Originally Posted by
Minghequan
Labelling MMA as a Martial Art is to me at leasta step too far. MMA has as much to do with martial arts as Tap Dancing does, and as long it continues to be propelled by commercialism it will never meet the standards required for it to be so.
I do, of course, realise that many of you reading this are perhaps involved in MMA in some way, and will take great issue with what is being said here. It's not the enjoyment and practicality factor of the training thats the issue here. It is not my purpose to create controversy for the sake of it, but there are very real principles at stake and these things must be said.
Encompassing many different fighting systems that date back hundreds (and in some cases thousands) of years, the Martial Arts have been an endless source of physical, mental and spiritual growth for a great many people from all walks of life.
So far removed from being some form of systemised, ego-driven, violent ability the Martial Arts can be one of the most peaceful and life-affirming activities a person can learn, apply and embody within. With devout and sincere practise, the Martial Arts can bring out the very best traits in us as humans: humility, inner strength, integrity the ability to look within. They should teach us respect for our fellow man. They represent a happiness within that allows us to connect on a much deeper level with the world around us.
Of course, people are free to do as they please with their lives and I'm not trying to tell anyone what they should and should not do. No this is something that must be experienced by each individual.
The point I'm trying to make is that if people were made aware of the essence of Martial Arts and the many deeper benefits that come along with same, then perhaps they would not be so blinded by the false glamour and dubious values that UFC and MMA are based upon.
It is a highly commercialised exhnibition of fighting and the pure aggreession of the human race that has taken advantage of people's ignorance and weak egos in the name of entertainment, ego-embroidery and financial power.
Many schools have lost people going to MMA clubs after watching cage fights on TV. I say that they were never real students in the first place but then that's only my opinion.
To my mind, the whole UFC trend reflects a lot of what is wrong with today's society - the hunger for fame and money, 15 seconds of fame, a name up in lights achieved over belting another individual for the bloodlust of a electrified crowd. It truly saddens me to see so many people be sucked in by it.
I see UFC / MMA as another trend that will eventually be replaced by the "next big thing", replaced by something on an even more base level. The call for blood in a rapidly degenerating society will deem more and more violence to satisfy the animal in us all. As we make so many advancements in our world we continue to take steps away from what we can truly be.
Traditional martial arts on the other hand, have existed for thousands of years and will continue to endure as long as people themselves do. Can we really say the same about MMA/UFC?