Can't punch can't fight

Of course he's right. It's common sense to me, though it might not be for people who see MAs as something other than 'arts of war'.

Let's assume he's talking about a fight with another martial artist or an attacker, not keylocking a random passer-by on the street, which is *obviously* a different matter.

Let's also assume he *didn't* mean "if you can't punch you can't do any damage to anything in any situation", to do so would be pedantic and pointless.

 

Maybe you like to pretend you're a "gangsta", but the rest of us aren't going to carry around a gun and shoot everyone who tries to start something. Fights happen all the time, but how often do they end with one person getting shot? I haven't seen any statistics on that, but I doubt it's as common as you think.

Think about this. Only a very small percentage of people worldwide train in martial arts, combat sports, self defense, etc. A larger percentage than that get in fights. In fights between two untrained people, one of them is going to win. You don't need training. Even in a fight against a trained martial artist, an untrained person can still win. Who would you be more concerned about on the street, someone who grew up in a rough area and had to fight all the time or some guy who does point sparring and thinks he's the best thing since Jackie Chan?

Yeah, training to defend against weapons can be useful. However, it's not necessary. The majority of people never get in a serious fight, let alone get stabbed or shot.

For someone who seems interested in MMA you don't seem to understand it much. Sure controlling the distance can work in a kickboxing/sparring setting, but not in MMA or in any setting where clinching, grabbing, or takedowns are allowed.

lol

 

that comment was reffering to the "street". not MMA, i wouldn't do any kicking at all in an MMA match, not when they are so proficent at closing the range and my strong point is grappling anyway.

 

that is true, but a 'point' sparrer has no business getting into a street confrontation. so yeah, i'd be worried about the rough background guy.

but substitue that point sparrer, for an MMAer, Vale Tudo or Jujitsu guy and the plot thickens.

 

absolutely right, but is that a chance u are willing to take?

 

Interesting. I would kick in MMA, but not in the street.

Substitute that mixed martial artist for someone who trains in everything but how to punch and how to defend against punches (and because of lack of exposure to punches, isn't used to taking a hit from them either), add a possible sucker punch to the equation, and then see what happens. On the street would you rather be an Olympic TKD champion or someone with decent hands?

Regardless of whether or not you have trained in weapon defenses, they can still kill you. Pro boxers still get hit with punches, so what makes you think knowing a few knife disarms will guarantee your safety in a street fight? I've done enough unarmed vs knife sparring to reinforce my view that I wouldn't want to be there and if I was I would be screwed.

Besides, someone who wants to kill you with a knife or gun isn't going to challenge you to a duel and make sure you're ready. He'll probably just walk up and stab you before you know he even has a knife.

 

Sorry, but this kind of post really annoys me.

That's gonna happen a lot I'd rather learn to punch than to break your neck with a can opener (it's a more reliable method anyway).

But he could punch you as you were moving into the throwing range which, lets face it, is rather close.

Wait - Thai boxers learn to punch, too

I've seen just as many that have ended with punches

Think you'll find he does.

Mo Teague is not saying punches are all that is needed in a fight. He raises some excellent points in his "MAI" interview, too. Don't forget, he has worked as a doorman, and seen far more fights than we all have (most probably). Most pub/street fights start with punching and end with it.

Mo Teague is a BJJ Black belt. He says himself that fights "only go to the ground for as long as it takes for one of the fighters to get up. Don't look at Pride/MMA to judge what happens in real fights. There are rules, a referee and, most importantly, many trained grapplers. If two people can't punch, then they will ground fight. If 2 people can't grapple, they will punch. Cue: Tito Ortiz V Chuck Liddell.

 

Okay. I didn't read the article. So I don't know how much this is worth. But does it seem likely to anyone that you're misreading his comments? Are you sure he's talking about punching vs. doing anything else?

Reading that comment completely out of context, the first thing I thought was this: He's commenting on the value of application. In martial arts, we have lots of pomp, piles of circumstance, and enough ritual to... do something that would require a crapload of ritual.

But ultimately what it comes down to is the ability to land punches. Or kicks. Or get takedowns. Or whatever your application of choice is. I think he's saying that the truth is in the execution. Not the theory.

"If you can't punch, you can't fight."


Stuart

 

Are you sure? I've been slapped with the white glove once or twice....

:woo:

 

Basically the guy's saying that punching is the most valuable asset to the street fighter. Not KATA, forms, or grappling. In (very) basic terms.

 

In the same interview with Combat mo also recognizes that everyone has different Ideas and methods, this is what he said.

I have taught reality to a lot of people including the military and police forces,but it's only based on my experience,I teach what I know but someone else may look at it and say that it is wrong,they don't do it that way or whatever.What I try and do when I teach is give a wider outlook,I dont really think that when people talk about reality it's just about one thing.
Mo Teague

 

are you all talking about only punching with your fists?
what about open hand strikes? elbows to the face?forearms?

 

ok thats a very broad statement
1. kicks? hello? remeber them? the one shot=crippeld persons?
2. there is more to fighitng that exchanging punches like the magic of running

 

No offence ninjas-r-us, but that really doesn't add anything to the discussion any more than talking about using .44s does. We are talking about using unarmed combat methods in a situation where we DO have to fight, we already know that guns will kill any of us anyway and that it's better to avoid fights.

 

I don't know what it's like where you live, but that isn't the norm around here or in anywhere in the US that I know of. People fight around here all the time, but there are hardly ever any deaths around here from them.

I tried that link you posted, but another site pops up instead of the one you linked to.

When is the last time you heard of anyone being crippled by a kick?

And btw this thread is about fighting, not being in a situation that could potentially escalate into a fight. He didn't say "can't punch, can't run" anyways.

 

Guys and girls I was at a seminar when this was said and it rang very true for a massive percentage of the people there.

Who were strikers, I think this half way to explaining the point more clearly. Mo is big on aplication as am I. Many Dan grade strikers could not punch even to a basic standard of what I would expect a student of mine to be able to do after 6 weeks.

There was little commitment, fluidity, power and most importantly technique/application to what they were doing.

We were asked to hit focus mitts for about a minute so not long as hard as we can and with as much intention as we can. Most people were shattered and un-cordinated.

Then he calmly said something like 80% of the people in here can not punch and will be in trouble in a real fight.

I have to say it was very true for that class.

 

what kind of people were at this seminar?

i agree though. give me a month or two and i can teach someone to punch with power and technique, maybe not like a pro but well enough so they dont fold like a girl. it isnt hard.

 

Some were harder to guage than others as not everyone was in full gi etc. Some were though

Trad Jujitsu
TKD
Karate
Kung Fu
Judo (Fair enough)
Aikido (Fair enough)

Most for the main part were TKD and Kung Fu/Karate people or a large number of my group were. This was the observation that was made by me.

Some people were very keen to get down and dirty as such (ME!) and others were happy to let lose on the pads and also in the senario work.