18 Jul Onra4: Putting Martial Arts Back into Mixed Martial Arts
Putting Martial Arts back in Mixed Martial Arts
by: Stephen “The Midnight Fighter” Roberto
The three main components of MMA can best be described, in no particular
order, takedowns, striking and submissions. Â MMA is widely considered the
triathlon of martial arts. Being evenly skilled in all areas is ensures
maximum performance and the greatest chance of victory. The most popular
disciplines are kickboxing, wrestling and Brazilian jiu jitsu. Â The focus of
this article is the myth that training jiu jitsu with the gi or kimono is
not necessary in order to enhance your MMA game. I disagree strongly with
this idea and know a few other individuals that agree with me too. You might
be familiar with some of the bigger names in the sport. BJ Penn, Rodrigo
Nogueira, Brandon Vera, Nick Diaz all train with the gi in preparation for
their MMA fights. And with their success in the sport it is hard to
understand why more of our local MMA athletes do not follow in their
footsteps.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu emphasizes ground fighting techniques and submission
holds involving joint-locks and chokeholds also found in numerous other arts
with or without ground fighting emphasis. The premise is that most of the
advantage of a larger, stronger opponent comes from superior reach and more
powerful strikes, both of which are sometimes negated if grappling on the
ground. BJJ, wrestling and judo incorporate many techniques to throw or
tackle opponents to the ground which revolve around using the primary bases
of the body, the hips and shoulders. These takedowns are difficult to
counter without training. Once the opponent is on the ground, a number of
maneuvers (and counter-maneuvers) are available to manipulate the opponent
into suitable position for the application of a submission hold. Achieving a
dominant position on the ground is one of the hallmarks of the BJJ style,
and includes effective use of the guard position to defend oneself from
bottom, and passing the guard to dominate from top position with side
control, mount, and back mount positions. As well as recovering oneself to
the standing position if they are more proficient in the striking arts. The
gi is merely a tool to enhance the techniques of BJJ. This system of
maneuvering and manipulation can be likened to a form of kinetic chess when
utilized by two experienced practitioners. A submission hold is the
equivalent of checkmate.
The discipline needed to move thru the belt ranks of BJJ is the proverbial
icing on the cake. I have met lifelong friends due to BJJ. It has helped me
to get thru some of the most challenging times in my life. It is something
good that should be shared with all. Guam is hot on the heels of the
international MMA scene, ready to shine. With BJJ training and competition
one can arm themselves not only with the weapons to win but the mind bullets
needed to become disciplined, levelheaded representatives of the sport Don’t
 do jiu jitsu, live jiu jitsu.