring to People who praise MT like its some kind of Superhuman Ability.
Im sure plenty of them are MMA Fans as well, since mostly when I see these comments, its on a Video in which its MT up against anything else. If MT wins, its "MUAY THAI POWER UNSTOPPABLE OTHER SYSTEM ********". If MT loses, its "THATS NOT THE REAL MUAY THAI".

I incidentally forgot about this Thread for a bit.

In response to the other angle, of which System of MT it is, I honestly dont think half these Fans actually know the difference.

And these Videos are mostly out of Kickboxing-Esque Competitions. Not MMA. Hence My Hesistance to even Imply I was talking about MMA Fans.


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## Steve (Dec 20, 2011)

Cyriacus said:


> I was still referring to People who praise MT like its some kind of Superhuman Ability.
> Im sure plenty of them are MMA Fans as well, since mostly when I see these comments, its on a Video in which its MT up against anything else. If MT wins, its "MUAY THAI POWER UNSTOPPABLE OTHER SYSTEM ********". If MT loses, its "THATS NOT THE REAL MUAY THAI".
> 
> I incidentally forgot about this Thread for a bit.
> ...


But this has less to do with Martial Arts and more to do with the nature of fans and spectators sports.

A baseball fan will argue that it's "better" than cricket.  American rules football is "better" than rugby.  Or vice versa.  It really just depends upon what sport the fan enjoys watching.  Baseball in America has the same thing.  The more you understand the strategies and subtleties of the sport, the more enjoyable it is to watch.  So, you'll have guys who are passionate about the sport, who watch every pitch and who can talk like they're the general manager of the team, but who may or may not have ever played the game.  Fantasy leagues have only exacerbated the situation.  

This isn't a mystery, folks.  It's human nature.  The people who watch the sports are the ONLY reason people are payed to play the sports.  MMA is most certainly included in this.


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## Cyriacus (Dec 20, 2011)

Steve said:


> But this has less to do with Martial Arts and more to do with the nature of fans and spectators sports.
> 
> A baseball fan will argue that it's "better" than cricket.  American rules football is "better" than rugby.  Or vice versa.  It really just depends upon what sport the fan enjoys watching.  Baseball in America has the same thing.  The more you understand the strategies and subtleties of the sport, the more enjoyable it is to watch.  So, you'll have guys who are passionate about the sport, who watch every pitch and who can talk like they're the general manager of the team, but who may or may not have ever played the game.  Fantasy leagues have only exacerbated the situation.
> 
> This isn't a mystery, folks.  It's human nature.  The people who watch the sports are the ONLY reason people are payed to play the sports.  MMA is most certainly included in this.


Isnt this Thread about Fans?


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