Thank you each and every for your comments, it is helpful to read various opinions I am grateful and glad conversation can happen on its own.. hope I do not spoil it by interjecting.. x
@Hanzou, you said āIf we are to believe that Aikido is a martial art that can be used in a fight, why couldn't it be useful for MMA purposes? MMA bouts are nothing more than sanctioned fights after allā, yes this is a point I had wondered.. I watch the videos and see debate on other places and you can correct me here.. there seem to be an underlying implication that from my envisaged defeat in a MMA bout, that it is just another nail in Aikido coffin and Aikido in its purpose as a defensive fighting art is almost entirely invalidated, does this make sense what I am saying, and is this the appropriate conclusion??
~~~
@Tony Dismukes,
@Steve, yes thank you both also for understanding me what I am asking and for your respective inputs which have now got me questioning my self more than I started haha.. TO draw on both of your points, can I pick up on this maybe..
If you are practicing Aikido for its combative applications in self-defense, then you may or may not have any useful lessons to learn from an MMA fight. Speaking as a non-Aikidoka who likes to watch the art, I can see legitimate self-defense combative applications for the art, but I don't think they're really suited for squaring up in a challenge match against a trained opponent. If you agree with that assessment, then you might not have any useful lessons to learn from an MMA fight. On the other hand, if you think that your Aikido has applications which should be useful against common MMA attacks such as a trained jab, cross, clinch, takedown, etc, then you would have the opportunity to try those out. If they failed, you would know that either your techniques weren't appropriate for that context or else you were missing something in your ability to apply them.
Yes I concede this for me at least that I would likely fare poorly in a ring against a trained mixed discipline opponent, then again I am not ever going in that ring so that is not a concern, the concern is can a similar situation ever exist in reality? I do not mean like a statistical possibility rather an actual likelihood? I mean I used my training only rarely in the absolute last resort where I have on more than plenty occasion reasoned, smarmed, charmed or cajoled my way through a threat or not been there for the perceived threat to happen.. like these are the realities for me, any way, fighting would not do in most situations I am in and but that is besides that point.. I mean I have never had to deal with any one proficient in MMA, or any other art in the course of my duties or responsibilities..
Like you know it is not yet proven at all to me āquite opposite- that I am deficient in matters of my own defence using my own wares, common sense, available tools, the help of others, and my Aikido as a failsafe, yet that very deficiency is the clear implication is it not of such an envisaged defeat in a MMA bout?? I am speaking through limited experience.. only having sparred ever against mixed discipline fighters for kicks and laughs and not for serious.. Do you follow what I am saying? I cannot match these two things up.. have I just been lucky not to have encountered the wrong person?? Thank you all so much Jxxx
~~~Oh I always liked Bas Rutten and but the whole Rutten / Steven Seagal mouthoff I recall from days of old I wonder does this perhaps render Bas' viewpoint more partisan than proven? x
That's an example of an Aikidoka who is all about fighting, except that he'll never put himself in the position to fight anyone.
