All over the web people talk about these two incidents.
I've watched some of Emin's interviews and before I heard from his mouth his side of the storys my opinion of him was very similar to those here.
He did seem arrogant and such. But my opinion has changed now that I've seen and heard new facts on the situations.
The Chueng fight: Chueng place public challenges in magazines and such that he was the best, his wing chun the best. He placed an open challenge to anyone who thought could beat him. Emin obliged. He knew his weakness, and took him to the ground. Thus, he won. Emin's comments on this issue were very diplomatic, and reasonable. He was young and idealistic. Bruce Lee is a very stong influence on him at that time. Bruce Lee did very similar challenges when he was alive, and was criticized and sometimes not well liked. They both are very idealistic, and honest in their dealings with others. This sometimes isn't received well by others, and seen as arrogance, or threatening.
The Gracies: These guys have great manipulation of the media, strong corporate sponsorship, money, and they know how to work it to their advantage. The same goes here, they offered an open challenge to all. But their not delivering what they advertise.
They say they fight without rules, this is not so. When they go to a challenge match they go as a large group. I see this as a type of "gang" mentality. Very aggressive, and unfair to the challenger who usually has little to no backing in comparision.
What Emin didn't like was their arrogance in the "way" that they challenge other martial artists. Again, he is idealistic, and wishes others to be respectful to others. He was angry about what they were doing and accepted their open challenge. He wrote to the owners of UFC and stated this and that he wanted to challenge Gracie. They wanted him to go through the UFC rules and rank up to the champion, Gracie. He did not wish do this, think. UFC would have made ALOT of money off Emin going through their "system" and he wasn't playing that game.
The Gracies responded and invited him to their school. Again, that would not be a smart move for anyone. They hold all the cards, you don't fight your opponent on their "turf", with their "rules". This is what Emin was trying to get them away from, their comfort zone.
He recomended a place that was neutral to both parties with media there to fairly document the outcome, no mats, no rules. The Gracies declined, stating that Emin was being difficult and questioned his integrity, courage, etc. very rude.
This all eventually became a "deal breaker" because neither side could agree on fight terms. Then the Gracies sent their lawyers after Emin and he backed off the entire subject when the Gracie's threated to sue. So, he dropped it.
Check out his interviews.
Enough of that now.
As for leaving EWTO. There was many reasons for him leaving. The Chueng fight had nothing to do with it. At the time it just benifeted EWTO. The Gracies didn't have anything to do with it.
He left because him and Leung Ting were very very close, and he was betrayed by those he trusted and respected. This was all due to money, ego, and such, but not on Emins part as far as I can tell. He was of valid rank to teach and do what he wanted independently. These men did try to set him up and "destroy" him. He was warned by his escrima friend that they had several men waiting to "jump" him in public and if he went well... he'd win and he'd go to jail, look a bully and bad person. So, he didn't show up to the banquet. The anti-grappling he incorporated was an issue. It was new to WT and helped to take it to another level. Leung Ting wanted to charge every WT sifu big money to learn it. Emin did not. He wanted all WT practicioners to be able to learn it reguardless of money. All money politics.
Leung Ting couldn't discredit him publicly so he took away much of his students and schools. Offering students "sifu" that weren't of the level to be ready of it. Basically promoting people as a bribe to leave Emin while he split from Leung Ting's organization. This worked quite well. And Emin was hurting financially, emotionally, and as a teacher and martial artist.
Personally, my point of view on the entire mess is that these politics are what really hurt the arts. All arts in general.
People are made feel like they have to take "sides" on issues that really have nothing to do with them.
These are human beings, Emin and Lueng Ting, and because they are in such a public spotlight people are creully judgemental of everything they do and say. Personally, I concider both men, just men. And don't base my life, training, or philosophys on either one.
But, as a Woman I find that this environment is very detrimental to all, and see why there aren't many female sifus. I would like to become good enough to be a sifu one day, but I really don't see this as practical for many reasons. I see these behaviours as a "boys club" as do many other women, and I wouldn't play these games the way their being played.
My husband teaches me, and he's a Level 5 technician. I can trust him to teach me right, and to do right by me. If I were to train under another man I would not have this respect and trust for there is too much politicing and self interest involved in what many teachers do. Not only because he's my husband, but because he's my best friend, and a man that see's what is going on here and has seperated himself from all of it.
Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds. - Albert Einstien
