Fans of both MMA and Boxing always have an amazing selection of fights to watch. Great fighters like Canelo Alvarez, Anthony Joshua, Dustin Poirier, Jon Jones and others, mesmerize the crowds with precision, stamina and power. They all put on tremendous performances as they entertained millions of fans around the globe! There is no question that these fighters represent the elite in combative sports.
So how should a person who trains in self defense study their performances? What lessons should be learned? What truths about fighting were revealed?
Sadly, little….
There should never be any confusion between a street fight and one that takes place in a cage or ring. The combatants in each category have entirely different goals in mind, the endurance and focus requirements of each are night and day, and the legality or appropriateness of any particular strike may be crucial for victory, or just plain moot.
When confronted by an attacker in the street, the goal of a student in self defense is survival, not domination and certainly not entertainment. There are an infinite number of variables that can take place in a street attack, ranging from:
Size of attacker,
Terrain of battle,
Availability of weapons, or even
Number of attackers.
In the ring or cage, there are weight classes, a pre-determined size and terrain for combat, and no hidden weapons or potential partners in battle. In other words, you know who you are fighting and the goal is to dominate them to score a victory.
On the street, once confronted by an attacker, the goal of a self defense student is to defeat the initial attack and incapacitate the opponent enough to exit safely and quickly. Period. There are no cameras to take pictures, no post fight interviews with Joe Rogan or Larry Merchant…this is all about getting out alive and as uninjured as possible.
The length of a fight is also something to consider. Prizefighting has always been as much an endurance event as it is a show of force and skill. Multiple rounds, punctuated with one minute rest periods, make for good theatre, but does not translate in the real world.
In the streets, your battle may last no more than a few strikes. The ability to launch combatives, quickly and accurately to targets on your attacker is what will define success or failure. A well placed throat shot can and should end the engagement in a matter of seconds. No standing 8 count, no 5 minute rest for a foul.
On the topic of fouls, the final point to consider when comparing promotional fights and street fights is the idea of what is considered legal in battle.
The UFC was quickly criticized by many as being “savage” or “uncivilized” as a means of staging a combative sport. Indeed, New York state would not even sanction an event as it views it akin to “human cock fighting”. Compared to what takes place on the street, however, the UFC is the sport of kings! In the UFC Octagon, a fighter cannot eye gouge, kick to the groin, small joint manipulate or bite. In fact, there are actually 27 rules that may not be broken while competing in the cage. There are three judges, a referee and an opponent is able to ‘tapout’ if on the verge of going unconscious or suffering a joint break. All luxuries compared to what can take place on the street!
When attacked on the street, there are no rules of engagement. All that matters is getting out of the situation as unharmed as possible. Groin shots, eye gouges, joint breaks, hair pulls and even biting are all fair game. Never let the notion of something being a ‘dirty shot’ ever enter your mind. The fact is you have no idea what your attacker (or attackers) is capable of. What you should know is that direct and brutal aggression is your best chance for survival.
Building a fan base and scoring million dollar paydays are the main objectives of the elite fighters in combative sports. Being sportsmanlike, looking good for the cameras and winning with some flair helps perpetuate their careers in the limelight.
When you are confronted by people with bad intentions and have no choice but to defend yourself, remember that your number one job is survival…the stakes are far higher and that’s why you have a different agenda and, therefore, different moves than the great fighters we watch on TV.
