Um, I disagree. It is only sensible that you would apply some rules.i simply muse at spectator sports being touted as "realistic" while maintaining a set of rules and regulations that would otherwise not be in a "real" situation - thats all.
Anyway, how does your training address realistic fighting then? Do you pressure test your martial art with opponents? Weapons?
Fight sports in their current iterative states are about as real as it will get for anyone. Heck, throw a streetfighter in the ring and see what happens (Kimbo Slice, lookin at you lol )
it is clear to me that the methods employed in training an mma fighter will take a person a lot further than postures, stances, patterns and old weapons that nobody uses anymore.
tcma needs some updates. Right now it is definitely anachronistic in scope.