HexRei

The problem is that most kung-fu fighters I've run into (and I know several people who train it, including two who are sifu themselves with fairly large classes) are convinced that kung-fu is all one needs. They get hooked on the spiritualistic, ritualistic, and forms bullshit and even the ones who are pretty good at kung-fu point fighting end up being essentially terrible fighters in an MMA rules fight, especially against anyone who has a ground game.

I think this is a problem largely with the kung-fu community and mindset and not the art itself. For whatever reason (perhaps better penetration of MMA into Japan and thus Japanese martial arts) Karate, Tae Kwon Do, and Judo seem to have made much more successful transitions into MMA- each of those arts has representative fighters in the higher echelons of MMA. Not so much Kung Fu.

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Cyclist

As a Kung Fu guy. I agree with him.

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Robopencil

While I do think that some martial arts really are better than others, I think that individual skill can really help to bridge the gap. But I don't care how good you are at Tai-Chi...

I'm not trying to be a smart ass here, I'm really not. But what TKD fighters do you know who are at the top level of MMA? I've heard of a few fighters who trained TKD as kids, and one fighter who said he wasted his time earning a TKD black belt, but that's the extent of my knowledge.

I know of a few top name fighters who trained Karate as teenagers GSP and Liddell. And of course Machida who still trains Karate.

I think most of us can name some Judoka.

americanfighter

kung lee trains Kung fu and TKD Doesn't he.

I took tkd for a while (Because it was free at my collage) I think TKD could be a huge help in MMA but its only one part. Like everyone else you have to be well rounded you have to have wrestling kickboxing and jiujitsu to be successful. But if you can master some of the basic kicks in TKD like the front and side It could be very help full.

Like bruce lee said the best style is no style at all. And when he made JKD he put the sidekick of TKD the holds of BJJ the throws of judo knees of MT the takedowns of wrestling and the punches of western boxing and kung fu.

if you would learn to throw kicks like bruce I am sure that would help alot.

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Robopencil

You're right, I forgot about Cung Le. He does have a TKD blackbelt, though I think he just trains his San Shou, and BJJ now.

Maybe there is more room for people who utilize kicks and strikes in the way that Cung Le does, but it seems like a lot of people have difficulty striking that dynamically.

LoganDaBoxer

I'd say Muay Thai would win, because it is a more practical disclipine for actual fighting and competition. There are way too many weapons in muay thai. I like Kung Fu, but in an actual fight, the edge goes to Muay Thai.

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Pepe

exactly my point, at my school i'm one of the top fighters now due to my friends teaching of some muay thai techniques and some groundfighting, before every class we work some combos with knees elbows and then we wrestle around, then when class starts its mostly kungfu but it's all good
and thanks to my friend opening my mind i've been on this amazing forum finding new techniques, as a kung fu fighter i'm pretty good with my knees :P

kangaroo

For years people wondered about waht fighting art is the most effective. MMA finally gave them the chance to prove it and from what i seen, most martial artists were willing to take part.

All except kung fu. They know it sucks thats why. Sticky hands, monkey punch, iron fisted eye gouge, dancing like a swan, posing like a bird are all fancy moves to do and look at but practicaly USELESS in a fight.

Ok so these kung fu losers say mma is a sport and not real fighting? Hah...how different does a real fight look to a brutal mma fight anyway?

If confronted on the street, are u kung fu guys really going to gouge someones eyes, snap thier necks? kick their balls? Are u really going to be that lethal? hmmmmmm?

U think the mma guy who fights in the ring wont be just as lethal on the streets as u? Ur deluded man.

Ok, so the mma guy who trains, spars and FIGHTS IN THE RING (which is the closest to a real fight which is legal) is ineffective cos its a sport right?

So somehow, u think by practising wing chun sticky hands against a stationery fellow wing chunner, TALKING about how u will do this, do that, practising eye gouges but NEVER taking this to the ring is A REAL FIGHT? hahaha!! Yeah right.

Until u kung fu losers have the guts to prove urself, dont lead people astray and convince them ur art is efficient for the street cos its not. All ur doing is sending ur students to the death chamber.

HeavyRob

Welcome to the board, kangaroo.

I trained in kung-fu for 5 years. It was clearly better for a high schooler to train in a martial art rather than MMA. I'd do the same thing with my kids.

Now that I have that background, I'm currently training in MMA. It helped me formulate a solid base for my training.


If confronted on the street (assuming by guys who want to hurt you), you're saying that you wouldn't be that lethal? You'd have the cognitive capacity to hold back at appropriate times? Or would you snap the elbow of the guy holding the knife?

A lot of kung fu techniques are based simply on self defense. MMA is competition. UFC bans groin shots and eye gouges and the like. Those aren't competitive techniques. Those are low blows to be used only when confronted with a situation that requires defense.

I've seen kung fu guys defend themselves on the street and kick ass. And I'm sure it's gone the other way, too.

However, if you're trying to say that a guy training only in Kung-fu wouldn't do well in the octagon, I'd entirely agree with you. We've seen it before.

Again, welcome to the boards.

Couchwarrior

You really hate those kung fu losers, don't you Kangaroo? What did they do, use the five point palm exploding heart technique on your dog?

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