Grappling

As a result of these rules, two specific sports martial arts styles became the ones favored by competitors: Muay Thai, used for its stand-up punching and kicking, and Brazilian Juijitsu, used for its grappling techniques. Thus, these two arts are the primary arts that make up the mixed martial arts. Since both arts had already been optimized for ring competition before NHB style fighting became popular, it made it even easier to adapt their techniques to NHB type ring or cage fighting. By tailoring the rules and techniques used in MMA to these two arts, the practitioners of other arts were practically shutout of the competitions.

Due to the popularity, of the NHB matches, martial arts schools began tailoring their programs to fit the MMA type fighting so they could make more money, just as they had during the kung fu craze of the 1970’s and 1980’s. Now, in the 2000’s, the public believes that MMA fighting is the best type of fighting for self-defense.

While grappling may be effective under some circumstances, it is not appropriate under other circumstances. Most real fights seldom go to the ground; they usually end before ground fighting would ever occur

MMA proponents say that most fights eventually will go to ground. While this is true in UFC style matches, since the rules and the ring environment are conducive to ground fighting, it is not true in most situations where ordinary people may need to defend themselves. The “ground” in MMA fights is a clean, smooth, padded, and cushioned ring that has no obstacles in it, other than the referee. The real world “ground” has curbs, pavement, rocks, broken glass and bottles, cans, posts, walls, stairs, railings, furniture, etc. In addition, on the streets, most attacks will be by multiple attackers and there will be no referees.