The Resurgence of Traditional Martial Arts in Modern Mixed Martial Arts

[Xue Sheng]

The Resurgence of Traditional Martial Arts in Modern Mixed Martial Arts​

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) has grown exponentially over the past three decades, evolving from a niche sport into a global phenomenon. Its origins, often traced back to events like the early UFC tournaments, showcased a clash of martial arts disciplines, each vying for supremacy. While MMA has matured into its own unique combat sport, heavily influenced by Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, wrestling, and Muay Thai, traditional martial arts are experiencing a resurgence, bringing a renewed sense of strategy, artistry, and philosophy to the cage.

 

[Steve]

The Resurgence of Traditional Martial Arts in Modern Mixed Martial Arts​

Interesting article. The question kind of overlooked is the influence MMA has on the traditional art. Do traditional arts look at the MMA process and adjust? If so, in what ways?

I get these are rhetorical questions. It expecting any answers.

 

[Buka]

The Resurgence of Traditional Martial Arts in Modern Mixed Martial Arts​

That was a good article. Thanks.

 

[isshinryuronin]

I must question if there really is a "resurgence of TMA in modern MMA" or are we talking about just a few techniques from TMA being borrowed and drilled. There is much more to TMA than just technique.

 

[Haruhiko]

The Resurgence of Traditional Martial Arts in Modern Mixed Martial Arts​

"...bringing a renewed sense of strategy, artistry, and philosophy to the cage...

That's a stretch.

UFC fighters are following an arbitrary ruleset that's confined within an octagon with a fence around it. It's not that deep.

 

[Sammy Naur]

"...bringing a renewed sense of strategy, artistry, and philosophy to the cage...

That's a stretch.

UFC fighters are following an arbitrary ruleset that's confined within an octagon with a fence around it. It's not that deep.

But to be fair most UFC fighters will really destroy most TMA fighters that don't train beyond the "soft skills". And there are plenty of MMA competitors that appreciate strategy, artistry, and philosophy.

The ruleset isn't really arbitrary, I would argue TMA helped define it. If anthing MMA is less violent than TMA historically. There's a ref, laws, rules, medics, etc. and TMA people who attempt barbaric stuff will go to jail for years. You can't do that in most places anymore. Maybe in the third world where warlords rule.

Somebody showed me a Mongolian Bohk technique once that basically broke legs. But the Mongolians don't do that sort of thing to each other for the last few hundred years because they are more civilized nowadays.

I don't think much has changed in this regard though, since UFC 1. If you don't really train as a fighter, for real, all the philosophy, strategy, and artistry might as well be written on your tombstone.

 

[Haruhiko]

But to be fair most UFC fighters will really destroy most TMA fighters that don't train beyond the "soft skills". And there are plenty of MMA competitors that appreciate strategy, artistry, and philosophy.

Define "soft skills" because I hear this term a lot but people use it in different ways. Is grappling a "soft skill"?

The ruleset isn't really arbitrary, I would argue TMA helped define it. If anthing MMA is less violent than TMA historically.

It absolutely is - it prohibits a majority of techniques taught in TMA (for good reason) thereby constraining the "fight meta" to grappling, time limits and rounds, and leads to UFC competitors training for those conditions. The stamina threshold is completely different. The fact you're inside an octagon also limits the scope of strategic options in some TMA that use more open space to lead and navigate one's opponent.

If you don't really train as a fighter, for real, all the philosophy, strategy, and artistry might as well be written on your tombstone.

Thankfully I don't train in bloodsports that allow for ground-and-pound floor and wall shenanigans, but disallows techniques that would immediately incapacitate the other fighter. Again, reasonably so. There wouldn't be many fighters left.

Could the UFC or MMA learn a lot from TMA? Yes.

Could they use what they learnt? Not if it's against the rules.

Is there "a renewed sense of strategy, artistry, and philosophy" in MMA or UFC fights? Remains to be seen.