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LeeKrol
Guest
Alright, for those of you who didn't catch it, TLC had an hour long show called "Top 10 Ultimate Martial Arts". Here is the arts they listed as the Top 10, in order :
1) Shaolin Kung Fu
2) Karate
3) Muay Thai Kickboxing
4) Ninjutsu
5) Juko-Kai (Combat Ki)
6) Aikido
7) Tae Kwon Do
8) Krav Maga
9) Kali
10) Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Hrmmmmm........Muay Thai looks to me like the only one that is even CLOSE to being in the right spot. I am not sure what the criteria is for this list, but if the criteria is combat applications, this list is dead wrong, and we can thank the UFC and Pride for proving this.
Think I'm wrong? Royce Gracie vs. Minoki Ichihara. The Karateka was quickly dismantled by the BJJ master. Number 2 vs Number 10 according to the TLC list, and Number 2 was destroyed. Does the name Fred Ettish ring a bell? Johnny Rhodes sure rung his bell in the UFC. I could pull out a flurry of other matches to list, but I think I proved my point. Anyone that thinks a top Karate or Tae Kwon Do practitioner would beat any quality Muay Thai or BJJ practitioner is living in a fantasy world.
I am wondering what the criteria are? Influence of the arts? If that is the case, where is JKD? Where is Pankration? Can anyone really make a real case for Juko-Kai being more influential than JKD, wrestling, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu? Please do, I would love to hear it.
Is the criteria popularity? Again, where is JKD? Is Juko-Kai more popular than Tae Kwon Do? BJJ is gaining mass popularity all over the world. What about American Boxing?
Is the criteria toughness? Kali would be much higher than ninth I can promise you that. Muay Thai and BJJ would be right up there too. These are some of the toughest fighters on the planet, physically a lot tougher than an Aikido practitioner. To nip the ensuing ripping from the Aiki-marks right in the bud, name me an Aikido practitioner who would beat Vanderlei Silva, Mirko Cro-Cop, or Ernesto Hoost on the street before you call me ignorant. When you name some guy no one has ever heard of, answer me this: Why aren't they rolling in Pride or UFC then?
Is the criteria "the gift of the art to the world"? Where is wrestling or JKD? What about boxing?
Is the criteria beauty of the art? Where is Capoeira? Where is Wushu? Where is Tai Chi?
What I am ranting about is really very simple : What criteria does this list follow? I would love to hear what people have to say about this list, defend your arts if you want, and make a Top Ten of your own if so inclined.
I don't like Top Ten lists personally. How you can take all the different arts, with all of their different theories and contributions to the martial arts world, throw them all together and say which is the best is ridiculous. I'd love to hear what everyone has to say about this.
Thanks.
Lee M. Krol
1) Shaolin Kung Fu
2) Karate
3) Muay Thai Kickboxing
4) Ninjutsu
5) Juko-Kai (Combat Ki)
6) Aikido
7) Tae Kwon Do
8) Krav Maga
9) Kali
10) Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Hrmmmmm........Muay Thai looks to me like the only one that is even CLOSE to being in the right spot. I am not sure what the criteria is for this list, but if the criteria is combat applications, this list is dead wrong, and we can thank the UFC and Pride for proving this.
Think I'm wrong? Royce Gracie vs. Minoki Ichihara. The Karateka was quickly dismantled by the BJJ master. Number 2 vs Number 10 according to the TLC list, and Number 2 was destroyed. Does the name Fred Ettish ring a bell? Johnny Rhodes sure rung his bell in the UFC. I could pull out a flurry of other matches to list, but I think I proved my point. Anyone that thinks a top Karate or Tae Kwon Do practitioner would beat any quality Muay Thai or BJJ practitioner is living in a fantasy world.
I am wondering what the criteria are? Influence of the arts? If that is the case, where is JKD? Where is Pankration? Can anyone really make a real case for Juko-Kai being more influential than JKD, wrestling, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu? Please do, I would love to hear it.
Is the criteria popularity? Again, where is JKD? Is Juko-Kai more popular than Tae Kwon Do? BJJ is gaining mass popularity all over the world. What about American Boxing?
Is the criteria toughness? Kali would be much higher than ninth I can promise you that. Muay Thai and BJJ would be right up there too. These are some of the toughest fighters on the planet, physically a lot tougher than an Aikido practitioner. To nip the ensuing ripping from the Aiki-marks right in the bud, name me an Aikido practitioner who would beat Vanderlei Silva, Mirko Cro-Cop, or Ernesto Hoost on the street before you call me ignorant. When you name some guy no one has ever heard of, answer me this: Why aren't they rolling in Pride or UFC then?
Is the criteria "the gift of the art to the world"? Where is wrestling or JKD? What about boxing?
Is the criteria beauty of the art? Where is Capoeira? Where is Wushu? Where is Tai Chi?
What I am ranting about is really very simple : What criteria does this list follow? I would love to hear what people have to say about this list, defend your arts if you want, and make a Top Ten of your own if so inclined.
I don't like Top Ten lists personally. How you can take all the different arts, with all of their different theories and contributions to the martial arts world, throw them all together and say which is the best is ridiculous. I'd love to hear what everyone has to say about this.
Thanks.
Lee M. Krol