Does MMA fighting create arrogance?

**Epicurus** · Posted On: 10/07/2007 1:39pm

I have to say I have seen a lot LESS arrogance from the students and instructors at my BJJ school than I have from other Martial artists - excluding myself. It's quite a feeling when the instructor shakes your hand and thanks you for coming to each class and says "hey, what's up?" when he sees you, and the other students do the same. It's hard to get too big an ego in BJJ because anytime you like you can roll with someone who will fold you in half.

**Munacra** · Posted On: 10/07/2007 1:53pm

There's nothing more humbling than a good asskicking, and asskickings are easy to come by at a BJJ class.

I also like the camarederie and friendly ****-talk that comes by with being in a "sport" martial art.

In one Mcdojo I trained Aikido, we were all ubermensch trained in the deadliest techniques of the martial arts. But they were only to be used in the name of peace and self-cultivation.

There were lots of egos at that class. Basically if you were not a black belt, you were dirt, and not worthy of interacting with unless you were being used as a punching bag.

At BJJ and Judo, I can talk videogames and joke around with anyone. And if the person is better than I am, they are not dicks about it.

**Dagon Akujin** · Posted On: 10/07/2007 3:04pm

Math lesson for today:

Internet + Anything = Arrogant Assholes.

As a resident kung-fu'er, I do have to say that I love going to train with BJJ/sub-W/MMA guys. Many of the ones I have met approach their training like an evangelist: they want to show you how worthwhile it is. In rolling or visiting gyms, I have met very, VERY few arrogant bastards, especially among blues/purples. Contrast this to the TUF n00bs I know who have NEVER TRAINED A FUCKING DAY IN THEIR LIVES BUT THINK THEY ARE CHUCK LIDDELL.

Show up to an MMA club and you're much more likely to be greeted with "Let me show you how awesome this training is" instead of "I can kick your ass."

Show up to many dojos and you're much more likely to be greeted with "Well, I COULD just do this and your head would explode if you were to grab me like those UFC fags!*"

You'd never know this if you only interacted with people on the internet, where MMA does now come off as the most arrogant.

Dagon

*paraphrased out of my old goju dojo in Anderson Indianna.

**seriousmantid** · Posted On: 10/07/2007 3:10pm

Originally Posted by Munacra

There's nothing more humbling than a good asskicking, and asskickings are easy to come by at a BJJ class.

I also like the camarederie and friendly ****-talk that comes by with being in a "sport" martial art.

In one Mcdojo I trained Aikido, we were all ubermensch trained in the deadliest techniques of the martial arts. But they were only to be used in the name of peace and self-cultivation.

There were lots of egos at that class. Basically if you were not a black belt, you were dirt, and not worthy of interacting with unless you were being used as a punching bag.

At BJJ and Judo, I can talk videogames and joke around with anyone. And if the person is better than I am, they are not dicks about it.

The mantis class I go to is much the same way no ego's everyone is cool. I have found that alot of BJJ and submission grappelers tend to not have any respect for those that may not grapple. Grappeling is all good except when there are multiple opponents. Who cares about that anyways Im just saying I have got more attitude from those that grapple than those that don't.

**seriousmantid** · Posted On: 10/07/2007 3:46pm

Originally Posted by Dagon Akujin

Math lesson for today:

Internet + Anything = Arrogant Assholes.

You'd never know this if you only interacted with people on the internet, where MMA does now come off as the most arrogant.

Dagon

*paraphrased out of my old goju dojo in Anderson Indianna.

You do have a point most people I've met that do go to the gym are usually really cool It is the new guys and those self trained grappeling types that have struck me as arrogant. Although 70% on the net have been arrogant. "grappeling is the foundation you need carlos" D-D-D. I say any art can have good and bad members and alot of the time it's the individuals that are the most competitive that give the most attitude. Also maybe the grappelers are more arrogant because the things they practice bring you into a more personal range than that of standup thus causing some to seem more arrogant.

***JohnnyCache*** · Posted On: 10/07/2007 3:55pm

Originally Posted by seriousmantid

The mantis class I go to is much the same way no ego's everyone is cool. I have found that alot of BJJ and submission grappelers tend to not have any respect for those that may not grapple. Grappeling is all good except when there are multiple opponents. Who cares about that anyways Im just saying I have got more attitude from those that grapple than those that don't.

I find this pretty arrogant sounding.

**Partezan** · Posted On: 10/07/2007 3:59pm

Originally Posted by Dagon Akujin

Math lesson for today:

Internet + Anything = Arrogant Assholes.

Absolutely right, when you are anonyms you can say whatever you want because the worst thing that can happen is you get told off by people you don't know and probably will never meet and through text that you don't even have to read, or get some bad varrots

There is nothing wrong with speaking your mind to people, that way someone can tell you "ok you have a point but this this and this, you don't know what your talking about" and you can say "oh ok, so that’s the way it is, glad I told you" It's just that alot of people who criticize on forums don't have the balls to speak their mind in real life

**Dagon Akujin** · Posted On: 10/07/2007 4:14pm

Originally Posted by Partezan

It's just that alot of people who criticize on forums don't have the balls to speak their mind in real life

I don't think that's necessarily the case. The fact is, you can't actually "touch hands" or "roll" or buy a beer or watch a movie or spar or train together over the internet. The "kung fu saying" I hear the most at my school is "Let the hands do the talking." Well, over the interwebs that just isn't possible.

I think when "speaking your mind in real life" it's just that there is a completely different etiquette. I don't think it's people "not having balls".

Dagon

P.S. I'm convinced that if I met the posters I don't like on this board, I'd get along with 90% of them in person.

**seriousmantid** · Posted On: 10/07/2007 4:18pm

Originally Posted by JohnnyCache

I find this pretty arrogant sounding.

Not meaning to sound arrogant. Let me explain if I can:

The closer you are to your opponent the more personal it becomes. The farther away you are from your opponent the more impersonal it becomes. If you just shoot and leave it is very impersonal easier to walk away from with no regrets. The closer you get to your opponent the more real he becomes not so easy to walk away thus becomming more personal. The more personal it becomes the more attitude comes into play. So it is only natural for grappelers to be more arrogant and have more attitude because their art is more aggressive due to the close range of combat they practice. Face it grappeling is the closest range of combat you can study you havce to get up close and personal with your opponent, and with that close of combat you need arrogance. So I can see to a point why grappelers look at non-grappelers the way they do.