JP3

So, after the below encounter, my wife is talking to her friend at the location where it took place and the friend says, "Really? Somebody picked a fight with John? Bet that didn't work out well, huh!"

Which sounds kind of cool, in a movie line sort of way, but the situation left a lot to be desired.

The Backstory:

Out with another couple, out to a friend's (same friend as above) bar/nightclub (Problem #1, neh?) to see a 80's & 90's cover band (yeah, yeah we're not 20). Hanging out witht my wife and her friend (not the bar owner, the one we came with), the pair of which ladies were dressed very well and looked great in that "Hey, I want to get to know You sort of way," euphemistically described (read, skin) (Problem #2). Band goes on, music is played, hands are raised, drinks are consumed (Problem #3).

Did I mention that drinks were consumed? Let me be clear on why this is unfortunate. Many beers were consumed by yours truly, who was having a good time, loving the tunes and the company, a great vibe. Bar owners have a predilection to share out free shots, anyone else have that same experience? (Problem #4) So, many multiple beers, several shots, etc.

The Complication:

A party bus from the other side of Houston (big city, nobody knows any of them) shows up at ~10 pm or so, the party bus has an arrangement with the bar owner for unlimited drinks for a flat fee, already paid (Problem #5). The ratio of guys to girls on that bus is about 18,000 to 1. Well... not quite that bad, but at least 4:1, guys:girls (Problem #6.

The Thickening, if you will:

More people we know show up, as it was "supposed" to be a reunion, sort of, of the party crowd from a decade ago, witht he ladies dressed tot he 9's (whatever that means), so now there is a crowd of hot-looking ladies standing around, which is no problem.... until one of the guys suggest a round of some shot or other and about 2/3 of the other guys go off to do that. I skip it, perhaps showing the nly wisdom of the evening.

Problem is, this left me basically alone in the presence of about 5 good-looking ladies.... no other guys around....

So here comes Random Drunk *EXPLETIVE* (We'll shorten that to RDMF) over, being really friendly, smiling, etc. He says, "Hey man, you're really lucky!"

Me: "What?" (It's loud, remember. Plus, I am definitely beyond the Texas intoxication limit for driving, let's just admit that, too)

RDMF: "Yeah, man... you're really lucky."

Me: "Oh! Sure, OK I guess. Thanks!"

RDMF: "No, I mean that you're really lucky to be standing over here with all these girls and my boys and I are trying to talk to them and they'e being bitches."

.... typically at this point, when non-blasted, I understand that we are already past Stage 1, Stage 2 and possibly Stage 3 of the "I'm trying to start a fight with you" ritual, but see above explanation regarding alcohol intake.
Me, reaching out a hand to reassure the guy by touching his shoulder (Problem #7): "No, dude.... all these girls are married. The blonde is my wife and..."

Predictably (for the sober - and anyone who has ever been a bar bouncer, like myself - but keep in mind... sober, which I'm not), RDMF reacts badly to being touched by a male he doesn't know and shoves my hand (the left one, important later) away, yelling, "Don't touch me *MF-er*!"

Me (remember, not sober, so not smart) turns more towards the guy to find out why the cool guy who thought I was lucky "did that weird thing with my hand..." and catch a short quick left to the face.

(Clarification necessary... Since I'm legally blind, I didn't see it at all, of course, but even if I Could see right, wasted = inability to see straight, right?)

But, this is where the 4 decades of training (trying to actually answer the original post's inquiry) reflex/muscle membory kicks in. Didn't realize I had done it until after, but my knocked aside L-hand had gotten back in the game and interposed itself in the retraction line of the RDMF's left, catching it at the wrist while my R-hand drove in to find RDMF's elbow, then pushing up, around, down in a tight little ugly ikkyo (oshi-tai-oshi for my Tomiki folks).

Floor, meet RDMF face, RDMF, meet floor.

About a two-second delay while drunken people close by process and sober bouncers at the edge of room start moving and...

People from both camps push in. I let go of RDMF (straight arm shoulder pin) ... well, I say let go, my buddy yanked me back so it's more like I was forced to let go, people interpose themselves going, "What's going on?!" "What happened?" "Whoa!" "Wow, that was fast!" Yadda-yadda-yadda....

Street situation, though not in a street, and somewhat typical for a typical drunkenly and quite disorderly event. Not a life-threat, sure, but it still DID work.

I'm not so sure it was very aiki in execution, however.