MMA is really just rediscovering traditional MA in many ways

heavenly kaghan

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All this innovation in MMA seems to be moving to the route of TMA again, but because of the rules there are still differences in technique, but the emphasis seem to be more and more similar. In TMA, ground fighting is very limited, and grappling is more emphasized on powerful throws to end the fight. Submissions are limited and less pronounced than strikes to the downed opponent such as stomps and punches. In the 1920s Leitai fights in China, repeated head strikes to a downed opponent is the cause for most deaths.
In MMA today, submission victories are declining statistically dropping from around 26 percent to 18 percent. In TMA ground fighting is less emphasized probably because its really hard to takedown an opponent as their grappling defense is usually phenomenal. We are talking about fighters from the early 20th century that usually trains several discipline(not those from the 50s to the 80s). Japanese fighters usually cross trains in Judo and Karate for example. These early fighters were usually accustomed to all types of fighting, from clinching, grappling, to striking, but ground fighting tend to be less emphasized in all of the TMAs because its hard to get a person there and when they do, the fight is usually over from strikes from the top. Kicks also tend to be thrown less in TMA than punches (I don't mean TKD, that's not traditional actually, but more along the lines of Kungfu and Karate) because of the risks that it would be caught or expose the groin. This appear to be the case in MMA over MT.


I don't believe modern MMA progressed that much over MA in the early 20th century, it might have evolved according to modern MMA rules, but I believe fighters from the early 20th century are more skilled and more realistic in their application of their arts.
 
All this innovation in MMA seems to be moving to the route of TMA again, but because of the rules there are still differences in technique, but the emphasis seem to be more and more similar. In TMA, ground fighting is very limited, and grappling is more emphasized on powerful throws to end the fight. Submissions are limited and less pronounced than strikes to the downed opponent such as stomps and punches. In the 1920s Leitai fights in China, repeated head strikes to a downed opponent is the cause for most deaths.
In MMA today, submission victories are declining statistically dropping from around 26 percent to 18 percent. In TMA ground fighting is less emphasized probably because its really hard to takedown an opponent as their grappling defense is usually phenomenal. We are talking about fighters from the early 20th century that usually trains several discipline(not those from the 50s to the 80s). Japanese fighters usually cross trains in Judo and Karate for example. These early fighters were usually accustomed to all types of fighting, from clinching, grappling, to striking, but ground fighting tend to be less emphasized in all of the TMAs because its hard to get a person there and when they do, the fight is usually over from strikes from the top. Kicks also tend to be thrown less in TMA than punches (I don't mean TKD, that's not traditional actually, but more along the lines of Kungfu and Karate) because of the risks that it would be caught or expose the groin. This appear to be the case in MMA over MT.


I don't believe modern MMA progressed that much over MA in the early 20th century, it might have evolved according to modern MMA rules, but I believe fighters from the early 20th century are more skilled and more realistic in their application of their arts.

very interesting analysis. kinda had similar thoughts myself. i don't agree with the old school fighters necessarily being better though.
 
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