Obscure Martial Arts of Interest

**atomicpoet** · Posted On: 7/07/2011 2:07am

After some research, I've discovered some martial arts that are interesting to me, and would love some further insight if anyone has some.

They are:

Muki Boxing
Bare knuckle boxing from northern India.

Kutti Varisai
Tamil empty-handed art similar, but older, than karate.

Naban
Burmese folk wrestling art that seems to be the bridge between Indian and Chinese martial arts.

Cornish Wrestling
Similar to judo but developed independently in Europe during the 15th century.

Stav
Norwegian martial art similar to taijiquan supposedly developed in the 6th century.

Egyptian Stick Fighting
Supposedly can trace its roots back to the ancient Egyptians.

Nuba Fighting
From Sudan. Blends stick fighting and wrestling. Neither pinning or submissions are allowed.

Yagh Gures
Turkish oil wrestling. Yes, that's right. Oil wrestling.

Mani Stick Fighting
Native to Cuba, but derived from Africa. Allegedly, Spanish slave owners would watch their slaves beat each other to death doing it.

If any of my descriptions are inaccurate, please let me know. Would love to separate the fact from fiction.

**100xobm** · Posted On: 7/07/2011 4:38am

Originally Posted by atomicpoet

Cornish Wrestling
Similar to judo but developed independently in Europe during the 15th century.

Except in this case, being from England, there really are AIDS needles and broken bottles all over the concrete.

Hardcore.

**judoka_uk** · Posted On: 7/07/2011 4:46am

Originally Posted by atomicpoet

Yagh Gures
Turkish oil wrestling. Yes, that's right. Oil wrestling.
.

You do realise that this is the single most homo-erotic sport in the whole history of homo-erotic sports. People say BJJ is gay, but BJJ has nothing on Turkish oil wrestling.

Cornish wrestling is done in a field no dange of aids needles or lava.

***Tranquil Suit*** · Posted On: 7/07/2011 5:10am

If I recall correctly, the idea of the oil is that you can't be grabbed anywhere... except for your anus. Hooking the anus (with your thumb or fingers or fist) in Yagh Gures is about as standard as pulling guard in BJJ.

Pause, no homo.

**Grey Owl** · Posted On: 7/07/2011 6:44am

http://www.cornishwrestling.co.uk/

I'm actually in contact with current champ Ashley Cawley and there still are a couple of clubs and competitions. It is also practised in Brittany but it is rare even in Cornwall.

And if you do contact them as a Cornishman myself I wouldn't refer to them as English. To the Cornish it's the same as calling an Irish/Welsh/Scot English.

**Chili Pepper** · Posted On: 7/07/2011 8:18am

Originally Posted by atomicpoet

Stav
Norwegian martial art similar to taijiquan supposedly developed in the 6th century.

No, this one is of modern origins. I believe it's been discussed here more than once.

**doofaloofa** · Posted On: 7/07/2011 8:27am

This looks like randori at our judo club ;)

I love the little hand shake instead of a bow. Frightfully Engl ...Cornish

**yottabit** · Posted On: 7/07/2011 9:08am

Purring

It involves wearing white shirts, wearing shoes and stuffing hay in the down the pants to protect the shin. The opponents must kick each other shins until one submits or falls down.

**Killbot** · Posted On: 7/07/2011 9:15am

Kutti Varisai
Tamil empty-handed art similar, but older, than karate.

one of the guys I used to do Kali with was from Tamil. He said he'd seen people practicing this. Said it was similar to the Shotokan he learned, but led towards stick, then sword play and had less rigid stances...more "bendy" he said.

Wikipedia tells me its just the initial unarmed component of Silambam.

***WhiteShark*** · Posted On: 7/07/2011 9:16am

Turkish Oil-wrestling is so gay that the entire national identity centers around pretending it isn't gay while homosexual tour operators bring gay men from all over the world to "enjoy the spectacle". Seriously.