A style that has been around for a few centuries so has turned out more champions is easier to judge than a style than has been around for 30 years or so. Boxing has turned out more duds than it has champions, as do most sports, we just remember the latter.
I did consider the time element. The older TMA styles have an advantage in this regard. Competition in the modern sense was not a relevant factor until the late 60's or 70's. Is there agreement that competition in the 70's and prior eras was more Martial? Bare knuckle, no mats, less rules, etc... So there was a much stronger element of 'realism'.
There is no argument that modern fighting systems have consolidated and streamlined components from most all styles into a very well working system. They have a steeper learning curve yet the peak is lower because certain elements have been stripped away. By virtue, they will make a pure fighter, faster. Does this make them any better at defending a street attack? Likely but not certainly. By the same virtue, hitting the gym and doing good calisthenics and aerobics could be said to do the same. As said previously, there will always be outliers that are simply good at fighting.
Older, more wholistic MA will do the same and more for most people IF the non-contact (without human targets)practice is performed correctly. The first thing that came to my mind is the good old fashioned Makiwara board.
This one of the best and easiest substitutes for actually hitting someone in the jaw. Those who have actually bare knuckled someone to the side of the head will get this. It hurts an unconditioned hand. Using a Makiwara board (or equivalent, tree, etc...) daily will condition not only the hands but the connecting members and the mind. This type of training can and should be extended to every striking member of the body. We kick a Makiwara board for example.
My main point is; it is unrealistic in today's world to think you can do Only ring training enough and/or regularly enough to get proficient. NOBODY does that. What happens in the ring is a culmination of what happens outside the ring. Mat work, pad work, and conditioning make the fighter. Because of the specific mat work and pad work. For the most part conditioning is conditioning (I know there are specifics). Change the Practice, i.e. mat work/pad work to a more general subset and the odds of covering what may be needed in a street altercation (who knows?) goes up exponentially.
RBSD is very good and very needed as a subset along with the rest of the subsets of most any MA or fighting system. It lends itself better to TMA's that work on the 'why' fight component, not just the 'fight first' component. Systems that have too narrow a focus and work on one area such as tournaments/ring fighting are simply missing the MA boat.
Lastly, the OP's specific experience will be a big factor in their perspective on the systems mentioned.
