Empty your cup.

The Muay Thai kicks and other techniques has never been a big part of the MMA scene. Does this mean it doesn't work? Why so many doubters?

There is this limiting belief that people have on what MMA should and can be. A decade ago, Jiu Jitsu was the ultimate martial arts. Royce Gracie for the longest time proved that he could beat anyone using BJJ, and he did. Many fans and viewers were convinced that BJJ is the superior form of fighting. Until along came wrestlers Matt Hughes, Tito Ortiz, and Randy Couture to prove them wrong. Their anti-submission techniques and ground and pound (GnP) tactics revolutionized the ground game. Interesting enough, as a result of this, the masses of hypocrites that were once pro-BJJ began jumping on the "wrestling as the dominant style" bandwagon. At this time, stand-up was really being discredited. This changed, as a couple years later Crocop, Chuck Liddel, and Wanderlei Silva began knocking out ground game specialists by way of stand-up.

Which brings me to my main concern; whether or not there is room in MMA for techniques from more distant martial arts. Technique that have not been used, or rather used successfully in MMA.

A year ago, the first San Shou fighter made his debut in MMA. His name is Cung Le. He is the undefeated San Shou Champion and now undefeated Strikeforce Middleweight Champion after his victory against Frank "The Legend" Shamrock. There was much controversy around this guy upon his arrival because of his "unseen" before style. He now proved that there just might be a chance that MMA hasn't fully evolved yet, and that there is still room for growth. He is the first fighter to successfully utilize unorthodox kicks repetitively in an MMA pro match.

What I have noticed is that people do not like their ideas to be challenged. When people's beliefs (in this case: of what MMA should be) are threatened or challenged, they will say and do whatever they can to protect it, even at the cost of being realistic. MMA is still a relatively new sport. It is evolving and will continue to evolve. Because there are so many tools at disposal in a MMA bout, we must keep an open mind to potential techniques that can be used. Traditional San Shou and Muay Thai techniques have not fully broke into the MMA scene, but this does not mean that they don't work. It can simply be that there hasn't been anyone successful yet at utilizing them in MMA.

Lata.

Well at least we know these moves work!





http://youtube.com/watch?v=a2ln9kIu78g