I've said something similar, only I said MMA in general is the proving ground. In any case, the idea is the same. A practitioner in an art outside of those most commonly practiced in MMA can deny this until the cows come home, but seeing is believing; and to show is to prove. And that's exactly what MMA does. That's why we call it the "proving ground."
I'm under the impression that many of us want to believe that we're Mr Miyagi or Jackie Chan, and can take down the big mean looking guys with the tattoos and the mohawks.
Don't think I am gleeful to say all that, actually I am very bitter because I put in a lot of effort learning Tae Kwon Do and Injured my back from all the high kicks and had to quit. If I knew MMA was coming, I would have saved my back and put effort into MMA and BJJ. I say this with a lot of bitterness. But this is the fact. Don't agree, prove inside the octagon.
I don't associate with Kung Fu community in US at all, but I lived in Hong Kong for 20 years and seen enough of their loud mouth trash talking it really turned me off. They talk as if they were the best and trash talked other style. Then they go into talking fight "on paper".........If you come at me with this, then I do this to counter..........Hell, you don't talk fight on paper, you fight!!!
I was there when Bruce Lee died. They hated Bruce Lee but Lee whooped their butt. We heard of private fights between Lee and other masters. I heard it's common some rich people actually had private party hosting fights and never goes on record whether you believe it or not. They hated Bruce Lee at the time. Then right after Lee died, a lot of people came out and claimed they can beat Bruce Lee. It's so common people trash talk each other.
I remember there were competitions broadcasted on tv between different style in the whole Asia. People represented different style went into the stage with all the body armor fighting each other. I was young at the time before I learn anything. I was watching.........How come they all looked the same when they fight, just fighting like mad dogs whaling at each other!!! There's no difference between monkey style, Prey Mentas, Hung Ga, white brow, or any other fancy styles. All looked like mad dog whaling at each other!!!
I did not see this, but my friend told me he saw Muy Thai really whooped every other styles' butt.
To me, the problem of tradition MA is they are stubborn, they refuse to change. Those styles were invented hundreds of years ago learning from animals. They glorify how to do it EXACTLY how it was done from the beginning, they refuse to change, instead keep arguing how "right" they are. MMA is about change, improving. They look at Kung Fu, they incorporated the
step kick to the knee from Wing Chun. You can see they use it a lot lately. MMA community is NOT stubborn, you just have to show it's effective and they'll learn and use it right away.
Last but NOT the least, there's so so much BULL **** in Kung Fu. I personally suffered from the scam and hype. When UFC first came on the scene, I was too old and my back won't allow me to learn anymore. I was watching how the grappler lower the body and charge the opponent. Their back are exposed right in front of you. You can use Iron Palm to wack on his back. I spent 3 years practicing Iron Palm diligently, I did NOT hit any harder, I got nothing out from it other than carpal tunnel on both of my hands. I had to have surgery on my left hand and I still carrying it on my right hand. Kung Fu glorify repetitive motion, that you practice hitting 100 times every day over and over and you get better. That is such a SCAM. Scam about promising miracle of iron palm. 3 long years of practicing, absolutely no improvement, no increase in hitting power, all a scam. You see on youtube iron head and iron body stuffs? Good luck.
I am glad Xu Zaiodung makes it a mission to uncover all the BS.
