I've been a karateka for 50 years this past June 1st. I joined karate when we didn't wear protective gear and there were plenty of kicks and fists to the head, neck, bones, ribs, face, etc. I love watching UFC because it is a controlled (has rules) combination of some of the greatest martial arts invented. I am a Kodokan Judoka but I've never studied Gracie Jujutsu. I'd love to learn that style now that I've seen how powerful a ground style it is. This is a bonus to those martial artists who believed that simply by combining wrestling and karate, they could create something amazing. Great Grandmaster Aaron Banks did this back in the '60s. I was there for that. UFC is head and shoulders above what we were thinking about in those days.
The one thing that UFC needs, however, is fighters with higher ranks in their martial arts. A 1st degree blackbelt in karate or a purple belt in Gracie is in adequately trained in their fundamental style. I would love to see some of the higher belts take UFC training and witness what comes out of that.
Lastly, I don't like the bragging and showmanship and bad manners that I see on the training show or before fights. UFC is not WWE to me. I like martial artists who bow to one another. I love guys who say honest things like, "He really has a great stand up game but I've been working a lot more in that area and I hope to out punch him." That's much better than, "I'm gonna wipe da mats wit da kid. He thinks he's somethin, but he ain't nothin' I'm gonna make him eat mat." Yeah... well said.
Just some of my thoughts this October 1st.
Issh
Master John Gagnon, Isshinryu Karate Do, International Judge and Ref OIKKA and IWKA, Roku-Dan in Isshinryu, Sho-Dan in Kodokan Judo, Sho-Dan in Musu Jikiden Eishenryu Iaido, Last white belt before red in Pai Lum Kung Fu. M.A. Hall of Fame, 2008, Action Arts Hall of Fame 2009 (January... Master of the Year).
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