Re: MMA as catalyst for change in Aikido?
The argument 'we dont see TMA techniques being effective in UFC-ish events, and therefore they can't work in real life' is illogic at its highest. Unfortunately, that attitude is common among its adherents.
However, what is great about MMA is that it is at the forefront of providing an environment with limited parameters, some necessarily for safety (because we are there to learn, not to kill each other). But it does so without it being 'play nice' rules that we see rampant in just about all martial arts.
To MMA, I'd add judo, sumo, boxing, and fencing, off the top of my head, as events where force and techniques are not unnecessarily limited by safety and other parameters, so we get something approaching a true test of skill.
Justin
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