Do keep in mind that this is a morbid curiosity/fantasy rather than a serious proposal.
MMA fights seem to be the most reliable way to gauge if someone can fight or not. But here is the problem: a real fight will most likely occur while the fighter is wearing everyday clothes on a hard surface, without any chance to warm up or stretch and without any gloves or shinguards. Most importantly though, a real fight is unexpected and could be against anyone, and will most likely occur while someone isn't in the "fighting" mood, giving them the disadvantage. It is for this reason I propose a new sport: Casual MMA.
The premise is quite simple: a group of about 20 or so fighters (who have all signed a contract, of course) are taken to the ring which is non-padded. The audience sits around the ring like they normally would, there's are screens for people in the back of the auditorium, yadda yadda etc etc.
There are no weight classes or gender divisions. The fighters are all wearing normal street clothes without any protection. They are prohibited from doing any warming up or stretching, and are encouraged to socialize with each other so as to diffuse any tension and make them comfortable. There is absolutely no preparation besides any training they may have done in anticipation for the competition. Two fighters are called out at random to immediately enter the ring and fight each other, without any countdown or bell. Obvious rules - such as no groin shots or eye gouges - are observed. There is a referee to keep things nice and clean. When the fight is finished, another few minutes elapse, giving the other fighters time to relax again after witnessing the fight. Another two fighters are called out, and the process repeats.
I think this sport would be the best form of fighting competition for a few reasons:
-It would be the most realistic simulation of a real-world fight, while also keeping it consensual and sportsmanlike.
-It would be the most accurate benchmark of someone's ability to truly fight "on command."
-Competitors will learn to be actively prepared for any real-life altercation that might unexpectedly come to them during their everyday lives, without becoming totally paranoid.
-The emphasis would be on survival instinct, a very important factor in such confrontations.
-Arts that have little representation in the world of MMA but might have some merit in real-world self defense - such as ITF Taekwondo and Tang Soo Do - would have a chance to prove themselves in this regard.
-It would potentially develop a mutual respect between those lesser-represented arts and the more popular ones such as Muay Thai, BJJ, etc.
Do keep in mind that this is not meant to disrespect MMA at all; it is a conceptual idea for an entirely new form of fighting competition, and I'd like to hear everyone's thoughts on it.
MMA fights seem to be the most reliable way to gauge if someone can fight or not. But here is the problem: a real fight will most likely occur while the fighter is wearing everyday clothes on a hard surface, without any chance to warm up or stretch and without any gloves or shinguards. Most importantly though, a real fight is unexpected and could be against anyone, and will most likely occur while someone isn't in the "fighting" mood, giving them the disadvantage. It is for this reason I propose a new sport: Casual MMA.
The premise is quite simple: a group of about 20 or so fighters (who have all signed a contract, of course) are taken to the ring which is non-padded. The audience sits around the ring like they normally would, there's are screens for people in the back of the auditorium, yadda yadda etc etc.
There are no weight classes or gender divisions. The fighters are all wearing normal street clothes without any protection. They are prohibited from doing any warming up or stretching, and are encouraged to socialize with each other so as to diffuse any tension and make them comfortable. There is absolutely no preparation besides any training they may have done in anticipation for the competition. Two fighters are called out at random to immediately enter the ring and fight each other, without any countdown or bell. Obvious rules - such as no groin shots or eye gouges - are observed. There is a referee to keep things nice and clean. When the fight is finished, another few minutes elapse, giving the other fighters time to relax again after witnessing the fight. Another two fighters are called out, and the process repeats.
I think this sport would be the best form of fighting competition for a few reasons:
-It would be the most realistic simulation of a real-world fight, while also keeping it consensual and sportsmanlike.
-It would be the most accurate benchmark of someone's ability to truly fight "on command."
-Competitors will learn to be actively prepared for any real-life altercation that might unexpectedly come to them during their everyday lives, without becoming totally paranoid.
-The emphasis would be on survival instinct, a very important factor in such confrontations.
-Arts that have little representation in the world of MMA but might have some merit in real-world self defense - such as ITF Taekwondo and Tang Soo Do - would have a chance to prove themselves in this regard.
-It would potentially develop a mutual respect between those lesser-represented arts and the more popular ones such as Muay Thai, BJJ, etc.
Do keep in mind that this is not meant to disrespect MMA at all; it is a conceptual idea for an entirely new form of fighting competition, and I'd like to hear everyone's thoughts on it.
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